At youthSpark, we are always working to reimagine how we offer access and opportunities to young people to think beyond their current circumstances and dare them to dream about their futures. We pride ourselves in going beyond the healing process in our Youth Services Center and empowering youth to imagine who they want to be. We know firsthand, when they can see it, they can achieve it.
Twenty-eight teens participated in our 2021 Interactive Summer Series, a hybrid program using experiential learning to help youth explore careers, including law-making, journalism, music production, urban farming, and entrepreneurship. With help from our friends at Passion For Life, our kids identified new interests and talents, while our “Career Caravans” led them on discovery journeys to show them how to use their passions and core strengths. Over five weeks our youth safely boarded the "career caravan" to spend the day in the life of exploration at The Georgia State Capital, WABE 90.1, SOOFA Ranch, and Patchwerk Recording Studios. We also hosted virtual sessions in our Youth Services Center on college preparedness and financial literacy, thanks to Sally Bayless from Edward Jones Investments.
The aims of the program included understanding your personality and passion, why it’s important to identify unique skills and career interests using the Holland Code approach. With the help of our 2021 Summer Sponsor Verizon, youth earned a $300 stipend for completing the program.
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