Rep. Maurice West | Facebook
Rep. Maurice West | Facebook
State Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford) is toasting the latest graduating class of the YouthBuild Rockford program.
“Congratulations to all of the graduates,” West said in a news release. “This week, the graduates of YouthBuild Rockford took a step closer towards their dreams. Graduating with multiple awards and creating meaningful relationships that have impacted them greatly. It’s so comforting to see our youth take charge of their future. Rep. West is so proud of you all.”
YouthBuild made West the first recipient of its Champion of Community Success Award.
A community-based, pre-apprenticeship program for at-risk 16-24-year olds who have previously dropped out of high-school, YouthBuild provides job training and educational opportunities for such individuals.
“Youth learn vocational skills in construction, as well as in other in-demand industries that include health care, information technology and hospitality,” the U.S. Department of Labor posts on its website. “Youth also provide community service through the required construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own neighborhoods.”
Youth in the program split their time between vocational training and classroom instruction, including earning their high school diplomas or equivalency degrees and learning to be community leaders while preparing for various postsecondary training opportunities and employment. The organization offers significant support systems, among them mentoring opportunities, follow-up education, employment, and personal counseling services.
YouthBuild, which is overseen by the Office of Workforce Investment's Division of Youth Services, serves more than 6,000 youth across more than 40 states in 210 YouthBuild programs.
In Illinois, the program is a year-long engagement “that prepares youth and young adults for the challenges they will face in today's world.”
Program leaders pride themselves on offering struggling teens and young adults the second chance many of them are in search and need of.
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