is affiliated with:
with
and with
YouthBuild St. Louis AmeriCorps
MISSION STATEMENT
To educate and inspire St. Louis young people
to achieve academic, vocational, leadership development, personal development, and community service skills and competencies; to pursue challenging careers, life-long learning, and volunteerism; and to become mentally and morally tough by accepting responsibility for themselves, their families and their communities.
YouthBuild St. Louis AmeriCorps (Youthbuild St. Louis) is an alternative education, construction training, employment, and leadership development program serving low-income St. Louis youths, ages 18-24, who have not completed high school. Youthbuild St. Louis, which began in 1992, is sponsored by Youth Education and Health in Soulard (YEHS), a community-based organization founded in 1972.
What is uniquely exciting about YouthBuild is that it is combating the St. Louis public schools' high school drop-out crisis, while helping to replenish St. Louis's critical shortage of affordable housing.
One-third of Youthbuild St. Louis's members are young women, many of whom were receiving public assistance when they enrolled. Many of the young men in the program have been adjudicated. YouthBuild's successes make it a model program for those seeking solutions to youth poverty, unemployment, crime, and violence.
Youthbuild St. Louis's full-time 40 week competency-based integrated curriculum combines construction work experience training creating affordable housing with GED basic academic, computer, vocational/construction, entrepreneurial , and career/life/leadership skills classes; conservation education; AmeriCorps community service; and leadership development activities. Also built into the program are individual, peer, and group counseling; supportive services; child care; driver's education; and cultural appreciation. Since its first small class of 12 graduated in 1993, Youthbuild St. Louis has graduated over 500 young people and has a current enrollment of 30. The average retention rate is 80%, and performance outcomes for all graduates have the following average rates:
- Attendance -- 90%;
- Job/College Placement -- 90%;
- Hourly Wage -- $8.18/hour; and
- GED rate -- 70%
Youthbuild St. Louis's participatory approach motivates youths who have given up on traditional education to take responsibility for themselves, their families, and their communities. Major emphasis is placed on helping members develop leadership skills through the Policy Committee and Youth Caucus and through the national YouthBuild USA leadership trainings.
In addition to building affordable housing, members have mentored/tutored academically at-risk elementary students; collected and distributed food for the elderly; recycled newspapers; cleaned and landscaped parks; and developed individual service projects to help their own neighborhood organizations.
Members earn a $1,800 AmeriCorps education award for further schooling after completing 675 service hours.
Youthbuild St. Louis has regular activities for its graduates, including education and job counseling, social events, leadership development, and community service activities.