SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT — Following last week’s announcement that Vermont will receive at least $92.7 million as part of a historic, multistate settlement with Meta, a coalition of Vermont organizations, working with Fund IRL, is calling on the Vermont Legislature to ensure these funds are used to directly benefit the young people the lawsuit was meant to protect.
“This settlement is an important step toward holding social media companies accountable for the impact their platforms have had on young people’s mental health and well-being,” said Nicole Miller, executive director of Vermont Afterschool. “But accountability alone isn’t enough. It must be paired with real-world connection in safe third spaces—the developmental ecosystems with a proven track record of nurturing the mental health of youth through building relationships, developing self-confidence, and cultivating a sense of belonging.”
While the Vermont Afterschool is the coordinating organization of Fund IRL Vermont, part of the national Fund IRL coalition working to ensure that social media settlement dollars are invested in the real-world programs and supports young people need to connect, belong, and thrive. The coalition’s aim is to combine less screen time for youth with more opportunities to be active, engaged, connected, and heard in real life through afterschool, summer learning, mentoring, outdoor, arts, sports, mental health, and other “third space” programs—programs that too many Vermont families still can’t access because of cost, transportation, and limited availability.
“Mentoring relationships are one of the most powerful protective factors we have for young people,” said Chad Butt, executive director of MENTOR Vermont. “This settlement gives Vermont a rare chance to expand access to caring adults and real connection at a scale we haven’t seen before. It’s an opportunity to define what meaningful investment in youth well-being looks like.”
“Through VCP’s network of community-based providers, we see every day what happens when young Vermonters can access the right support at the right time—and what happens when they can’t,” said Simone Rueschemeyer, executive director of Vermont Care Partners. “This is an opportunity to make a lasting investment in the mental health and well-being of Vermont’s children and youth at the heart of the settlement. These funds should strengthen the continuum of supports available to children and youth, including mental health services, upstream approaches, and the community-based programs and relationships that help young people feel connected, valued, and cared for.”
