2021 COMBAT Mid-Year Funding: $54,886.00

in ArtsTech's Own Words

ArtsTech and its public/private partners are developing a unique and innovative approach to support 75 youth staying in school, learning the necessary skills to pursue a meaningful career, and obtain employment/work experience during the summer months, as well as year-round.

This year-round project will be looking for young people who typically are outsiders. They have not participated in mainstream youth development opportunities, have demonstrated anti-social behavior, are behind in school, and tend to be a dropout—or the person behind the numbers in other negative statistical categories. These young people also tend to be creative, artistic, exhibit leadership qualities, and want more for themselves and families.

ArtsTech offers a 150 hours of youth-paid apprenticeship opportunities for 75 youth aged 13-17. Participants will learn job readiness skills, appropriate on-the-job behavior, common pitfalls that cause young people to be fired, money management, substance use and abuse prevention, time management, leisure skills, and other behaviors that translate to a healthy lifestyle. Participants will also learn what job placements are available and how to match personal interests with career opportunities. Pre-employment activities include collecting all required documents, including parent/guardian approvals, and processing all youth where they will receive their job assignment so they are prepared to start work.

After successfully completing orientation, participants will be placed on a job site that bests suits their interests and skill sets. This phase will mainly focus on getting the young person started and assimilated into the business’ work culture. Getting the young person off to a good start will set the tone for the entire year.

Participants and ArtsTech Career Specialists will work each week to improve job performance, learn the work culture participants are in, set weekly goals, and offer open and honest feedback about individual performance.  

ArtsTech will maintain what works and change what does not. Continuous quality improvement is a must.

Participants will also receive performance feedback, strategies to improve their next employment opportunity, while designing a one-year educational and career plan. This phase is vital to developing specific future action steps to continue career readiness, showing the importance of a solid work history, connecting formal education to real-world careers, and exploring varied youth interests with multiple jobs before choosing a career path that will most likely change many times during a lifetime.

Expected outcomes include participants gaining exposure to a variety of career paths, remaining enrolled in school and/or other workforce training or college, developing socially responsible skills to increase employment and training opportunities, developing basic/entry level job readiness skills, and developing 21st Century STEAM skills.

ArtsTech envisions our communities transformed by empowered youth and young adults who are healthy, productive, educated and engaged citizens.

Major components of empowerment and productivity for youth are job readiness, employment and training. The crucial task this program will accomplish is mentoring youth during the difficult and often problematic transition from school to work, exploring career opportunities, building workplace skills and providing much needed income to assist families in need.

ArtsTech has the experience, capacity, and proven track record of achievement and success with the at-risk youth 13-17 who are often difficult to successfully engage.