Workforce Development for Youth & Young Adults

South LA YouthBuild
CRCD serves as lead agency for the new South LA YouthBuild Program, launched in fall 2009 in partnership with Los Angeles Trade Technical College. YouthBuild is a youth and community development program that provides basic skills education toward completion of a high school diploma/GED, while engaging young people in the construction of low-income housing. YouthBuild serves 30 low-income young people age 18-24 per year; all are South LA residents.

Los Angeles Trade Technical College serves as the education/training partner for South LA YouthBuild. Located less than 1 mile from CRCD, the College teaches basic skills and green construction skills, using a cohort-based learning community model designed exclusively for YouthBuild participants. The College’s Construction department is the largest in the state and ranks #1 for conferring degrees/certificates in Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, and HVAC. CRCD’s Youth Advocates provide outreach, intensive case management, support services, work readiness and leadership skills, and community service opportunities. As a nonprofit housing developer, CRCD also provides on-site training and work experience at CRCD’s affordable housing construction sites in South LA. General contractors inform the training curriculum. CRCD provides placement and follow-up services for 1 year.

Vernon-Central Workforce Development Network
CRCD serves as lead agency for the Vernon-Central Workforce Development Network, a collaborative of 4 nonprofits tackling youth unemployment in the Vernon-Central neighborhood of South LA, where 21% of young people are unemployed. Each year, the Network serves 60 young people age 17-25 who are motivated to earn a living and improve the community, but are out-of-school and out-of-work.

The Network’s direct service partners include All Peoples Christian Center, LA Conservation Corps, and CRCD, which each train 20 young people in computer technology/wireless network deployment, environmental conservation, and clean energy/construction, respectively. CDTech provides an Educational Liaison to expose youth to postsecondary education options. While in the Network’s 3 training programs, young people further their education, gain work experience, learn work readiness and leadership skills, and participate in community projects such as graffiti removal and tree-planting. Youth Advocates provide intensive case management and support services to reduce barriers to employment such as lack of high school diploma/GED, gang affiliation, and court issues. Youth Advocates also provide placement in jobs and/or further education/training, plus follow-up services.

Summer Jobs
CRCD employed 135 low-income young people in Vernon-Central as part of the 2009 Summer Youth Employment Program funded by the City of Los Angeles. Young people learned employment readiness skills and worked part-time over the summer at a variety of nonprofit and government worksites.

How To Reach Us
Please call Noemi Soto, Director, Youth Workforce Development, for information at (213) 743-6193.