The Loop Lab:
A Beacon of Hope
Fueled by a passion for social justice and a belief in the transformative power of media arts, The Loop Lab, started in 2017 with a clear mission: empowering opportunity youth towards careers in media arts through job training and paid fellowships.
We operate as a non-profit social enterprise specializing in digital storytelling and workforce development. Our team works together to achieve three possible outcomes for our students: Education, Employment, and Entrepreneurship.
By aligning our goals with participants' evolving needs, our model empowers each participant to define their aspirations and pursue their own professional journeys.
Each year The Loop Lab pays out $100k to program alumnae in wages while they are building their resumes, earning industry-approved credentials and learning long-lasting skills.
EDUCATION
EMPLOYMENT
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Many of our participants do not begin our trainings with much success in a traditional school environment. Our style of individualized hands-on training gives them the confidence and tools to perform well in the classroom. This often leads to pursuits of higher education after their training with us. Most notably, for graduates of our Media Arts Apprenticeship program, we offer a full-tuition paid scholarship to pursue a BFA at the Lesley College of Art and Design.
The most common outcome of our trainings is employment. In the media arts field, consistent employment is rather difficult to find and maintain. If a participant in our programs is not only able to sustain, but financially improve their lives by doing media related work, we consider that a success. This employment can be full-time, multiple part-time gigs, or, more often, freelance work. The partners we have in the city and region make this a reality.
Part of our curriculum for our young adult participants is related to business development and entrepreneurial strategies. Some of our alumni have gone on to start their own business regardless of their relationship to media. Some have begun clothing brands, cleaning and production companies. Not everyone wants to be their own boss, but for those who do, if we are able to give them the opportunity and skills to do so, we have been successful.
