A Note From the Director : We understand getting a young person "work-ready" is no easy task...
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In This Issue:
Service Provider: Ed DeJesus, a nationally-known youth employment expert, has created a survey to research youth employment advocacy work in the nation. [Please take part]!
Sign up for our monthly eNewsletter here! Want to have your San Francisco youth organization or agency featured in a TAYSF newsletter? Contact Justin at justin@taysf.org By working closely with public and private agencies to create a strong system of support for San Francisco’s young people, aged 16-24, Transitional Age Youth San Francisco (TAY SF) is implementing the comprehensive recommendations of San Francisco’s Transitional Youth Task. For more information about our work, please visit our website www.taysf.org |
TAYSF's Featured Service Provider of the Month:  102 Fort Mason San Francisco, California 94123 Website: http://www.sfcc.org/ To highlight the work of one of the many youth employment and workforce development organizations in San Francisco, TAYSF conducted interviews and sat-in on a weekly community meeting at the San Francisco Conservation Corps, a veteran non-profit that gives youth 18-24 years old the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and to attain work-readiness skills in conservation jobs that include recycling, landscaping, and community education of conservation. Days before the meeting at the Corps' Fort Mason abode, I interviewed the Executive Director at the Corps, Ann Cochrane about why she feels that this specific job training program is unique. "The job training at Corps primarily takes place in the green sector: recycling programs and park and natural resource renovation," Ann Cochrane told me, "the Corps acts as a conduit for the young people getting post-Corps positions such as internships, apprenticeships and placement at City College." What distinguishes the Corps (whose members are typically young adults without a high school diploma and little to no work experience) from other job training programs is that the Corps not only pays Corps members for on-the-job experience, but also offers a state-accredited high school diploma program. "We aim to serve the whole person," Ann Cochrane added. [Read full Interview with Ann]. Two years ago, the Corps started a business enterprise in recycling and zero waste management. Currently, the Corps is hired by public event producers to have Corp youth members to manage recycle and/or compost all the materials from the events and to educate the public about recycling. Last month, the Corps was hired to collect and sort tons of recycling for the ZAP’s Zinfandel wine tasting event, where over 9,000 people attended.  After the community meeting, my site visit continued as I was accompanied to the Presidio Trust recycling center, where a Corps Recycling Outreach Team was sorting and moving materials. I spoke with Corps member Vernon Redmond Jr (See photo to the left). At the community meeting, Vernon had told the crowd that that the coming weeks were his last at the Corps, ending three years of Corps membership. Vernon made a promise to “go-out with a bang,” but left the details unexplained. At the Presidio Trust recycling center, Vernon explained to me that the best part of the Corps has been "interacting with people, teaching at events the proper zero waste management that we do, a knowledge that was something I picked up once I got to the Corps." Vernon has benefited more than just the job skills from working a recycling team. "I'm more of a people-person, better communication skills, and fun-loving guy— as you saw at the community meeting," Vernon explained.Since its beginning in 1983, the Corps has served over 5,000 youth, working a combined 4 million hours of environmental community service in San Francisco’s neighborhoods, and according to its Executive Director, only hopes to increase its service capacity. "We are in the process of renovating and expanding our facilities to serve more young people," Ann told me, "hopefully doubling the number of youth we serve by 2013." Upcoming Events:
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