Conversations Create Community
Building the Future, Together.
A Strategic Partnership in Workforce Development & Community Safety
Create Conversations is a transformation platform that brings together business owners, educators, government officials, community leaders, and residents to drive authentic conversations and implement actionable solutions that empower student success, reduce youth violence, and build sustainable communities with a viable workforce for long-term growth.
Our primary focus is workforce development, student mentorship, youth violence reduction, and the building of sustainable communities.
Think of someone who believed in you.
One Conversation Can Change a Life.
One Mentor Can Change the Future.
One Community Working Together Can Change Generations.
Our Mission & Impact
The CREATE CONVERSATIONS program is dedicated to empowering the next generation of workforce-ready leaders. Preparing them to be successful employees, innovative young business owners, and productive citizens. Research consistently shows that students with mentors are more likely to:
- Develop strong character and leadership skills
- Enroll in college and pursue higher education
- Enter the workforce with confidence and career readiness
- Contribute to long-term community stability
Specifically, youth with mentors are 55% more likely to enroll in college. They also have 50% fewer violent-crime arrests and are 46% less likely to use drugs. This intensive four-year program empowers 150 student leaders annually through four integrated pillars. The Four “P”s.
Why We Exist
Every community wants the same things: safe neighborhoods, thriving businesses, successful students, and hope for the future.
Together, we prepare students for life, strengthen tomorrow’s workforce, reduce youth violence, to elevate communities, ensuring they remain safer, stronger, and prepared for the future
Yet too many at-risk young people are growing up without meaningful mentors, clear career pathways, or the support they need to guide them into their full potential.
Create Conversations brings together business owners, educators, government leaders, faith communities, residents, and community organizations to change that.
Our Belief
Conversation creates connection.
Connection builds trust.
Trust inspires mentorship.
Mentorship develops leaders
Leaders strengthen families.
Strong families build thriving communities
Communities create the future.
The Collective Mentorship Model
Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders Through a Four-Year Journey
Freshman Year
Discover
Students begin discovering their strengths, building confidence, and exploring future possibilities.
Sophomore Year
Develop
Students strengthen leadership skills, character, communication, and personal responsibility.
Junior Year
Lead
Students apply what they have learned through service, teamwork, mentorship, and community engagement
Senior Year
Launch
Students graduate prepared for college, careers, entrepreneurship, military service, and lifelong leadership.
Professional Mentorship
Leadership Development
Career
Readiness
AI
Readiness
Community Engagement
Whole-Life Transformation
The Collective Mentorship Model
“This intensive four-year program empowers 150 student leaders annually through four integrated pillars. The Four ‘P’s.”
Beyond Mentorship
Partnership Opportunities
Create Conversations offers multiple partnership levels, allowing individuals, organizations, and corporations to contribute to a shared vision of workforce development and community safety.
Program Deliverables
In-School Program Delivery: Structured conversation guides and activities delivered to schools across 5 cohorts. Lead Program Facilitator and Part-Time Facilitators are directly responsible for curriculum delivery and student engagement.
Video Podcast Series: Monthly conversations on leadership, education, entertainment, and youth impact, professionally filmed and streamed. The Marketing/PR Coordinator will promote episodes across channels, amplifying reach.
- Community Roundtables: Interactive gatherings featuring key stakeholders. The Lead Program Facilitator and Part-Time Facilitators may contribute to content and facilitate student discussions.
- Online Community Engagement Platform: A centralized hub with episode archives, resources, and a partner directory. The Marketing/PR Coordinator will manage content updates and ensure platform engagement.
- Digital Publication: “Conversations”: A quarterly publication highlighting leaders, students, and community outcomes. The Marketing/PR Coordinator will lead content curation, editing, and distribution.
- Comprehensive Impact Reports: Detailed reports on program effectiveness, student outcomes, and community impact. The Impact & Data Coordinator will design data collection methods, analyze results, and prepare reports for stakeholders and sponsors.
National Proving Ground
Augusta, Georgia serves as the pilot city for this initiative because of its challenges and opportunities reflect those faced by mid-sized cities across the United States.
Success in Augusta will create a scalable blueprint for national deployment.
Investment Strategy
Our Comprehensive Program Budget: $1,115,000
Category | Allocation | Percentage | Description |
Core Student Program Costs | $150,000 | 13.5% | Covers admission into the program and essential core curriculum materials for 150 students at $1,000 per student. |
Leadership Enrichment & Program Enhancements | $170,000 | 15.3% | Funds specialized workshops, experiential learning trips (twice annually), and project micro-grants that provide students with invaluable real-world experiences. |
Staffing & Personnel | $670,000 | 60.1% | Supports our 10 FTE core team who manage 5 cohorts of 30 students, deliver curriculum, and provide dedicated mentorship. |
Infrastructure & Overhead | $125,000 | 11.2% | Ensures a professional, sustainable organization, covering office space, professional services, technology, and operational essentials. |
GRAND TOTAL | $1,115,000 | 100% |
Imagine...
Imagine neighborhoods becoming safer because people truly work together.
Imagine communities prepared for tomorrow through mentorship, innovation, workforce development, and AI readiness.
Imagine families filled with hope.
Imagine students graduating with confidence.
Imagine businesses hiring local talent.
This funding secures the core professional team required to successfully launch, manage, and operate the program from day one. It establishes a strong staffing foundation that enables immediate execution, supports strategic planning, ensures consistent program delivery.
This funding supports essential infrastructure, technology, and program resources to ensure a high-quality experience for student leaders. Core staffing will be fully onboarded only after at least 50% of enhancement funding is secured to ensure program readiness and accountability.
Everyone Has a Place
Communities become stronger when everyone contributes their unique gifts, experiences, and leadership.
Whether you are a parent, student, business owner, employee, educator, faith leader, healthcare professional, government official, volunteer, retiree, or neighbor, you have the power to help shape the future.
- Business Owners
- Employees
- Parents
- Students
- Educators
- Faith Communities
- Law Enforcement
- Government
- Healthcare
- Community Organizations
- Volunteers
- Foundations
- Residents
Augusta Is Our Beginning.
Not Our Destination.
Augusta, Georgia serves as the proving ground for a model designed to strengthen communities everywhere.
By bringing together education, business, government, and residents around a shared vision, Create Conversations is developing a scalable blueprint that communities across the nation can adapt to meet their own unique needs.
Staffing Plan
The staffing structure is designed to significantly support the program’s multifaceted activities, including monthly gatherings, a video podcast, in-school program with cohorts of 30 freshman, the Rise Network Summit, and extensive community engagement. The total Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) is 10.0, with an estimated annual staffing budget of $670,000.
Role | FTE | Cost | Key Responsibility |
Program Manager | 1.0 | $85,000 | Oversee all operations, budget, and strategic partnerships. |
Community Engagement Director | 1.0 | $70,000 | Builds and maintains relationships with schools and 100 Community Partners. |
Sponsorship & Development Coordinator | 1.0 | $70,000 | Manages all grants, sponsor relations, and fundraising efforts. |
Program Coordinator | 1.0 | $55,000 | Manages logistics, scheduling, and communication for the 5 cohorts and monthly gatherings. |
Founder/Host | 0.5 | $60,000 | Visionary leadership, moderation of monthly gatherings, and content creation. |
Production Team (Contract) | 1.0 | $60,000 | Video, audio, editing, and digital distribution for the monthly podcast series. |
Lead Program Facilitator | 1.0 | $65,000 | Trains part-time staff and leads the 5 cohorts in schools, ensuring curriculum delivery. |
Part-Time Facilitators (4) | Contract | $40,000 | Delivers the curriculum directly to students in the 20 schools. |
Impact & Data Coordinator | 0.5 | $30,000 | Tracks program metrics, collects data for impact reporting, and supports grant reporting. |
Marketing/PR Coordinator | 1.0 | $50,000 | Manages social media, public relations, and the “Voices of Change” newsletter. |
Administrative Assistant (Lead) | 1.0 | $45,000 | Office management, HR paperwork, and executive support for the Founder/Host. |
Program/Partner Assistant | 1.0 | $40,000 | Direct support for the 100 Partners and the 20 School sites (logistics and data entry). |
Total Staffing | 10.0 | $670,000 |
|
Partnership Tiers
- Community Supporter — $1,000
- Executive Leadership Partner — $2,500
- Leadership Development Partner — $5,000
- Strategic Leadership Partner — $10,000
- Community Leadership Partner — $25,000
- Visionary Leadership Partner — $50,000
Every contribution supports the unified funding goal and strengthens the program’s impact.
Marketing Channels & Campaigns
- Radio & Podcast Features: Appearances on local talk shows and youth panels – Secured and coordinated by Marketing/PR Coordinator.
- Email & Community Network: Monthly “Conversations” newsletter – Developed and distributed by Marketing/PR Coordinator.
- Hashtag Campaigns: #CreateConversations #RiseWithRoz – Designed and executed by Marketing/PR Coordinator for community engagement.
- Video Podcast Series: Professionally filmed in studio and streamed on YouTube + Facebook Live.
- Social Media: Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook (short reels + quote graphics) – Managed and optimized for engagement by Marketing/PR Coordinator.
- Local PR: Partnership with Augusta Chronicle, WJBF, Metro Spirit, and Augusta CEO – Strategically managed for maximum media exposure by Marketing/PR Coordinator.
How Your Investment Creates Impact
Your partnership directly supports critical program activities that drive student success:
- Empowering student leaders through mentorship and leadership exposure
- Funding workshops, curriculum development, and skill-building programs
- Supporting community leadership events connecting students with decision-makers
- Producing national thought-leadership content and impact reports
C-Suite Partnership Impact Delivery
Each partnership level translates into measurable program outcomes:
- Mentorship logistics and leadership engagement coordination
- Curriculum development and workshop planning
- Cohort program design and violence-prevention initiatives
- Community partnership recruitment and leadership events
- National storytelling platforms and long-term strategic operations
All investments are pooled to strengthen the program foundation and ensure sustainable implementation.
Why Partner with Create Conversations
Across all partnership levels, participants benefit from:
- Clear program structure with minimal operational burden
- Transparent reporting and measurable outcomes
- Authentic leadership engagement opportunities
- Alignment with workforce readiness and community development goals
Conclusion
The staffing and budget plan for CREATE CONVERSATIONS provides a robust and well-distributed team capable of executing the program’s mission and achieving its stated goals. The strategic inclusion of program delivery, impact measurement, marketing, and crucial administrative support ensures that both the direct service delivery and the strategic communication aspects of the program are adequately resourced. This comprehensive approach positions the organization for sustained growth and profound community impact.
Looking Ahead
CREATE CONVERSATIONS is built on a simple belief: stronger communities begin with stronger relationships. While this staffing and budget plan provides the structure needed to deliver measurable results, the true strength of the initiative will always be the people who choose to invest in one another.
Every mentor who listens, every teacher who encourages, every business that opens a door, every parent who engages, and every community partner who says “yes” helps create opportunities that can change the course of a life.
Together, we are building more than a program, we are building a culture where people feel seen, valued, safe, and empowered to reach their full potential. As those relationships grow, so does the strength of our families, our neighborhoods, and our community.
Because every stronger community begins with a conversation.
Who believed in you?
Who will believe in themselves because of you?
Every lasting transformation begins with a conversation.
CREATE CONVERSATIONS
Conversations Create Community. Building the Future, Together.
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Join The Community
We welcome the opportunity to share more about our work and explore partnership opportunities that align with your commitment to leadership, stewardship, and community investment.
For inquiries, please contact us directly at createconversations@risenetork.net