Drive Change

Drive Change Provides Opportunities for Young People to Further Their Social & Professional Development Through the Power of Work

The US has the highest rate of incarcerated people in the world and for decades NYS was one of only two states to prosecute 16 year olds as adults.  Upon release, these young people face barriers to employment, and aren’t prepared to succeed or grow professionally. Imprisonment has lifelong consequences, and youth that have been incarcerated have a 70% chance of being rearrested within 5 years.

Drive Change mission is to equip young people with the tools to succeed in the food service industry and become leaders in their community. It runs an 8-month paid-fellowship for 18-25 year olds, to train them in culinary arts, place them into living wage jobs, and hold the hospitality partners accountable to providing a workplace experience that is fair, supportive and equitable. 
While the hospitality sector has the potential to be an opportunity for the youth, Drive Change recognizes that the annual turnover rate for entry level employees in the US hospitality sector is 73.8% (Bureau of Labor Statistics), with 6% of employees quitting every month. Therefore, Drive Change challenges the hospitality industry to hire, train, and retain qualified young people and provide workplaces that are equitable and supportive.

To support this demand for culture change, Drive Change provides training, coaching, and direction to the leaders of the Hospitality for Social Justice restaurant network, focusing on unconscious biases, identity and privilege.