Independence is tied to economic empowerment. Youth come with a unique set of strengths; we offer cutting-edge workforce development training to youth to make sure each strength can be leveraged into meaningful employment and a livable wage.
We emphasize employment as a major component leading to stability and generational change to end the culture of poverty associated with former foster and probation youth. The YMO Job Developer offers classes weekly in hard and soft job skill development with pathways to employment so youth can access paid internships across various career paths. Our workforce development curriculum was created with the support of The Deutsch Foundation and the expertise of Columbia University’s School of Social Work to help youth to become valued workers and competitive in today’s labor market. In addition, we have over 20 businesses and organizations that provide viable internships to our youth with options for long-term employment and livable wages throughout San Gabriel Valley and the greater Los Angeles area. This is a place where preparation and opportunity meet.
YMO offers two types of paid internship programs: job readiness and career tracks. Youth receive training that increases their competency and makes them a greater asset to the workforce and themselves. Unemployed or underemployed youth benefit from individual and group training, job matching, and a Job Development Specialist that talks directly to employers about the youth’s strengths and areas for development.
Once a plan has been created, our workforce development team will begin instruction in the following areas:
- Provide an interactive classroom complete with job searching methods, interviewing skills, literacy, and math skills
- Problem solving and coping skills, lessons in functional Spanish, certification in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access, and job sustaining work ethics
- Link youth with vocational and college counselors to develop an education plan that leads to self-sufficiency
- Locate businesses and organizations providing work experience within the sphere of the youth’s short and long -term goals
- Disburse living stipends to full-time students utilizing the on-site tutoring services
- Give support and praise for each milestone reached and success earned
