by Kelly Henwood, Special Projects Manager
As many of you are aware, SDCE was awarded a youth workforce grant last summer to serve out-of-school young adults ages 18-24 living in Southeastern San Diego and Barrio Logan. The grant is part of the larger San Diego Gateway to College and Career Initiative being launched to increase services and supports to “Opportunity Youth” living in San Diego including the opening of a new Gateway to Opportunity Youth Resource Center located at ECC in the C Building Room C118. The Resource Center will support, inform, advocate for, and empower Opportunity Youth ages 18-24 years old. The Resource Center will be home to a new Student Computer Lab in C120 available spring semester.
The Gateway to Opportunity Youth Resource Center will generally be open Monday-Thursday 9am -4pm with limited Friday hours. Drop-Ins are welcome. Please call to check availability or to make an appointment: 619-388-4880. Academic Counseling will be available Monday 11am-7pm, Tuesday 1:30pm-7pm and Thursday 10am-7pm. The counselors assigned to the Resource Center include Lisa Carulli and Francisco Mazano.
The youth workforce grant will assist to provide additional non-academic supports such as support services, paid internships, community service, and intensive case management to a select group of eligible students. This project is currently recruiting potential participants including young adults who have dropped out of school as well as those who may be involved in the justice system, former foster youth, and others young adult with barriers who are not employed or enrolled in a credit college. The grant from the San Diego Workforce Partnership provides SDCE with an annual allocation of Department of Labor WIOA funds of approximately $440,000 that can continue for up to five years. For more information contact the Gateway to Opportunity Youth Resource Center at 619-388-4880 or email sdgateway@sdccd.edu