Maricopa Skill Center (MSC) is home to YouthBuild Phoenix and in February MSC will welcome a new group of students.
YouthBuild is a program for young people ages 18-24 to earn their GED, learn a construction trade and give back to the community. While in the program students work on building a house for a low-income family in Phoenix. Throughout their time in the eight-month course students build a house from the ground up to handing the keys over to the family.
“The goal is to take someone who has been doing nothing and make them employable,” said Armando Fontes, YouthBuild field coordinator at MSC.
While in the program students get the chance to earn their GED, take courses in construction and get help with resumes and interview skills. The students are enrolled in MSC’s Construction Trades program. About 50 percent of the time students are in the classroom working on their education, 40 percent at the construction site and 10 percent spent doing community service.
“YouthBuild also provides assistance to the students with whatever they need to be successful in the program,” Fontes said. In the past, YouthBuild has been able to provide bus passes, food, assistance with getting housing and even money for a student to pay their bills. Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development provides counseling if needed.
“We teach them life is all about self sufficiency,” Fontes shared. The program teaches students skills like attendance and self-presentation to help make them successful when they leave.
At 2 p.m. on Jan. 28, YouthBuild will hold its last information session before starting the new cohort. Interested parties have their final chance to apply to be considered in the selection process for Mental Toughness. The information session will be held at MSC, 1245 E. Buckeye Road, Phoenix, in room A302.
Feb. 3-14, YouthBuild will hold its Mental Toughness. Between 40 and 50 individuals are invited to attend YouthBuild Mental Toughness to see what the program will be like if they are chosen to come back Feb. 18 when the cohort begins.
Twenty-two students will be chosen during Mental Toughness to continue on with YouthBuild. The program works with students who have dropped out of high school and gives them an opportunity to change their life.
The next cohort for YouthBuild at MSC will start in Fall 2014. Individuals who are interested in applying for YouthBuild should call, 602.323.4733.