EXPLORADOOR INC
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Mission Statement
Exploradoor's mission is to connect low-income and minority teens to career, job and skill programs (“Programs”) that prepare and inspire them for life after high school.
About This Cause
Exploradoor simplifies access and connection of youth from marginalized and low-income communities to programs, experiences, career exploration and work opportunities that inform career and educational pathways, as well as provide personal growth and development. The AmbassaDOOR program consists of two interrelated parts: The compilation and curation of a free, internet-based platform called Exploradoor.com that aggregates teen programs and experiences, including jobs and internships, into one easy to use location that both organizes opportunities by student interest categories and directly connects them to the opportunities they choose. The second is the Ambassador school-force that trains selected students to promote Exploradoor.com and influence other teens in their respective schools to learn about and participate in Exploradoor.com-featured program opportunities, including job shadows, college visits, career exploration programs and internships. Both parts of the AmbassaDOOR program work in an integrated fashion to increase teen engagement and preparedness about career and life choices after high school, especially for teens who are left out of these opportunities due unawareness or lack of social capital. Over the 23-24 school year, the AmbassaDOOR program hired, trained and provided ongoing skills and motivational coaching to 30 high school juniors and seniors in 15 Indianapolis, Indiana public high schools, providing a hands-on work-experience to the Ambassadors themselves while also leveraging their efforts to implement school-based marketing tactics to attract and enroll low-income and minority youth into youth-targeted career, job and skill development programs. In 2023, over 75% of our platform users connecting to programs were minority youth: 55% AA; 22% Hispanic; 10% Asian. Additionally, over 90% of our Ambassador interns were minority and 70% were female and 30% male. During that same period, Exploradoor.com was visited by over 30,000 unique visitors and made over 2800 referrals/connections to featured programs. The majority of Exploradoor outreach is conducted in Marion County, Indiana and in partnership with schools and nonprofit organizations. Throughout the year, we attend career and job exploration events, as well as schedule classroom presentations. In 2024, we will increase our focus on partnerships with mentor organizations, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Starfish, 100 Black Men and Junior Achievement, to strengthen the student user followup and program application steps of the process. Why it matters? According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, KidsCount Data Center (Jan 2023), more than 50% of minority youth in Indiana are in low-income families: 57% African American, 50% Hispanic, and 57% Asian/Pacific Islanders. Additionally, a significant percentage of minority youth also are in families where the head of household lacks a high school diploma: 11% African American, 23% Hispanic. Finally, 2022 data indicates that only 30% of African American, 35% of Hispanic, and 30% of Asian/Pacific Islander Indiana young adults ages 18-24 are enrolled in or have completed a college degree. Taken together, these income and education statistics highlight the need and importance of encouraging and better enabling through connections and support the pursuit of a college or career pathway after high school by greater number of minority and low-income youth.