Youth Transition Program

ACAP'S Youth Transition Pilot Project focuses on youth ages 16-22 in the city of Alameda who are seeking employment support. The YTPP held its inaugural session in September 2010 touching the lives of approximately 40 young people. ACAP partnered with the Alameda Multicultural Center where seventeen youth participated in a six week job readiness program. Also, the YTP worked with the Alameda Point Collaborative delivering a resume and job seeking workshop to 20 youth during their week of service and learning. This spring 2011, youth transition staff will be taking time off to further define an effective service delivery model. You will see YTP staff in Alameda helping to plan and raise visibility for a youth forum to take place in late May.

YTP goals are to 1) prepare youth for the workforce and 2) find job opportunities for youth by establishing relationships with local employers and the local One-Stop.
Using a positive youth development framework, this program operates with the following values:

Providing a real world scope of the local job market with a community approach.
Creating pathways and opportunities for youth to start pursuing their career by connecting with local employers.
Encouraging a postivie work ethic for youth as they search and learn the ins and outs of employment.

ACAP’s Youth Transition Project upholds these values by:

Identifying the current issues negatively impacting transitional aged youth and advocating for changes to ease the transition.
Identifying and capitalizing on resources and opportunities that will connect youth to employers.
Providing education and continued learning through both formal and non-traditional means.
Having an ongoing Alameda Youth Employment Committee comprised of Employers, Teachers, Youth, and Community Advocates to help determine the issues of youth employment, provide program direction and identify employers who are hiring youth.

Our Future: Our Youth: According to the United Way of the Bay Area, there is a 40% unemployment rate among youth of color in Alameda County. In this economy, youth are competing in a job market as they apply for jobs against highly experienced workers that have been recently laid off, and also recent college graduates. The Youth Transition project serves as a gateway for youth to start applying themselves in the job market and acquire the much necessary skills and networks they need once they are ready to enter the workforce.

Youth Advocacy:
During the job readiness workshops series, Youth Transition Project staff and volunteers meet one-on-one with youth to address topics such as resume building, interview preparation, maintaining a job, etc. Also, we try to find opportunities for youth and refer them to employers to help young people gain real world experience and on the job training opportunities..

Implementation:
The Youth Transition Project creates opportunities for youth to utilize and implement the skills and the confidence. We find ways to connect youth to employers such as having job fairs, inviting employers to our workshop that are hiring, and holding other networking events to fulfill the needs of youth finding employment and the employers in the community that have expectations for youth entering the workforce.

For more information contact:
Lester Herrera, Youth Transition Coordinator
P: 510-690-8546 x 306 E: [email protected]

The YTP has an open call for parties interested in the Alameda Youth Employment Committee especially those representing the private sector. Contact Lester Herrera for more information.

Thank you Tia Barnes, Zoe Holder of the Alameda Multicultural Community Center and Fern Kruger of Island High School for your support!