SacYouthWorks

Goal

Unite Sacramento’s youth-serving community-based organizations to enable youth to learn, earn, and thrive through work-based learning experiences.

Our Market

High School Youth residing or attending schools within the City of Sacramento*, with an emphasis on engaging youth most impacted by systemic oppression and/or adverse childhood/community experiences.

Key Components

  1. Connect: A network of Community-based organizations connects and guides youth through 40-hours of work-based learning experiences. #SYW approaches work-based learning with a strong positive youth development lens.
  2. Learn: Youth engage in up to 20-hours of work-readiness trainings that support the development of 21stcentury skills, connect to their applied service/work projects, and support exploration of career pathways.
  3. Earn: Youth engage in a minimum of 20-hours of applied service/work projects related to their work-readiness trainings. Youth earn a stipend for completing the program.

Program Highlights

  • #SacYouthWorks was piloted in the Summer of 2020 with City of Sacramento CARES Act funding to respond to youth and community needs that emerged due to the pandemic.
  • In its inaugural year (Summer 2020 – Summer 2021), #SYW served 1,600 youth through partnerships with 52 community-based organizations.
    • Youth engaged in 64,000 hours of learning and applied service/work
    • Youth earned $781,000 in stipends to acknowledge the value of their work and support economic relief
    • Community-based organizations received $733,060 to support programming and community-covid relief efforts.
    • Youth Participants overwhelmingly reported that participating in #SacYouthWorks helped them feel more confident in themselves, more hopeful about their future, increased connection with positive peer relationships, and develop skills for the future.