Youth Empowerment Services (YES)

An SDSVP grant is funding an employment readiness and internship program for pregnant and parenting teens that live in the Salvation Army’s “Door of Hope - Haven Program”. The program is a licensed group home that serves roughly 20 pregnant and parenting teens and their children.

The participants in the program are foster youth who became pregnant while residing in a group or foster home or living on the street.

SDSVP Partners are facilitating employer outreach and internship development. Through the efforts of SDSVP Partners, 20 girls have been enrolled in the YES program. Twelve girls completed job shadowing experiences at North County Health Clinic and 12 have completed an internship or are working in a job.

Through the efforts of SDSVP Partners and the Door Of Hope staff, the computer “Success Lab” is up and running with donated computers and internet services. The residents at Haven can now build resumes, search for jobs and explore areas of career interest.

“My job shadowing experience at the North County Health Clinic job was great for me. It greatly reinforced the career choice I had made in nursing. I gained hands-on experience, such as viewing a physician stitching up a wound. The fact that I was able to see that was awesome! I am more dedicated than ever before to attain my goal.”

C. L.