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Founded in 2009, UP Partnership’s mission is to ensure all young people are ready for the future. To do this, cross-sector community partner initiatives that address barriers young people in Bexar County face during their educational journey are regularly convened.
It is the responsibility of the entire community to work together to ensure every young person in Bexar County is ready for the future. UP Partnership brings together more than 90 community partners — corporate, early childhood, local government, philanthropy, postsecondary education, PreK-12, youth development and nonprofit — to advance the Future Ready Bexar County plan.
Launched in 2022, the plan provides leaders across Bexar County with shared vision, language, goals metrics and strategy to reach the collaborative North Star goal of increasing the percentage of Bexar County high school graduates enrolling in a postsecondary degree or credential training to 70% by 2030. More than 80 local organizations and 200 student student-serving professionals worked diligently together to develop the plan in 2021, including the North Star goal.
The Future Ready plan is ambitious, but the North Star goal can be reached. More than 90 Future Ready partners have already made concrete action commitments to scale healing, access and voice for the youth who utilize their services. These equity pillars are the mutually agreed-upon must-haves for equity among Bexar County’s young people.
Youth development workers, teachers, parents and mentors are also essential in driving the work and it is important to know about the community’s everyday heroic stories of guiding a young person to success either by reaching out at www.uppartnership.org, tagging @uppartnershipsa or using #FutureReadySA on social media.
Moving forward through 2030
As a result of Future Ready partners’ willingness to work together in bold new ways, UP Partnership secured a historic commitment of $114 million over the next seven years to help the greater San Antonio community achieve the plan’s goals.
A coordinating committee — which consists of anchor partner institutions supporting the multiple school districts — will play a key countywide role in the plan’s implementation and success. Anchor partners include the United Way of San Antonio & Bexar County, San Antonio Area Foundation, H. E. Butt Foundation, Communities In Schools of San Antonio, CAST Schools Network and Alamo Colleges District. Together they will help other Future Ready partners to expound, deepen and strengthen initial countywide efforts.
There is still much to do in 2024 and beyond to ensure successful outcomes for all of the young people in Bexar County. Through the next few months, UP Partnership will shine a bright light on organizations that are delivering on Future Ready commitments and, in so doing, strengthening the future of the community.
