Welcome!
This Impact Annual Report for Made in Durham covers the basics: our organizational and performance highlights, our mission, vision, and purpose, impact statistics, engaging content telling the story of our work, and a forward-looking perspective.
The work of Fiscal Year 2023–24 marked our strongest alignment to Made in Durham’s mission to date.
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Made in Durham identifies and addresses gaps and barriers in Durham’s Education-to-Career system through new models of collaboration between area youth, community organizations, and businesses.
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Made in Durham sees a future in Durham when multiple pathways of choice exist for residents, a robust pipeline of talent exists for businesses, and our whole community thrives.
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Made in Durham believes all Durham youth and young adults should have access and opportunity to participate in the area’s economic prosperity.
BULLS is working. We have receipts.
Our main initiative continues to be the BULLS Life Sciences Academy pathway, which achieved unparalleled success this past year. This success comes through critical community partnerships and the work of MID staff to recruit and support Durham residents before, during, and after their BULLS experience.
Community Engagement
Youth Engagement
Alumni and Corporate Engagement
More students are being reached.
78/112
Durham Residents: Enrolled in BULLS / Applied
24
Participants in BULLS PLC and Ambassador programs
More students are graduating.
64%
Credited BioWork
graduation rate
88%
‘23-24 BULLS Credited BioWork graduation rate
69 students graduated in the past year.
More students are starting careers.
31
Total BULLS graduates employed
17
2023-24 BULLS
graduates employed
9 graduates enrolled in a newly formed Alumni Group in the past year.
More students are finding opportunities.
90%
Students of color in 2023-24 cohorts
Additional supports were also added this year:
Professional tutoring services
Drop-off childcare for BULLS parents
On-campus food pantry at Durham Tech
Made it.
HIGHLIGHT: The BULLS Initiative is about workforce development. Specifically, preparing all of Durham’s young people for careers. Building a pipeline of talent to help regional companies compete and grow. Damon’s story is about opportunity and commitment.
Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.
– Helen Keller, U.S. author, educator, and disability rights advocate
The BULLS Professional Learning Coach cohort provides productive and positive engagement to build capacity and expertise among our CBO partners. Their success is promising as we lean into a new season of growth. In the most recent quarter, they were specifically focused on how trauma impacts Durham’s young people and the practitioners who support them.
But that’s not all. Made in Durham is working on strategic initiatives to serve Durham’s young residents beyond the BULLS Initiative.
Our Organizational Model has been refined
A graduate student from Harvard included BULLS in her research and wrote a white paper about the initiative—the insights reflect the systems-based approach of the organization
A comprehensive Landscape Analysis of Durham’s Education-to-Career system is currently underway, with scores of community-based organizations having been consulted
A study focused on the economic mobility of residents is also being fielded, with findings available later this calendar year
These efforts and initiatives are charting the course for Made in Durham and how we deliver on our Mission, Vision, and Purpose every day.
Through it all, Durham's young residents and accessible economic mobility have remained the focus of everything we’ve done and every decision we’ve made. As we learn more about what is working and the gaps that need to be filled, we are continually centered on codifying the systems we build to make these successes the norm, not an outlier.
As the lives of Durham’s young residents are changed, stories come alive. We’re telling them.
During the past year, along with a local storyteller and filmmker, Made in Durham embarked on a series of discrete video documentaries to tell the story of Durham’s young residents in and out of the BULLS Life Sciences Academy. We are thrilled to share two of these videos above. There are more in the works—stay tuned to our YouTube channel.
With the continued support of Durham County, a recurring column titled "A Life in Science" appeared in Durham Magazine. The 4-part series highlighted the BULLS Life Sciences Academy, the community partners who make the initiative possible, and of course, the students who bring their passion and dedication to every cohort.
You might say more of Durham’s young residents are being:
Accepted.
HIGHLIGHT: Justus' story of acceptance conveys an emotional side of A Life in Science: the nuances of life experiences that push and pull people toward and away from opportunities. There's gratitude in receiving and giving back along this pathway. That's the "why" component of the BULLS story, Made in Durham's defined Purpose: "We believe all Durham youth and young adults should have access and opportunity to participate in the area’s economic prosperity."
Of course, this work is not completed in isolation. We are grateful to our sponsors and partner organizations.
The 2023-24 Annual Impact Report for Made in Durham tells the story of the frontlines and the behind-the-scenes work making it happen. We’d be remiss if we did not highlight the support we receive that is the lifeline to everything we do. Without our sponsors and partners, we would not exist. Thank you.
We’re grateful you’re here, too. Thanks for reading this far and your continued support of Made in Durham and our area’s young residents.
Through it all, Durham's young residents and accessible economic mobility have remained the focus of everything we’ve done and every decision we’ve made. As we learn more about what is working and the gaps that need to be filled, we are continually centered on codifying the systems we build to make these successes the norm, not an outlier.
We are excited to continue the growth and momentum built by the team and partners during FY2023-24 in the coming year.
Consistency in experience and staffing across systems and pathways being built as we continue to codify our pathway solution
Focus, support, and capacity-building beyond technical requirements will improve the implementation and efficacy of the BULLS initiative
Positive reinforcement to overcome existing traumas and negative experiences of Durham’s young residents as they enter existing and new solutions
Enhancing BULLS focus to include employing beyond training through Alumni support and newly established Corporate connections
Drawing upon Strategic Initiatives to uncover appropriate recommendations and potential solutions for Durham’s Education-to-Career system
Continued internal team-building and operational efficiencies
Until next time!
Send us an email: info@madeindurham.org