Our Programs
TeenJobs.org TeamWork Leadership
Career Internships Inspirational Interviews Workshops
Our programs are based on the maxim that if adults don't provide positive choices for teens, they will make negative ones. For low income and minority teens without family contacts, YouthForce offers an alternative to service economy jobs that often require long hours, and late schedules that have a negative impact the academic and personal development of teens.
Teenjobs.org provides area schools and community programs with a common resource of online employment, career guidance, and resume building tools. Since 1999, Over 3000 teens have applied to TeenJobs.org, demonstrating the interest and demand for our services from teens, schools and community organizations.
All students who apply to teenJobs.org receive individual feedback and an invitation for further coaching. During these sessions, YouthForce staff meet individually with teens to assess their strengths, challenges and goals. Our counselors review their school and community involvement, discuss employment norms and expectations, share job search and interview strategies, and coach and refer them on available programs or jobs, YouthForce or beyond, that match their goals.
TeenJobs.org receives over 1.2 million hits a year and is one of the top 5 Google listings for "teen jobs"
Our TeamWork Program is first job internship, designed to cultivate the communication, teamwork, personal responsiblity and customer service skills teens need for school, life and our advanced Leadership and Career Internships.
The centerpiece of this program is our partnership with First and Goal Inc, and the Seattle Seahawks. Since 2006, over 160 YouthForce teens have formed the "the HawkSquad" at Seattle Seahawks home games. As HawkSquad members, teens build and demonstrate their communication, teamwork, personal responsibility and custmeor services skills in as they support the ProShop, Halftime shows, pre-game activities and engage with fans all over the stadium.
TeamWork teens have also volunteered at Bumbershoot, Goodwill Industries, and other community events. They' ve discussed career goals with Amazon.com CTO's, heard Barack Obama speak, attended workshops with college prep counselors and other activities.
Our Leadership Program provides experiences for teens to grow beyond themselves, to further develop their competencies as leaders with responsibility for the success of others. Simply put, this is leadership at work, and our goal is to utilize teens as core staff and peer leader.
Rooles for Teen Leaders include:
- HawkSquad Leaders YF teens are responsible for coordinating and supervising the HawkSquad
- Peer Counselors provide academic and pre-employment counseling to teen applicants.
- Business Development teens demonstrate teens readiness and abilities to potential employers.
- Webmasters provides the technology skills to ensure the functionality and value of our website.
- Teen Researchers connect with current participants and program graduates to gauge our effectiveness, guide our continuous improvement effort and help develop program strategies.
YouthForce's signature program partners career focused low income and minority teens with amazing businesses to provide after school and summer internships- paid, career relevant work experience with mentors and career networks for their future that inspire teens to achieve their absolute limitless potential.
Teens in our Career Internships benefit from a collaborative support system with both a YouthForce mentor and an Employer mentor guiding and encouraging their success- both on the job and as young adults. A balanced focus which results in our 90% employer and teen satisfaction rate.
To inspire career learning and personal growth, teens work with their employer mentors on a work-based curriculum that builds their career awareness, communication skills, self knowledge and a professional network.
Since 1999, YouthForce has matched 236 teens with educational, mentored, after-school and summer employment in biotech, law, finance, architecture, engineering, advertising, HR, in both non-profit and business firms. Students average over 9 months of mentored internships while earning an average of $9.65/hr. Money that helps support their families and prepare for their tuition.
YouthForce organizes a wide range of informational interviews for teens to help young people meet known leaders, hear the challenges they overcome, and how they think, dream and achieve. These inspirational conversations demonstrate for teens that they too have the ability to achieve their greatest goals and dreams.
Since 2006, YF teens have coordinated and attended informational meetings with Costco Wholesale Chairman and co-Founder, Jeffrey Brotman; Starbucks Chairman, Howard Schultz; Expeditors International CEO and Founder, Peter Rose; and Former Governor and Current Lawyer, Gary Locke.
Jeffrey Brotman, Costco Chairman and Co-Founder
Howard Schultz, Starbucks Chairman
Your story is truly inspiring, especially since I can relate to it so much. Growing up in a horrible neighborhood can be pretty detrimental to anyone’s psyche. I’m really scared of failing or ending up right where I began. Childhood was tough. We barely lived paycheck to paycheck, but family kept us strong. Living in such a rough place you don't see too many successes. It can really bring you down, but hearing your story which is so few and far between it gave me hope”. -Nneka Bolden
YouthForce provides small group employment preparation trainings at schools, community centers and youth programs. Trainings educate teens on the importance of school and help them develop skills in resume writing, interviewing, workplace communication and time management.
Small group trainings are critical for teens—particularly those teens without family/community support systems—to achieve and succeed in their academic, personal and internship goals. In 2005, YouthForce was selected as the career and internship service for the Boys and Girls Clubs new Federal Way EX3 Teen Center, expanding our services and partnerships to South King County
Our workshops emphasize our 3-Point Plan educating teens that their achievement in school, extra-curricular activities and service learning experiences are the true pre-employment stepping stones, and pre-requisites for employability.
Our workshops feature diverse partners including Old Navy, the United Way, Providence Hospital, ZymoGenetics, Team Read and others to help teens understand the importance of academic achievement, and participation in community opportunities and activities that develop their skills, interests and employability.
Workshops have been made at most Seattle High Schools, the City of Seattle’s Youth Employment and STEPS Programs, Garfield Community Center, Making Connections and Accounting Career Awareness Programs.