YEA Corps is a charitable and educational nonprofit organization serving youth ages 13 to 20. We are empowering youth to implement their ideas through community connections for job preparation. We offer youth an entrepreneurial experience through projects they conceive and imagine providing framework, material, and training to execute youth-generated enterprises. We integrate our model into existing youth programs, schools, church youth groups, sports teams, and neighborhoods. We are concerned with the lack of balance in structure and unstructured time allocation in their lives. Youth have little voice, less time for creative, independent and critical thinking, and reduced face-to-face interaction and social connections. Additionally, there is an absence of real-world, hands on, experiences in financial literacy and entrepreneurial ventures available for youth in this age group. The learning from our projects aims to create a generation of responsible, environmentally conscious individuals that are good decision makers, engaged and prepared to contribute positively to their future and society as a whole. Currently YEA Corps is focused on Green Projects.
VISION
Our vision is to strengthen youth holistically while preparing them to be independent self-respecting adults capable of solving issues specific to their generation. We facilitate learning that inspires youth to imagine ideas for positive impact in their own lives, and their communities, while becoming fiscally responsible, empathic citizens. Many of the youth will discover a wonderful career path for themselves during this process as well as connect to job opportunities. Often the projects are executed through community service, learning while giving back. We teach all youth stakeholders, through example, new ways to help youth learn, grow, and achieve their individual potential.
Outcomes Youth Gain From YEA Corps Projects
- Confidence in idea-generation and independent thinking
- Tangible, real-world experiences that builds entrepreneurial skills
- Improved financial literacy: creating business and marketing plans, budgeting, pricing, taxation
- Encouragement to execute their ideas, allowing for and learning from mistakes
- Opportunities to unlock their voice and leadership
- Enhanced social responsibility and citizenship through community service
- Preparation, training, and networking for jobs
- Engagement in community building and preparing youth to be assets in the local economy