Camber Collective’s Post

Important findings fr Camber Collective and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation about economic mobility in the U.S. Particularly relevant as we head into an election season and think about how policy can help--or hinder--upward mobility for everyone.

New research out from Raj Chetty & the Opportunity Insights team today: "Analyzing data covering a near universe of Americans born from 1978 to 1992, the researchers found that when employment among the poor parents of children in a community improves, those children are better off economically as adults. It is a dynamic that some researchers have suspected, but that has never been shown systematically. Importantly, it doesn’t rely on whether a child’s own parents are employed: Outcomes also improve for children who simply grow up in a neighborhood where more parents have jobs. In other words, their own parents might be unemployed, but if their schoolmates’ parents work, their outcomes will be better. The dynamic works in reverse too: In places where parental employment deteriorates, the opposite happens—children do worse as adults. “Growing up in a community where employment rates are higher for people in your race and class—if those employment rates are higher, the kids who grew up in those environments do better in the long run,” said Chetty, who directs Opportunity Insights, a Harvard-based institute that studies how to improve upward mobility."

The latest study from Opportunity Insights finds that children who grow up in thriving communities—defined as places with high rates of parental employment—experience higher rates of economic mobility. These findings hold true across race and class groups.  For the past decade, Social Finance has been building better pathways to high-quality jobs. From our perspective, these findings are reaffirming and energizing. Starting this fall, we are excited to partner with Opportunity Insights to expand the evidence base of high-quality workforce programs. We look forward to continuing the conversation about quality jobs, access, and economic mobility.  https://lnkd.in/eeqNNSfk #economicmobility #outcomes #opportunityinsights

What is the relationship between wealth and other important outcomes in life? Economic growth and wealth generally correlate with better wellbeing outcomes. However, this relationship becomes more complex when examining marginal changes in already wealthy countries. While wealth is beneficial, it doesn't guarantee proportional improvements across all societal metrics. As nations become wealthier, they may face diminishing returns and unexpected tradeoffs. What additional benefits does extra wealth provide beyond a certain point, and what tradeoffs or diminishing returns might countries face in pursuit of further economic growth? Consider the US as an example: it is spending a lot more on healthcare than other rich nations and yet life expectancy is lower and has recently even declined. In addition, compared to other wealthy countries, income equality is often worse, life satisfaction is frequently worse, safety metrics often poorer, average education sometimes lower (though the best universities are the world's best and scientific output is the world's best), even food is often considered worse. This despite prioritizing economic growth beyond other societal goals. This graph is quite interesting, for example, from Our World in Data:

At Generation, we often say that we believe in the power of employment to change lives. New research from Opportunity Insights shows exactly how that happens.    The research shows that the employment of parents – or adult neighbors – leads to striking positive shifts in children’s economic fortunes when they become adults themselves. Bottom line: they are better off. As the report points out, employment isn’t the only factor, but it can be a proxy for whether a neighborhood is thriving.   Creating opportunities for people to access jobs that lead to financial stability has never been more important. And this research shows that investments into building these pathways into work have a positive ripple effect decades later. Thank you to Raj Chetty, Will Dobbie, Benjamin Goldman, Sonya Porter, and Crystal Yang for your work on these issues! https://lnkd.in/eF5WwpPZ

*CAUSES OF DISPARITY IN LIFESTYLES* Disparity in lifestyles can stem from various factors, including: *Economic inequality:* Disparities in income and wealth distribution often lead to differences in access to resources, amenities, and opportunities, resulting in contrasting lifestyles. *Education* : Disparities in educational opportunities can affect one's career prospects, income levels, and overall lifestyle choices. *Geographical location:* Urban versus rural settings, as well as differences between regions or countries, can influence access to infrastructure, services, and cultural amenities, thus contributing to lifestyle disparities. *Social and cultural factors:* Family background, social networks, and cultural norms play significant roles in shaping lifestyle choices and opportunities. *Occupation and employment:* Variations in job types, industries, and employment conditions can lead to disparities in work-life balance, income levels, and access to benefits and privileges. *Healthcare access:* Disparities in healthcare access and quality can impact one's ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle and address health-related issues effectively. *Technological advancements:* Disparities in access to technology and digital literacy can create gaps in communication, information access, and opportunities for personal and professional development. *Addressing these disparities often requires systemic changes in policies, investments in education and healthcare, promotion of equal opportunities, and fostering inclusive economic growth and development.*

As a #firstgen student, I've often felt that the narrative of "getting to and through college" is necessary but insufficient to support upward mobility. This seminal report does a fantastic job operationalizing key indicators of economic mobility. Education obviously emerges as one theme, but this report acknowledges the critical role of relationships as well as physical and mental health - three aspects of one's life that those of us with privilege often take for granted. I think there are interesting implications here for supporting #families and communities as the unit of change, particularly if the goal is to address #intergenerational #inequality.  A highly recommended read! #upwardmobility #economicmobility #socialcapital

Talking about stress in academia opens a can of worms, particularly for women. After hearing at the #CWDC conference (Centre for Work Design), that #pyschological #safety is very low and that "University employees are 2.5 more likely to work in high risk climates," I've spoken with three women who've all had stories of #bullying behaviour. * The first was given no choice when her job was radically changed. (She'd joined as an academic and was told she had to teach for a large part of her working week.) * The second was told not to get in the lift with someone who had brought a complaint of being bullied. * The third left because of a toxic workplace. Yes at times, cutbacks are necessary but did you know that a number of universities are making heaps of money? "The federal Department of Education, revealed $38.9bn in revenue across the tertiary education sector in 2021, with all but three universities reporting a net surplus. For the past decade, the surplus has hovered at $1bn to $2bn, (apart from 2020 during COVID)" So why are they treating their staff so badly? In 2021 Marcia Devlin AM, PhD wrote, "Australian university leaders are nearly three times more likely to be a man than a woman. * Of 37 public university chancellors, just 10 are women (27%) and 27 (73%) are men. * It’s exactly the same for vice-chancellors: 10 are women and 27 are men. * Together, this means men hold 54 of the 74 top jobs in Australian higher education." ++ Figures in 2022 showed that all but the University of Western Australia pay their vice-chancellors an annual salary in excess of $1m. Duncan Maskell at the University of Melbourne was on the highest salary, at about $1.5m a year. *** So why are they treating their staff so badly? I doubt that academics will feel safe to speak out on this platform which is such a shame. Hopefully the research will bear fruit in the form of investigations that identify the #hazards and put controls in place to reduce the risks. 'Do no harm.!' should be their mantra. #psychosocialsafety #workplacesafety #harassment #safeplace #mentalhealth #wellbeingmatters Thanks to Professor Maureen Dollard and her team for sharing the 'Australian Universities, Work, Digital Stress Interacitve Report 2020-2023'.

There are several intense conversations all around, as the world graples with the outcome of the year of elections. Over half of the global population has gone to the polls in 2024 and the geopolitical mood is sour, to say the least. In the developed countries, the predominat discussion is about the cost of living and how to make economic growth work for everyone. Increasingly, the planetary boundaries take the floor in this debate, as we have just seen in Valencia. How #democracy can be reconstituted, so that we make better choices for ourselves and the next generations is the burning question of the day. In this context, integrative approaches are needed, ones which do not circle around the zero-zum logic, but create positive value. As we argue in the recent paper in Brain Communications led by Harris Eyre MD PhD, we need to look at what really matters to people long-term, and how economic value creation can be better focused around those issues, rather than hype of the day: https://lnkd.in/e9GjWDTD. We call this the #brain-positive economic transition, because so much of what we really care about as individuals and societies comes back to who we are, which comes from the brain. Although prioritizing brain health and brain skills will not by itself solve all our problems, it can make us better equipped to manage the age of disruption. When we look at the workplace, employers are already placing a premium on #cognitive and interpersonal skills. Their development requires a healthy brain and greater social cohesion, which is what the brain-positive economy aims to achieve. Nearly 2 trillion US dollars are spent annually on neurological and mental disorders globally, increasing by a striking ∼5% each year. Yet, a 200 billion US dollar funding gap remains for mental disorders alone. This underinvestment drives a profound loss of brain capital. We also have a literacy crisis. Both in the literal meaning of the word, but also health, financial or legal literacy. About 130 million adults in the U.S. have low literacy skills according to a Gallup analysis U.S. Department of Education data: https://lnkd.in/eY3qM7Gv. Low literacy skills constrain our chances and have a profound impact on families and communities. For our democracies to recover their vibrancy, these deficits have to be addressed. There is lots of good news as well, with #innovation and scientific breakthroughs promising new diagnostics and treatments. However, what we can safely assume is that given the demographic trends, we will need to activate all levers to come out into the green on this: from maximum focus on #prevention to doubling down on discovery science, and more. In the paper, we provide a detailed roadmap for how the #braineconomy transition should be realised.

Why the Hello Range! Effort? Consider the 5 reasons in this article: population, educational attainment, workforce participation, industry clusters, and especially COLLABORATION. All current areas of focus in all our communities. As a region, the #IronRange can literally move mountains. I am watching the WWII show “Masters of the Air.” The story features the incredible saga of the 100th Bomb Group. Episode after episode we see bombers streaking across Europe in machines of US steel made from Iron Range ore, mined by Iron Range people. We won this war, and the Iron Range was integral. It took the region, all of our communities, to do this work. We, as a region, have the challenges listed in the article. But we have everything we need to address them. We just need to do it together. This is Hello Range!: Working together. As Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.”