How YP Nashville Partners are Adapting to the #NextNormal

YP Nashville connects, empowers, and engages young professional development in the Nashville region. With more than 50 young professional organization partners, YP Nashville serves as a connecter between young professionals and meaningful leadership, volunteer, and philanthropic opportunities.

YP Nashville Partners are resilient and have adapted during COVID-19 to continue providing professional and personal development opportunities. How have these organizations navigated the #NextNormal? Read below to hear how Book'em, Play Like a Girl, Roar Corps, Young Leaders Council, and Young Professionals in Transportation - Nashville have adjusted their operations.

Book'em YP Board

The Book'em YP Board is bringing reading role models to kids virtually. The Book'em YP Board is coordinating live read alouds on the Book'em Instagram and Facebook pages. We plan for Mondays and Wednesdays at 5pm, but we're flexible with volunteers' schedules. We can also provide volunteers with a book to read aloud if they need one. If you're interested in doing a read aloud, email Chelsea at chelsea@bookem-kids.org. The Book'em YP Board is also starting a monthly virtual Bingo game. Email Chelsea at chelsea@bookem-kids.org for the next date, time, and Zoom link to play.

Play Like a Girl

While the situation is changing by the minute, Play Like a Girl knows for sure their work is absolutely critical - even more than ever. Girls in our society are already behind their male peers in many areas of life. Rates of violence, abuse and school dropouts will skyrocket as a result of the pandemic as seen in the past after so many other crises. Play Like a Girl has decided to take their summer programming online to give every girl across the nation a chance to feel like she has a community that supports her. Additionally, the organization has hosted weekly video meetings with Play Like a Girl Ambassadors to stay up-to-date on their lives and have a laugh while we do! Ways that you can participate with Play Like a Girl include:

Roar Corps

Roar Corps is focused on helping care for Nashville Zoo animals and members during this time. All Roar Corps membership purchases or renewals during the temporary closure will have their membership extended by the number of months the Nashville Zoo is closed. And while the Nashville Zoo may be closed, zookeepers are still providing extraordinary care for animals every day, which comes at a tremendous cost. Help feed and care for Nashville Zoo animals by donating today or becoming a Roar Corps member!

Young Leaders Council

Typically, Young Leaders Council (YLC) provides in-person nonprofit board member training programs, however, this spring YLC pivoted to hosting our classes virtually via Zoom. In fact, YLC made the decision to host class virtually, and 24 hours later, had shifted to online classes only. YLC thanks its brave instructors, enthusiastic students, and Zoom for the success of our first ever YLC virtual program. In addition to weekly class meetings, YLC decided to host Continuing Ed Impact Luncheon via Zoom in March, and it was a great success! This spring has looked vastly different for the organization and community, but YLC has learned many important lessons through it all. As YLC accepts applications and gear up for Fall 2020 classes, YLC has a goal to meet in-person for classes, but feel more prepared than ever before to host its program virtually with great success. Visit youngleaderscouncil.org to apply for Fall Classes.

Young Professionals in Transportation - Nashville

Although Young Professionals in Transportation - Nashville (YPT) haven’t been able to meet in-person monthly for their Transit Oriented Drinks (TODs), the YPT-Nashville Board has been adapting and active in different virtual ways. YPT continues to hold monthly board meetings via Zoom and looking into ways to engage members and keep the community updated on activities.

  • Transportation Tuesday: Every Tuesday, YPT posts to Facebook and Instagram an interesting link to an article about transportation in the news. The articles have varied in their content to how COVID-19 has impacted the transportation logistics industry, freight industry, Metropolitan Planning Organization and transit agency budgets, and helpful tips for traveling safely and efficiently from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT).
  • Frontline Friday: Every Friday, YPT features on Facebook and Instagram local agencies, organizations, and transportation partners who have employees that work and serve transportation users in the community – whether it be on the interstates, construction projects currently underway, or local transit. So far, YPT has featured and thanked Metro WeGo public transit operators, TDOT field agents, local law enforcement and EMS service providers, and transportation construction consultants and contractors.
  • TPT will be hosting virtual happy hours and other game nights in the future - follow their Facebook page and Instagram page to stay tuned.

Want to get involved with YP Nashville and stay up-to-date on young professional events in Middle Tennessee? Sign up for YP Nashville newsletters and event invites! Also be sure to follow YP Nashville on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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