EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -
There's a new local initiative to help at risk youth find employment and organizers believe the program could make a big impact in the community.
That initiative is called the Youth Employment Services' Program or 'YES' for short. Through it, public and private entities are working together to provide financial support to at risk youth who are working to improve their education and become employable.
The students 14 News spoke to on Monday say they the program has them excited for what the future holds.
For local at risk youths working toward a brighter future, Monday's launch of the YES program in Evansville is good news.
"They're helping me pay for my education and everyone else. We're rally grateful," said Dallin Coch, a Youth Build student.
Three local companies, Vectren, Toyota, and German American Bank, are partnering with CBOs Work One and YouthBuild to provide what they call, 'barrier-busting' vouchers to students in the program.
"And these vouchers can be used to help pay for transportation or help offset babysitting costs, so they can come to the training. Most of these young people are working on their GED or certain skills so they can become employable," said Paula Pinkstaff with Toyota.
Grow Southwest Indiana Workforce Executive Director Jim Heck says the three supporting companies have combined for $60,000 in vouchers, so far. Heck also says the supporting companies view the program as an investment for the future of the local work force.
"Our businesses in this region have really struggled to get the skilled work force they need. We've got an aging work force at all the companies around here. They're going to need us to build a pipeline to bring people into that workforce," Heck said.
One of the YES program's benefiting students is 21-year-old Dallin Coch. He says times have been difficult for him in the past, but YouthBuild, and this new program, have him excited for the future.
"I'm here for a second chance. To know that they are looking over us and wanting us to eventually be employed by, possibly, one of them, is absolutely great to know," Coch said.
Heck says although the supporting companies have only agreed to three-year commitments, he expects the program to prove itself worthy of much larger extensions.
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For local at risk youths working toward a brighter future, Monday's launch of the YES program in Evansville is good news.
