Project Iowa

Project Iowa Project Iowa is a workforce initiative that equips participants with the skills necessary to advance to career track, living wage jobs with benefits.

💙 Welcome, YouthWorks Class of 2027! 🎉Our feeds have been filled with back-to-school photos—new backpacks, first-day smi...
09/03/2026

💙 Welcome, YouthWorks Class of 2027! 🎉

Our feeds have been filled with back-to-school photos—new backpacks, first-day smiles, and the start of another school year. Around Project Iowa, back to school also means something we're pretty excited about: a new cohort of YouthWorks interns is beginning their journey!

We're thrilled to welcome the YouthWorks Class of 2027!

Over the coming year, these students will step into professional workplaces, build new skills, make meaningful connections, explore career possibilities, and discover more about themselves and what they're capable of.

There will be new experiences, challenges, successes, and plenty of growth along the way. We're grateful to the employers, mentors, partners, and supporters who will help make those experiences possible.

To our newest YouthWorks interns: welcome! We're excited to get to know you, cheer you on, and watch where this year takes you.

Here's to a great year ahead. Your YouthWorks journey starts now! 💙🎉

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Alex!This year, Alex completed his YouthWorks internship in the accounting department at Fede...
09/02/2026

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Alex!

This year, Alex completed his YouthWorks internship in the accounting department at Federal Home Loan Bank, giving him the opportunity to experience a professional workplace and see firsthand what a career in accounting can look like.

When asked why he chose to participate in YouthWorks, Alex shared: "I joined YouthWorks because it seemed like it would be an interesting experience working in a professional environment."

One of the valuable parts of YouthWorks is giving students exposure to careers and workplaces they may not otherwise experience while still in high school. Internships allow students to see how different departments operate, learn from professionals in the field, and begin discovering the types of work and environments that might be a good fit for their future.

For Alex, that meant stepping into the world of accounting and gaining experience that will help him make more informed choices about what comes next.

Congratulations, Alex! Thank you for being part of the YouthWorks Class of 2026. We're proud of everything you've accomplished and hope you'll carry this experience with you into whatever comes next!

Congratulations to AMOS on 30 incredible years of bringing people together, lifting up community voices, and creating me...
09/02/2026

Congratulations to AMOS on 30 incredible years of bringing people together, lifting up community voices, and creating meaningful change! What an amazing milestone and what a powerful showing of community with 1,200 citizen leaders gathered together. We are grateful for the important work you continue to do across Central Iowa and beyond. Here’s to the next 30 years of building relationships, strengthening communities, and making sure every voice has a place at the table!

Been out of the workforce for a while? Your skills didn’t disappear while you were away.The experience you’ve gained at ...
09/02/2026

Been out of the workforce for a while? Your skills didn’t disappear while you were away.

The experience you’ve gained at work and in life still has value. Sometimes, it just takes a little help recognizing those strengths and figuring out where they fit today.

Project Iowa's Cultivating Careers can help you rebuild confidence, refresh your job search skills, and explore opportunities that fit where you are now.

Cultivating Careers is offered at no cost. Learn more at https://projectiowa.org/what-we-do/cultivating-careers/

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Vick!This year, Vick completed her YouthWorks internship with the Great Outdoors Foundation, ...
09/01/2026

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Vick!

This year, Vick completed her YouthWorks internship with the Great Outdoors Foundation, where she gained real-world experience, developed professional skills, and built new relationships along the way.

Vick first heard about YouthWorks from fellow classmates at her school and decided to give it a try.

"I joined YouthWorks because I had heard good things about it from people at my school and thought, why not? I knew I would have the opportunity to learn real-life skills that I could use in the future, but I also realized I would get to meet new people and build connections."

YouthWorks isn't only about learning how to succeed in the workplace. It's also about learning how to communicate, work with different people, build relationships, and become comfortable in new environments. Those connections and experiences can be just as valuable as the skills students develop on the job.

Vick embraced those opportunities throughout her time with the Great Outdoors Foundation, building experience and relationships that she can carry with her wherever she goes next.

Congratulations, Vick! Thank you for being part of the YouthWorks Class of 2026. We're proud of how much you've grown and can't wait to see the connections and opportunities that are still ahead!

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Ywar Hay!Ywar Hay came into YouthWorks with a goal: she wanted to become a teacher. Her inter...
08/31/2026

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Ywar Hay!

Ywar Hay came into YouthWorks with a goal: she wanted to become a teacher. Her internship with Willkie House gave her the opportunity to put that interest into action by working directly with children and gaining experience in a field she hopes to pursue.

"The reason I joined YouthWorks was because it was a great opportunity for me to gain teaching skills since that's what I want to do in the future."

Throughout her internship, Ywar Hay had the chance to build relationships with the kids, learn by doing, and experience firsthand what it means to work with young people. She even created a fun video sharing some of those experiences and the impact the kids had on her.

One of the goals of YouthWorks is to give students the opportunity to explore a career before taking their next steps after high school. Sometimes that experience opens the door to a new possibility and sometimes it confirms you're already headed in the right direction.

And the good news? Ywar Hay still wants to become a teacher!

Congratulations, Ywar Hay! Thank you for being part of the YouthWorks Class of 2026. We're proud of everything you've accomplished and can't wait to see the difference you'll make in the lives of your future students! 🎉

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Raquel!This year, Raquel completed her YouthWorks internship with HOME, Inc., one of Project ...
08/30/2026

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Raquel!

This year, Raquel completed her YouthWorks internship with HOME, Inc., one of Project Iowa's nonprofit partners, where she gained hands-on experience working in a mission-driven organization.

When asked why she chose YouthWorks, Raquel shared: "I joined YouthWorks because I wanted professional work experience and a feel for what type of work environment I wanted to be in."

Finding the right career isn't only about discovering what you want to do. It's also about learning where and how you do your best work. YouthWorks gives students the opportunity to experience real workplaces, learn from professionals, and begin identifying the environments, roles, and organizations where they can see themselves thriving.

Raquel's experience at HOME, Inc. gave her the chance to build professional skills while experiencing firsthand what it's like to work for an organization serving its community.

Congratulations, Raquel! We're proud of everything you've accomplished through YouthWorks and hope this experience has brought you one step closer to discovering the workplace—and future—that's right for you!

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Elizabeth!Elizabeth completed her YouthWorks internship with Affinity Credit Union, where she...
08/29/2026

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Elizabeth!

Elizabeth completed her YouthWorks internship with Affinity Credit Union, where she gained real-world experience while exploring her interests in real estate and finance.

"I joined YouthWorks to gain real-world experience, develop professional skills, and explore my interest in real estate and finance. It gave me the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals, build my confidence, and prepare for my future career while making meaningful connections."

And build confidence she did!

Throughout her YouthWorks experience, we had the opportunity to watch Elizabeth grow, not only in her professional skills, but also in her willingness to step outside her comfort zone. At the YouthWorks Capstone, she took another big step by getting up in front of the audience and giving a presentation about her experience. She did a fantastic job!

That's what YouthWorks is all about. Yes, students gain work experience and explore potential careers, but they also discover what they're capable of. Each new experience, relationship, and challenge is an opportunity to build confidence they can carry into whatever comes next.

Congratulations, Elizabeth! We're so proud of the growth you've shown this year, and especially proud that you were willing to challenge yourself along the way. We can't wait to see what you do next!

Locker Wars Tickets Are NOW on Sale! Get ready for mystery lockers, friendly competition, Music Bingo, great food and dr...
08/29/2026

Locker Wars Tickets Are NOW on Sale!
Get ready for mystery lockers, friendly competition, Music Bingo, great food and drinks, and plenty of surprises — Locker Wars is back!

Join us on Tuesday, October 13, from 5:30–8:00 p.m. at the Franklin Event Center for Project Iowa’s signature fall fundraiser.

Here’s how it works: Throughout the evening, you’ll have the chance to win mystery lockers packed with gift cards, experiences, event tickets, sports memorabilia, unique finds, and more. We’ll give you a list of everything up for grabs — but you’ll have to decide which lockers you think are holding the treasures you want most!

Your admission includes food, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, candy table, games, and your first locker entry ticket. Plus, enjoy music, mingling, our candy table, and a few surprises along the way.

Best of all, every ticket purchased helps Project Iowa continue connecting Iowans to the skills, support, and opportunities they need to build meaningful, stable careers.

Gather your friends, grab your tickets, and come see what’s behind the locker doors!

https://donorbox.org/events/960859/steps/choose_tickets

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet TinThis year, Tin completed his internship with LT Leon Associates, Inc., gaining hands-on ex...
08/28/2026

YouthWorks Spotlight: Meet Tin

This year, Tin completed his internship with LT Leon Associates, Inc., gaining hands-on experience in a field that interests him while developing professional skills before graduating from high school.

YouthWorks was already familiar to Tin as his cousins had participated in the program before him and encouraged him to take advantage of the opportunity.

"I joined YouthWorks because my cousins recommended the program to me, as they had been previous interns. Additionally, I felt gaining experience in my field and professional training while still in high school would be beneficial."

YouthWorks is about more than one year or one internship. It's about creating opportunities that can have a lasting impact. When former interns encourage others to participate, that impact continues to grow.

We also had the opportunity to see Tin's growth firsthand when he confidently shared his experience during the YouthWorks Capstone. It was a wonderful way to see the skills, knowledge, and confidence he developed throughout the year come together.

Congratulations, Tin! Thank you for being part of the YouthWorks Class of 2026. We're proud of everything you've accomplished and can't wait to see what you do next!

Address

4801 Franklin Room 106
Des Moines, IA
50310

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+15152801274

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