A variety of partners attended the planning session on Wednesday, March 22, to strategize how to offer a range of no-cost employment and training services to job seekers with an emphasis on promoting county jobs to individuals who live in the Antelope Valley.
“I wholeheartedly support the work this group has underway,” Barger said. “These stakeholder meetings, born out of a motion I authored, bring together agencies who can offer career opportunities for at-risk youth in North County and equip them for good paying jobs. There’s room for everyone at this planning table – nonprofits, the public sector, and private agencies.”
The Antelope Valley Key Stakeholders’ partners have successfully connected local disadvantaged youth with apprenticeships and jobs with employers, including Northrop Grumman, Amazon, and Edwards Air Force Base. Wednesday’s meeting highlighted the youth job preparation work underway by Kollab Youth, a nonprofit that provides virtual and in-person mentoring and career exploration programs for at-risk teens.
“Our Kollab Youth program focuses on leadership, social and emotional wellness, skill building and offers career exploration for underserved youth,” said Kollab Youth Chief Executive Officer Mary Hewitt. “Our program empowers youth so they can find employment, gain valuable job skills and give back to their communities.”
Lost Angels Children’s Project also attended the meeting to share about their program, which offers former foster youth, those facing homelessness, those impacted by the justice system, and first-generation citizens with career readiness training and holistic services. A majority of graduates of the program go on to make $25 an hour at worksites in the Antelope Valley.
Attendees at Wednesday’s meeting also included leaders from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Human Resources, and the county’s new Department of Economic Opportunity.
[Information via news release from the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.]
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Matt says
I know several young cats who came out of Lost Angels and are excelling at Northrop Grumman right now. Some of the best mechanics I’ve seen in a long time. Glad to see Lost Angels getting noticed out there like this, theyre absolutely serving this community.
Tim Scott says
Yeah, it’s kind of a shame seeing Barger try to sop up some sort of reflected credit for that, since she provides zero support.