By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The St. Joseph Youth Alliance wants everyone to know that Every Child Matters.
Various programs through the St. Joseph Youth Alliance seek to provide education, life skills, and experience in different things.
Youth Employment Program Director Anita Jolly says one of those programs is the Youth Volunteer Corps.
"Well, basically our Youth Volunteer Program serves young people 11 to 18" Jolly tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So, anyone in the area who wants to sign up can do that on the website, we have a separate website for that."
The Youth Volunteer Corps recently traveled to Benedictine College to build bunk beds with Benedictine Students. Bunk beds build in the project will be distributed around St. Joseph.
Jolly says the bunk bed project is a great opportunity to teach students some new life skills.
"It's a a great opportunity to do something, feel good about what you're doing, and learn some new skills, I mean everybody likes to run a drill every now and then and do some sanding," Jolly says. "And it's for a great cause.
The Youth Volunteer Corps gives students education, life skills, and experience through various projects. The next bunk bed build project will come in March.
Another program from the St. Joseph Youth Alliance works with older children, the Youth Employment program works with older youth; 17 to 24.
Jolly says some of the students the program works with are students that have dropped out of high school, and after working with a teacher to gain their high school equivalency, they start on the next step.
"Mostly what we do is we then teach job skills, we work on resumes, and we work with young people to get them either into a job, a training program, or into post-secondary education based on what their skills and abilities are," Jolly explains.
Jolly says there are certain requirements that need to be met to enroll in the Youth Employment Program. Just this year the Youth Alliance has seen great success serving 60 students.
You can find more information about the Youth Volunteer Corps HERE and more about the Youth Employment Program HERE.
