Youth Action Project is deeply passionate about helping every member, student, parent and partner that it is involved with move forward in a positive direction. Youth Action Project focuses on empowering youth to find their passion, acquire marketable career skills and enter meaningful and gainful employment by offering workforce development programs, promoting post-secondary education and facilitating soft skills training.

The youth served by YAP in many instances come to us with limited basic academic and the life skills needed to successfully navigate high school, enroll in post-secondary education or land employment that will allow for them to care for themselves and or contribute to the families. The older youth served by YAP many of whom are college age or enrolled already as students have limited work experience and soft skills needed in order to obtain meaningful and gainful employment that will allow them to be self-sufficient.

Data shows that by 2018, two-thirds of all jobs will require a post-secondary degree or certificate. Success in today’s complex workplace is increasingly becoming dependent on formal education and training. Education has traditionally been the most direct pathway to economic and social success, however, access to the education needed to develop the skills and habits to experience this success remains elusive for a critical mass of youth, specifically those from low socioeconomic backgrounds and communities of color. Sixty percent of America’s low-income youth who graduate from high school are “opportunity youth,” of which seventeen percent are either not continuing their education or working.

 YAP employs three primary solutions for the challenges mentioned above:

Young Leaders Incorporated (YLINC): This program is guided by the philosophy centered on “nothing about me without me,” and is designed to ensure youth have a chance to sit at the decision-making table. Through YLINC, Youth Action Project’s aim is to increase student competency around formal community leadership, youth voice and their ability to effectively engage their respective communities.

Young Scholars: This program utilizes the positive peer influence of local college students as Academic
Coaches to provide after-school tutoring, life skills training, and to provide college and career awareness
for high school students. Through Young Scholars, Youth Action Project’s aim is to increase student
competency in core academic content and 21 st century themes.

Young Workers: This program aims to increase the awareness of demand occupations and ensure that
high school students have a career pathway plan that is based on their interest and talents. Students are
also provided with practical ways to explore careers and entrepreneurial opportunities. Young Workers
provides young adults with up to 900 hours of paid work experience through on-the-job training
partnerships within the community. The goal is to bridge skills gaps and solve classic soft skills
deficiencies among young workers.