YouthBuild

DMACC YouthBuild

Why Join DMACC YouthBuild?

• Are you tired of the same ol' same ol'?
• Do you want to change your life!
• Are you committed to change and success?

Then it's time to apply for DMACC YouthBuild!
If you 're interested in YouthBuild, stop by in person at the Evelyn K. Davis Center for Working Families.

DMACC YouthBuild is a 7-month that program combines:

• Academic instruction
• Vocational skills training
• Life and employability skills training
• Service to others in the Community
• Leadership development

Program Expectations
The three basic YouthBuild rules:

• I am committed to personal change
• I will attend everyday
• I am responsible for my own behavior and learning

Program Goals

We reach our goals by working with our many community partners and internal DMACC staff and the strong commitment to succeed of trainees.

Academic instruction goal: Our academic staff provides the necessary weekly academic instruction of at least 50% of your time with us to help you meet your High School Equivalency goal. DMACC supports our academics by making available a nationally approved High School Equivalency (HiSET) diploma testing or a DMACC High School Diploma.

Vocational skills training goal: Our DMACC YouthBuild construction staff delivers the opportunity to achieve a nationally recognized Home Builders Institute certificate in Carpentry and weatherization. This training averages about 40% of your time with us. Habitat for Humanity provides us with an opportunity to practice job skills related to any job such as on-time attendance, positive work attitude and actual hands-on skills related to carpentry and home building. Polk County makes available an additional certificate for a basic Lead Renovator. Blue Cross runs CPR/First aid training. Our YouthBuild staff is responsible for training in Basic Construction OSHA. Internally DMACC also arranges transportation for trainees to the job site and special vocational events.

Life and employability skills training: Our DMACC YouthBuild staff provides weekly training in what it takes to be employable. DMACC YouthBuild staff also recruits many community experts instruct about employability skills as well. United Way and Wells Fargo Bank provide financial literacy training, which includes credit repair, a savings plan and opening a bank account. The Evelyn Davis Center staff, where DMACC YouthBuild is located, also provides support in getting-wrap around services and information on identified trainee needs. Evelyn Davis staff also gives information and help with post-program job placement support. Our YouthBuild DMACC staff also is able to provide post-secondary education follow up support, and post program job placement support.

Service to others in the Community goal: The City of Des Moines, the Rebuilding Together program and neighborhood churches offer us with the service component of our program that helps our 'trainees" improve the quality of life in the community in which they live. At the same time the work our "trainees" perform with Habitat for Humanity helps qualified people into affordable housing. This work is supervised by our DMACC construction staff.

Leadership development goal: This goal is integrated in all aspects of our program. The City of Des Moines provides our initial leadership training site, the Iowa National Guard delivers Leadership Training, and staff in all areas gives opportunities for peer mentoring, and peer to peer instruction.