YouthBUILD is a youth and community development program of RichmondWORKS for low-income people ages 16-24 to work toward their GEDs or high school diplomas, learn job skills and serve their communities by building affordable housing.
The Richmond YouthBUILD Program will be recruiting for its second cohort over the next few weeks. Candidates should be Richmond residents that are High School drop-outs, either in need of credits or need to pass the CAHSEE or GED exams. They must be within 3 months of turning 18 up to age 24 and interested in the construction trades. Most importantly, they must be committed to investing in themselves and acquiring the skills and experience it takes to become self sufficient.
The second cohort will begin June 22nd with a two week Mental Toughness orientation that is a required pre-requisite to being invited to join the YouthBUILD program. The orientation will be four hours a day, four days a week for two week prior to the beginning of the official second cohort on July 6th. Once invited into the program, participants will alternate one week in the classroom and the next week in the shop until they have completed their high school credit requirements, passed the CAHSEE (or GED) and received the maximum number of industry recognized construction related certificates. While it is planned as a nine month program for each cohort, both the vocational and academic tracks are individualized to the greatest extent possible. This allows some folks to move through faster, though rarely in less than six months.
The program provides enrollment in the John Muir Charter School for credit recovery, high school academic and vocational credits leading to a diploma, and CAHSEE & GED prep. In addition, vocational training with up to five industry-recognized, construction related certificates is provided. YouthBUILD will also assist with job placement upon successful completion of the program. Candidates that are invited to join the YouthBUILD program receive a $20 a day stipend. The days begin at 8:00 AM (promptly) and ends at 4 PM.
Applications can be completed at the YouthWORKS offices at 330-25th Street, second floor.