Work Readiness

Work Readiness

When youth are released from the juvenile justice system, few have vocational skills or education, and many lack financial support from their families. Without a way to earn an honest living, many of these young men and women become repeat offenders, creating a vicious cycle of crime and incarceration.

To end this cycle, Youth With Faces offers programs that help participants learn valuable skills that can help them secure jobs, stay out of trouble and earn money. We focus on jobs that teens can work while attending school and that can bridge to positions with greater responsibility and pay as they grow and mature.

3 out of 4 get jobs

Almost 75 percent of Youth With Faces participants secure post-release employment, compared to just 1 in 10 of their juvenile system peers. To help youth be successful, Youth With Faces offers:

  • Work readiness classes. Youth prepare for future job searches by taking a career assessment, participating in our Future You exercise, building a resume, mapping out specific job search plans and conducting mock interviews.
  • Job skills training. Youth also have the opportunity to enhance their employability by participating in one of our job skills training programs. We currently offer training and/or certifications in culinary arts, retail and welding.
  • Financial empowerment. To prepare each young person to successfully manage their earnings, we offer a four-week program in the basic tenets of financial literacy. Taught by volunteers from Oakwood Bank, the course emphasizes budgeting, using bank accounts and the functions and dangers of credit cards and loans.
  • Computer training. We teach youth basic computer skills so they can prepare a resume, create basic business documents and perform better in school.
Menu