When youth in South Florida face risk of delinquency, Gang Alternative, Inc. steps in. The social service organization offers positive alternatives for young people and their families, helping them achieve academic, social, economic and spiritual goals.
Recently, GA added two new career development programs to their already impressive Workforce Development Pillar of Service. Project GO (Growth Opportunity) and YouthBuild both support disadvantaged youth in the Miami areas of Little Haiti, Liberty City and West Little River.
Project GO provides career development opportunities to young adults ages 18 to 24, offering them a pathway to securing and maintaining higher-wage employment. Participants may have dropped out of high school for disciplinary reasons or a history of violent criminal offenses or gang affiliation. Through Project GO, they work with GA to determine their right career path and learn relevant technical skills, then are matched with apprenticeships. The real work experience prepares them for greater self-sufficiency.
The program simultaneously addresses the issues that led to their initial position, like substance abuse and other behavioral conditions. By teaching both work-based and personal growth skills, Project GO provides participants with a second chance at life.
GA’s YouthBuild Program provides career development opportunities as well, but with a focus on pathways in construction for youth ages 16 to 24. The pre-apprenticeship program helps young people learn occupational skills in residential construction, weatherization and green jobs, including worksite safety procedures and proper use of equipment. They learn technical skills through certification training for industry credentials like National Center for Construction Education and Research and OSHA 10 (a health and safety course). Beyond workforce training, the program also cultivates crucial life skills, like financial literacy, community service and leadership, in its participants.
Through these programs, Gang Alternative, Inc. empowers disadvantaged youth with skill sets and self-determination needed to succeed in the 21st Century workforce.
