RCEDA 8.5x11 Report d3

Ebony Garrett enrolled at the California Family Life Center Hemet YOC at the age of 22. She was low-income, basic skills deficient, and was a former foster youth. Ebony had struggled finding employment and needed assistance in connecting to the workforce. Her desire was to get guidance on career opportunities and to connect to college. She received assistance with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application and took the Accuplacer assessment at the YOC. The Accuplacer is a test that helps place students where they are most likely to thrive in their academic pursuits. Through her career exploration, she completed the National Retail Federation Foundation for the retail industry and she gained work experience at Walgreens. Ebony attended workshops and volunteered for the CFLC ARTERY program that outreaches in the community with service to others. It was through the community service opportunities

that Ebony realized that she truly wanted to serve her community and help others. She completed work readiness skills, attended financial literacy classes and was involved in career exploration to include a workshop provided to the YOC by the California Conservation Corp. (CCC). The workshop presented career opportunities and advancement in the CCC. Ebony applied to the CCC and was accepted. She received training and certification in fire technology. Ebony’s new career is firefighting and is fighting the fires in Northern California. Ebony is considered a firefighter and her contract with CCC has been extended for three years. Ebony has a new career she is proud of and she is determined to complete her college education online while she trains. Youth Leadership

ProActive Youth -Washington D.C. Youth Trip: Each September, a group of young adults whomodel leadership amongst their peers are given the opportunity to take a trip to Washington DC as representatives of their youth center. They meet in a cohort to witness the legislation process firsthand and prepare to meet with their congressional representatives. The youth participate in crash course sessions on our system of government and receive background information on the institutions in which they would be visiting. Each youth created a sectional speech about their experiences before and after participating in the youth program. The youth speak directly to congress about youth advocacy. These speeches are delivered tomembers of congress, the Department of Labor, and officials from The Pentagon. While in Washington DC, the youth participated in an array of activities and tours of our nation’s capital. They take a tour of the White House, the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, the National Monuments, the Capitol, and the Pentagon. The young leaders delivered their prepared speeches to representatives Mark Takano, Raul Ruiz, Ken Calvert, Duncan Hunter, Paul Cook, and Senator Dianne Feinstein. This trip is an opportunity for the youth to network and engage with one another while meeting their representatives. All of the participants exchanged LinkedIn and other social media outlets to stay up-to-date with one another in their professional development.

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