YEP serves youth and young adults (14-24) facing the greatest barriers: court-involved youth, foster youth, homeless youth, teen parents, youth who have dropped out of high school, and those returning to the community following incarceration. YEP believes that these young people deserve a chance at success. We also believe that youth are the key to creating a thriving and vital community. For this
reason, our programs actively engage young people in their communities. YEP trainees get the opportunity to work at local nonprofits, government agencies, after-school programs, and small businesses. They build and rehabilitate houses to create affordable homes for low-income families. They operate YEP’s social enterprise cafés, Training Grounds, at the Oakland International Airport and Fresh Start, at the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center. They clean Oakland’s streets, beautify its neighborhoods, and restore local creeks and waterways. They train and support their younger peers at recreation centers and after school programs. Our comprehensive programs offer a range of support services and referrals, including robust education support, to help youth succeed in school, recover high school credits, earn their GED, enroll in college, and become self-sufficient adults.
