By Cristina Frésquez
As youth struggle with today’s challenges it is a relief to find solace in community youth programs, such as the program offered at Servicios de la Raza under their Youth Services. As part of the Youth Unlimited Partnership (YUP), Servicios partners with Urban Peak, Youth Biz, Youth for a Change and the Math Literacy Project, to facilitate education, training and support services to local youth so that they have the skills and resources to complete their education and/or to secure a stable career path.
Funded by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, and overseen by the Denver Office of Economic Development, Servicios Youth WIA program assists youth between the ages of 16 and 21 years who are offenders, homeless, pregnant or parenting, basic skills deficient and youth with disabilities. The program offers remarkable opportunities for youth who have dropped out of school and want to return to secondary or post-secondary school; who are seeking assistance with preparing for and finding stable work; who are in school or are employed, but need assistance to progress; and who need assistance with basic skills remediation.
“The majority of our participants show up, participate and they enjoy it – they enjoy their classes or their work experience and they stay with the program because it’s effective in delivering these necessary skills and resources to these youth,†commented Fabian Ortega, a Social Services Manager with Servicios, who oversees the Youth Services.
The Youth WIA program makes several services available to participants, such as intensive case management; funds for tuition and books; assistance in obtaining uniforms or tools for work; tutoring; bus passes; gas vouchers; subsidized work experience placements and much more.
Case managers also assist youth in meeting their employment goals by providing workshops in resume preparation, interview techniques, job readiness, leadership development, as well as paid and unpaid employment opportunities. Along with these many services to help get misguided youth back on track, Servicios also provides follow-up services to participants up to one year upon completion of the program.
“There are a ton of successes. I think it just depends on how you define success,†explained Ortega. “We have kids who come in here and have completed the program and are now in college and are going after their post-secondary credits. We have kids who graduated and are working in stable jobs. We have
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