YouthBuild, a workforce development program for youth ages 16 to 24 funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and facilitated by the Peoria Housing Authority (PHA), is beginning a three-year pilot program in Peoria next Monday.
The program, which comes to Peoria through a $1.5 million Department of Labor grant, will offer around 75 area youth an opportunity for a career in the construction trades. PHA program director and YouthBuild Peoria coordinator Venus Black and advisor Alicia Lenard spoke with WCBU about the program, which Black said will rely on partnerships with local businesses and construction professionals to make the program a success.
“These youth are considered at-risk,” said Black. “These are youth that are traditionally classified as from low-income families, justice-involved youth, pregnant youth, veteran youth, foster youth who are aging out of the foster program, homeless youth and migrant worker youth.”
Though YouthBuild Peoria is administered by the Peoria Housing Authority, Black explained that the program is not limited to those in the city or residing in PHA homes. The program is funded for three years, meaning that area youth will have an opportunity to learn the construction trade during three approximately 9-month cohorts that will accommodate 25 students at a time. In addition to learning a valuable trade, youth who enroll and stay in the program will earn a cash stipend up to $400 per month, or up to $2,400 total, during their time with YouthBuild.
It is also not limited to youth located in the city of Peoria, according to Black.
“This is actually a county-wide program that is not restricted to (Peoria) Housing Authority residents and is not restricted to Peoria city limits-- it is a county-wide program so we will be serving all 16 cities within the county,” she said.
YouthBuild Peoria will offer a variety of supportive services to help youth overcome some of the daily challenges they face that can interfere with program attendance and completion. Services such as child care referral, housing assistance, social-emotional support and job or college placement assistance are included in the program.
“We understand that many youth faced barriers in their communities that are among the reasons they were unable to complete high school. There is a heavy focus on case management and youth will work with a case manager to get the counseling they need and will get the support and assistance to barrier removal,” said Black.
Alicia Lenard oversaw the YouthBuild-Bloomington program until 2022 after starting as a YouthBuild participant in 1997. Lenard said that from her own personal experience she knows how YouthBuild can provide a positive adult presence in the life of an at-risk youth.
“(Program graduates) say that caring adults were the number-one reason that they came to YouthBuild, stayed in YouthBuild and were successful in YouthBuild,” said Lenard, who learned credits the program with providing her with the tools and resources to graduate high school, attend college and earn an advanced degree. “A lot of young people don’t have positive adult in
their lives. They don’t have adults that can show them something outside of what they see on a daily basis. We make sure that we provide that.”
YouthBuild Peoria begins the first of its three planned cohorts on Monday, December 18, though program coordinator Black said there is still time for qualified youth to sign up to learn the construction trade. The first class begins Monday, December 18 at 9 a.m. sharp at the Frank Campbell Community Center, 100 S. Merriman, in Peoria.
A typical day in YouthBuild Peoria will begin with a morning meeting at the Campbell Community Center, followed by classroom learning and instruction. After lunch, students will receive vocational training at various area locations before returning to the Center for an afternoon wrap-up.
“Interested youth can contact the PHA at (309) 676-8736, and my extension is 17311. Interested participants can also email us at YouthBuild@PeoriaHousing.org. We have applications available on the PHA website, www.PeoriaHousing.org, and we can email a flier or application to anyone who is interested in the program,” said Black.
