Ten youth from Hartford joined the Hartford Data Collaborative this past January to serve as the first full class of Hartford Youth Data Fellows. This program is a follow-up to the Hartford Youth Researchers program from the spring of 2022 and is part of CTData’s mission to empower an ecosystem of data users. This year’s group is larger than 2022’s class and includes seven high school seniors and three college students.

The Hartford Youth Data Fellows serve as co-researchers with the Hartford Data Collaborative. During the 5-month program, youth will receive data literacy, data analysis, data visualization, and data storytelling training. They will also engage with community leaders from Hartford to better understand city issues and resident needs. A goal of the program is also to further their college and career development plans.

Youth data fellows engage with guest speaker Joel Hicks-Rivera from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving about his experience growing up in Hartford.

As co-researchers, youth will share their lived experience as youths in Hartford in their data projects. Each fellow will develop a “Data Snapshot” highlighting data about children and youth, education and schools, community safety, and mental health issues. These snapshots will be shared on the HDC website and Data Fellows will present their findings in a data walk with city and community leaders. HDC plans to share these insights with data partners to inform program and policy development for city youth.

Stay tuned for more details about their projects! To learn more, please contact HDC Data Integration Strategist Kate Eikel at keikel@ctdata.org

HDC Launches 2023 Hartford Youth Data Fellows Program!