There’s an ever growing number of young individuals who are not getting the most basic education, a high school equivalency diploma, meaningful employment, and are struggling with other barriers to success.
The Town of Oyster Bay, Town of North Hempstead and the City of Glen Cove executed an Intermunicipal Agreement to better serve the workforce needs of eligible youth who are residents of these municipalities. Specifically, the Oyster Bay/North Hempstead/Glen Cove Local Workforce Development Area receives funding through the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to strengthen the workforce skills of job seekers, and has recently awarded a grant to United Way of Long Island to provide employment and training programs to its residents through YouthBuild.
Chief Elected Official Joseph Saladino looks forward to a meaningful and productive partnership between the Oyster Bay/North Hempstead/Glen Cove Local Workforce Development Board and YouthBuild Long Island, a signature program of United Way of Long Island. At YouthBuild, young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 will learn vocational skills in demand industries that include construction, health care, information technology, and hospitality.
YouthBuild participants split their time between the vocational training work site and the classroom, where they earn their high school diploma or equivalency degree, learn to be community leaders, and prepare for postsecondary training opportunities, including college, apprenticeships, and employment. YouthBuild also includes community service and civic engagement to share their valuable perspectives with elected officials about barriers in their communities.
Graduates of the 2023 YouthBuild class were a powerful, hardworking group of individuals. More than 87 percent secured employment in career pathways and 65 percent completed vocational training and/or attained an industry-recognized skilled certification. One such graduate was Tyricka, a resident of Nassau County.
For Tyrika, life had been difficult. She was jobless and struggled with self-doubt, becoming overwhelmed and frustrated. Instead of giving up, Tyrika enrolled in YouthBuild Long Island. “YouthBuild has instilled so much positivity within me, giving me the push, I needed,” according to Tyrika. “I was a young girl trying to change my life for the better when I enrolled in YouthBuild but today I am a young lady, transitioning into the woman I was always meant to be.”
YouthBuild is accepting applications for the YouthBuild Class of 2024 that begins on March 3rd. If an individual is between the ages of 16-24 and resides in the Town of Oyster Bay, Town of North Hempstead or the City of Glen Cove, visit www.unitedwayli.org/youthbuild-long-island for more information to learn more about this exceptional employment and training program.
About UWLI
United Way of Long Island advances the common good, creating opportunities for a better life for all by focusing on three key building blocks: health, education, and financial stability. United Way invests in community partnerships to help our most vulnerable and at-risk residents through organizations and programs that grant equitable access to resources and services across the region. For more information, please visit www.unitedwayli.org, call 2.1.1 or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.
—Submitted by United Way of Long Island
