State Rep. Libby Jacobs, R-West Des Moines, got what she wanted from young professionals who represent an age demographic Iowa leaders are desperately trying to hold on to: an earful.

And, Jacobs said, a succinct message: “Quit wringing your hands and saying ‘woe is me,’ and look at all of us who have stayed here.”

A marketing professional for Principal Financial Group Inc. in her 9-to-5 life, Jacobs likes the positive approach of looking at why young people stay in Iowa rather than focusing solely on their reasons for leaving. She and state Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, recently met with members of the Young Professionals Connection, a branch of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, to get young Iowans’ perspective on what legislators need to do to plug the so-called “brain drain” and to get their opinions on other issues before the Legislature.

Among other things, the legislators learned that young professionals in Des Moines are taking some umbrage with the term “brain drain.”

“It’s a ‘brain gain,’ for lack of a better word, and we’re tired about hearing how all the intelligent young professionals were leaving Iowa and the Greater Des Moines area,” said Amy Jennings, 28, the current YPC president.

To further make their point, the YPC is planning a rally from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Kaleidoscope at the Hub to energize other young professionals and educate them about the climate of living, working and playing in Greater Des Moines. The Young Des Moines Social Club; Young Variety, an affiliate of Variety – The Children’s Charity of Iowa; the Emerging Leaders Initiative, a program of United Way of Central Iowa; the Clive Jaycees; and Drake University students and the Young Drake Alumni Association also will participate in the rally.

Jennings, a health improvement coordinator in Wellmark Blue Cross and   Blue Shield of Iowa’s wellness division, said the decision to stay in the state after graduating from Iowa State University was simple. Greater Des Moines is large enough to offer myriad entertainment options, but is small enough that opportunities for leadership and civic involvement are easily identified, and it offers affordable housing, a lower cost of living in comparison with other metropolitan areas and a growing number of entertainment options geared around young people. And Wellmark was advertising what Jennings called her “dream job,” which allowed her to remain near her family in Granger.

“There are great things here – affordable housing, good jobs and fun things to do – but one of the biggest things for me is that I feel like I can make a difference,” Jennings said.

That’s good information for Jacobs and other legislators, who are tapping into young Iowans’ minds as they explore the economic development and quality-of-life issues. In the past several weeks, she has met with more than 100 young professionals from YPC and various other groups of young professionals across the state.

Jacobs said there “seems to be an awakening” on the Hill to the need to involve young people in policy decisions that affect them. “The stars have aligned this year for this group to really come forward,” she said. “They’re really a caring, compassionate group of young, well-educated, sophisticated and savvy folks, and we need to make sure we include a seat at the table for this age group.”

In some respects, an early-session proposal to exempt Iowans under 30 from paying state income tax was a rallying cry for the young leaders. The proposal from some Senate Republicans was dead on arrival and brought national attention, not all of it positive, to Iowa. “The wonderful thing about that proposal was that it got people talking,” said Jennings. “The leadership our group is showing is that we are ready to get involved. We’re certainly speaking out more now.”

Some common themes about issues that are important to younger Iowans have emerged in the YPC meetings. “Most agreed that no taxes for people under 30 wouldn’t have kept them in the state,” she said. “They would rather see more of a focus on jobs and creating those cultural events that will keep them here or bring them here.”

The formation of the YPC three years ago responds to what Mary Bontrager, the Partnership’s executive vice president for community development, called a leadership gap.

“In looking at the demographics of our organization, we really were skipping a generation and were not engaging young people,” she said. “There is such a desire by these young professionals to get engaged and show that they are making a difference. I think perhaps as older professionals, I think there was a period of time where we just let ourselves follow the standard leadership model and didn’t really think to engage young leaders.

“Not to be negative, it was maybe a philosophy that they had to earn a seat at the table. Now, we’re discovering that we need them and young, fresh, new ideas.”

There are some 114,000 Greater Des Moines residents between the ages of 21 and 40, making up more than one-fourth of the metro’s population. Until recently, the YPC was viewed as a business networking social organization, but its nearly 700 members are now focusing more energy on becoming involved in the community, said Curt Stamp, 38, a lawyer with Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen.

Stamp said he’s reached the point in his life that it’s time to give some of his talent back to the community that has provided fertile opportunities for career and social development. Involvement of young people in the community is an idea that “needs to be nurtured if nothing else,” Stamp said. “If we get people involved in organizations, the leaders rise to the top.”

A recent survey of YPC members showed the following:

• 46 percent expect to stay in Greater Des Moines more than 10 years.

•83 percent devote at least one hour per month to community service.     • 33 percent serve on boards of directors, councils or committees of community organizations.     • 70 percent give at least $100 per year to community organizations.

• Job opportunities are the most important factor in determining where to live. In order of importance, other key factors are entertainment, low crime, cost of living, cost of housing and recreation.

The survey respondents said there is room for improvement. For example:

• 60 percent did not give a positive rating to the metro’s job opportunities.

• Only 19 percent thought established leadership is aware of the needs of young professionals.

• Only 26 percent thought the metro is open and embraces change.

• Only 25 percent thought Greater Des Moines values diversity.

YPC 101

The Young Professionals Connection, a branch of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, was formed three years ago to promote an environment that attracts and retains young professionals in the metro area.

YPC is planning two meetings later this month to introduce young people to the organization and its mission. The meetings, called YPC 101, will be held March 23 at two locations. The first, at noon, will be held in the Partnership’s Arthur Davis Room at 700 Locust St. Another session will be offered that evening at 5:30 at the Sheraton West Des Moines, 1800 50th St.

YPC started as a business and social networking group, but is focusing more attention on involving young professionals in community organizations and giving them a voice on key policy issues at the state and local levels.