Building Pathways to Career
What’s the problem?
West Side youth experience an opportunity gap.
In 2015, the University of Chicago (Nagaoka) published an extensive study outlining the foundations that contribute to young adult success. Two key elements they found necessary are positive childhood developmental experiences and relationships. They also found that youth, in areas like West Humboldt Park, often experience a serious opportunity gap, in that they do not have consistent opportunities for those positive developmental experiences and relationships that are so foundational.
In our community, this opportunity gap is augmented by local community trauma and broader systemic disinvestment and discrimination. The result is too few equitable pathways to career.
What is R CITY doing about it?
R CITY creates pathways to address this inequity.
At R City, we are intentional about addressing that gap. Positive experiences and consistent relationships are the pathway that runs through every program of R CITY. A kindergarten to career path is a path to a healthy, full, and successful life.
Beginning at age four, children can spend the majority of their out-of-school time with R CITY in programs designed to heal the affects of childhood trauma. Our kids represent their R CITY allegiance proudly, but by age 12, more is needed than shared identity and safe space. We provide pathways for our youth to earn income, gain practical job skills and increase their exposure to the wider world of work. Harambee paid masonry apprenticeships fill this void; they are something our children look forward to, our youth commit to, and our neighbors look to for inspiration. For our neighbors who are the recipients of the nearly-free tuckpointing work of Harambee, these youth are the very hands that rebuild their homes, their block and our community.
For more information about how R CITY responds to the opportunity gap in our community, see our annual reports or find out more about the Harambee program.
How can you engage?
Through resources and relationships.
The inequities our youth experience can seem insurmountable, but your resources and relationships make an impact to provide pathways to career. We invite you to give your time volunteering, your financial resources, and your personal and professional networks to expand the support we offer our youth.
Give of your resources by clicking below, or complete the form to connect with Y’Shanda Rivera to discuss ways you can utilize your relationships.
