New Leadership, Survey Results Help to Shape Future Direction
Cape Cod Young Professionals Inc., a nonprofit organization that works to connect, engage, and advance Cape Cod’s young workforce and future leaders, is pleased to unveil its new three-year Strategic Plan, which will guide the organization’s work for the years 2018 to 2020. CCYP is also releasing results from its recently completed 2018 Community Survey, which was created to gain insight into the top needs of Cape Cod’s 45-and-under workforce and residents. CCYP leadership incorporated feedback from the Community-wide Survey, distributed in early 2018, to help craft the organization’s priorities for the next three years.
2018-2020 Strategic Plan
The 2018-2020 Strategic Plan, developed under the leadership of CCYP’s Board of Directors and CEO, includes five (5) major strategic priorities:
1. Promote Cape Cod as a vibrant place for young people to live and work, year-round.
2. Advocate for policies and resources that positively impact young Cape Codders’ quality of life.
3. Provide opportunities for leadership and career development among Cape Cod’s 45-and-under population.
4. Provide high quality, mission-driven programs.
5. Sustain CCYP’s growth and plan for the future by nurturing donor and member relationships; investing in volunteer and staff development; and upholding exemplary internal management practices.
For those familiar with CCYP’s past work, the 2018-2020 strategic priorities will clearly speak to the organization’s longtime focus in areas like career development and community connection. In the coming years, however, the community can look for CCYP to strengthen its focus on policy and advocacy, and economic growth. CCYP’s three-year priorities also emphasize a strong commitment to best practices in organizational management and performance, as well as cultivating relationships with volunteers, members, and donors. An overview of the 2018-2020 Strategic Plan can be found on the CCYP website at www.capecodyoungprofessionals.org.
2018 Community Survey Results
CCYP’s first-ever Community Survey solicited input from both CCYP members and the community at large to identify the foremost needs and concerns of Cape Cod’s young residents and workforce, particularly those aged 45 and below. The survey was designed to gauge how this population’s needs may have changed since completion of the CCYP-commissioned “Shape the Cape” Survey in 2014. The Shape the Cape Survey, completed by the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University, found that a lack of housing, insufficient higher education opportunities, and not enough social activities were the primary reasons why young residents had moved off Cape Cod.
In CCYP’s 2018 Community Survey, a total of 400 respondents identified what they need the most in order to successfully live and work on Cape Cod. The top five needs, with the percentage responding for each, were:
1. Housing affordability/availability (33%)
2. Job advancement opportunities (32%)
3. Policies that support living and working on Cape Cod year-round (31%)
4. Child care affordability (23%)
5. Recruitment of quality employee candidates (21%)
The 2018 Community Survey also asked respondents where CCYP should focus its future efforts. The top five responses, along with the percentage responding for each, were:
1. Promoting Cape Cod as a Vibrant Place for Young People to Live and Work (55%)
2. Advocating for Policies & Resources that Improve Quality of Life for Young Cape Codders (43%)
3. Developing the Next Generation of Board/Committee Leaders & Elected Officials (37%)
4. Business Development Training/Support (37%)
5. Connecting Community Members (34%)
Moving forward, CCYP aims to keep a pulse on the needs and perceptions of Cape Cod’s young residents and workforce by conducting a community-wide survey every other year. A full executive summary of results from the 2018 Community Survey can be found at www.capecodyoungprofessionals.org.
About CCYP
Cape Cod Young Professionals, Inc. (CCYP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, whose mission is to connect, engage, and advance the next generation of Cape Cod’s workforce and community leaders. For more information about CCYP, visit www.capecodyoungprofessionals.org.
