This fall, the United Community Corporation will be looking to help young adults
throughout the City of Newark as it introduces its YouthBuild program.
The service’s goal is to provide young adults with the opportunity to gain high school
equivalency credentials or learn traits through pre-apprenticeship programs.
“YouthBuild is very important for people that previously struggled academically, don’t
know where they fit among their own community or aren’t sure of what their next step
should be,” YouthBuild Director Jacqueline Henry said. “YouthBuild provides a place
that gives a sense of community and can guide them to that next step.”
YouthBuild participants, who must be in the age range of 16-24 and can apply by
emailing youthbuild@uccnewark.org, can pick their own next step.
The pre-apprenticeship programs offer training in construction, computer tech, and
medical and dental tech. Once the pre-apprenticeship is completed, the young adult will
work with YouthBuild’s job developer to find the right placement and will work with an
alumni specialist for a year as they break into their new field.
“This program is important to our young people because it gives them options,” Henry
said. “For them to obtain a pre-apprenticeship, learn a trade and receive job assistance,
not only gives them a sense of worth but also allows them to help their own families with
finances.”
YouthBuild is not only a job-placement service. It provides educational services as well.
In addition to helping young adults that didn’t finish high school with the chance to earn
a high school diploma equivalency, it also works with students that may have graduated
high school, but still aren’t proficient in reading or math. The goal of its educational
services is to help young adults continue their education with secondary schooling if that
is the path that they choose.
“The key thing with YouthBuild is that we’re doing this in a non-traditional way,” Henry
said. “We are working with a cluster of young adults to show them that all hope isn’t lost.
We are providing them with the road map.”
That road map can go in many different directions. Whether the young adults utilize
YouthBuild's community service program, alternative school program, pre-
apprenticeship program or leadership development program, they will be working with people who will look to put them on the right track and guide them through the program and beyond.
“Not only do they have the opportunity to learn, but they also have somebody that is
committed to them,” Henry said. “Success for us would look like somebody completing
our program, then have someone working with them for one year to make sure that they
are secure in whichever path they choose.”
YouthBuild is currently accepting interest forms via online at https://uccnewark.org/youth-build. Inquiries can also be made by emailing
youthbuild@uccnewark.org or calling 973-642-0181 EXT 5707. The services are set to
start in September and will be conducted either in-person or virtually based on the state of the coronavirus throughout the city.
