We started this work as a drop-in program for youth years ago. Over time we have learned alongside youth and parents about the opportunities and challenges they face. We’ve now created many opportunities for youth to engage around their interests while they learn skills, gain confidence and act on their own leadership. The drop-in center continues through our Best Buy Teen Tech Center and below we have information about our focused cohort learning programs.
Hope understands programming will most successful when founded on strong, trusting relationships, and we surround youth with people who believe in their potential to learn, create and lead.
In low-income communities, strong intergenerational relationships often root youth for success. Here, youth strengthen their community relationships across ages, cultures and languages. Youth emerge not just with new knowledge and strategies, but also with the connections that will support them into the future.
Career Pathways (Pathways)
The Career Pathways more popularly referred to as the Pathways program is a 6–9-month career development and exploration program for BIPOC girls and non-binary youth ages 15-19.
We achieve our goal to build career pathways by exposing teens to professional technology skills, jobs, site visits, and academic opportunities. We promote sisterhood by intentionally building relationships with youth participants and helping them form those bonds with each other as well as with staff via meaningful conversations, learning and collaboration. We provide a safe space for youth to explore their creativity while connecting and learning from mentors in their fields of interest and like-minded peers. By having our members participate in soft/hard skills training as well as the creation and presentation of a tech skills based national project, we empower and uplift our youth to further develop their voice, explore different career paths, and build community engagement skills. In addition to career/leadership development, participants also have a chance to participate in a paid internship opportunity from June-August. Internships are provided by Best Buy, that year’s national partner, and Hope Community.
The recruitment period is in September and October, with regular programming beginning in late October or early November. The program concludes in June, but those in paid internships are supported through until August. Students that join our program are expected to attend weekly meetings and receive monthly stipends based on their participation and self-accountability. Food is provided as well as transportation support as capacity allows.
For more information, please contact our Pathways facilitator, Miss Jeannine, at [email protected]
Young Men’s Group (YMG)
We hold cohort-based programming for young men focusing on leadership development and learning and exploring creative technology skills. The program supports relationship building and teaching soft and hard skills.
The YMG cohort meets biweekly for 4 months during the spring and fall. Past curriculum has included learning skills around photography, t-shirt making, podcasting and DJing.
For more information, please contact the YMG facilitator Angel Sandro at [email protected].
Camp Readiness
Developing out of a need to prepare youth before we send them to a week-long camp experience, many for the first time, we hold Saturday Camp Readiness sessions to prepare youth ages 8-15 for their camp experience. The youth develop self-advocacy, navigate issues of race, make new friends, and expand their networks. The curriculum includes activities such as group games, emotional regulation through yoga/meditation, and arts and crafts. They have a send off and take a bus to our partner in this program, YMCA Camp Icaghowan in Wisconsin.
While program dates vary, recruitment generally happens in June, with sessions in July and camp in August.
Reach out to Angel Sandro at [email protected] and/or J.T. Evans at [email protected].