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The Youth Development Academy (the Academy) is a program created to allow RISE for Youth to continue and enhance the critical work of building youth leaders, create employment opportunities, and strengthen the ability for young leaders to grow into successful thriving adulthood.
The Academy will provide youth with one year and four months of training and mentorship to explore employment opportunities with advocacy and public service partners to learn to effectively address the issues that impact their lives and find a career path. Students also receive six-month paid internships which are intended to lead to full time aligned with their interests. The Academy provides this opportunity to youth with academic challenges, justice system involvement, or other barriers to success.
The Youth Development Academy provides a robust training program with concrete and direct pathways to leadership and employment opportunities for our students.
The Academy begins with a seven (7) day intensive, retreat styled learning environment. Partner organizations, agencies, and public officials will introduce our students to their work and provide opportunities for deeper learning and engagement. Our students will create a personal development plan with goals for what they will glean from the Academy and the advocacy/employment direction they see themselves heading in upon completion.
The intensive seven-day learning environment is followed by 4 months of projects, public service based on identified interest, and two weekends per month convenings to interact with additional employment partners to go deeper into the nuts and bolts of advocacy and career exploration.
Academy students will each receive a mentor and have regular check-ins to ensure our students stay engaged and accountable to the program and their goals. Mentorship last for an entire year to support our students’ success.
Academy students will also be provided with financial literacy training before entering their paid internships and a financial institution account to manage their stipends in a responsible manner.
Finally, we provide each student with a professional development consultation to learn how to translate personal style to the professional world. The consultant will also provide professional skills training to ensure our students know how to operate in their unique professional environments, communicate effectively, and deal appropriately with challenges that may arise in the workplace. RISE for Youth is invested in the success of every youth and in the creation of healthy communities in which every youth can thrive.
RISE for Youth | P.O. Box 2347 | Chesterfield, VA 23832 | info@riseforyouth.org