Cherokee Youth Works

CYW Provides the Following:

Tutoring and Study Skills
Dropout Prevention Strategies
Alternative Secondary School Offerings; GED Preparation Classes
Summer Employment
Paid and Unpaid Work Experiences linked to Academic and Occupational Learning.
Internships
Job Shadowing
Referral for Occupational Skills Training
Leadership Development
Adult Mentoring
Support Services
Follow-up Services for No Less Than 12 Months After Completion of Participation

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Qualifications to Enter the Program

Youth who meet the established guidelines of the Workforce Investment Act, which are:

· Youth ages 14 to 21

· Low income youth

· Youth in Foster Care

· Youth with Disabilities

· Youth who are having difficulty in school and need additional support and guidance to stay on track toward graduation

· Youth who have dropped out of school

Cherokee Youth Works is an initiative of Cherokee FOCUS that works with both in-school and out-of-school youth ages 14 to 21. The goal of CYW is to see the youth complete their high school education and successfully graduate; receive their GED diploma if they have already dropped out of school; receive work readiness training; gain jobs skills; have access to life skill classes; and help them move on to post-secondary education or into the workforce.

Our Mission:

Cherokee Youth Works is dedicated to affecting positive change in disadvantaged youth by providing educational support, employment training and life skills development.

Our Vision:

All Cherokee Youth Works participants will achieve their potential to become productive, self-sufficient citizens who contribute to their community.

Our Direction:

We will accomplish our mission by focusing on the youth’s strengths and the youth as a whole. We will provide youth with guidance in the areas of education, career exploration and life skills development. We will help youth stay on track educationally while providing work readiness training and job experiences linked to their educational goals. We will strive to provide an understanding of the link between education and future occupational goals to ensure that the youth will be successful at both. We will provide the support of caring adults who will give structure, accountability and who have high expectations for the youth.

What You Can Do To Help

· Volunteer as a GED preparation tutor.

· Assist High School students with understanding and completing study assignments.

· Become a youth mentor.

· Support staff with help in the office.

· Teach or assist with life skills classes.

· Provide a job, internship or job shadowing opportunity.

· Provide a summer job.

· Help a youth with developing their resume.

· Provide services for youth such as hair styling, dental service or car care.

· Sponsor a youth to participate in a local sports program, youth organization or camp.

· Donate gift cards for clothing or restaurants.

· Donate items for program incentives.

· Make a general donation.

· Let others know about the wonderful opportunities to help a local teen through Cherokee Youth Works.

Advisory Board

Andy Summers - Chair

Best Buy Canton Marketplace

Toby Bramblett

YMCA

Jim Burseth

Bank of America

Jody Darby

Chattahoochee Technical College

Katherine Miller

Remco Solutions

Megan Stepp

CVS Hickory Flat

Kevin Williams

Chick-fil-a

Riverstone & Canton Marketplace

Jay Wright

It's A Grind

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CYW Staff

Jonell Courson

jhcourson@windstream.net

Stacy Cooper

Marti Brock

Jennifer Turek