- Can you help me find a place to live?
- I need basic supplies like food, toothpaste, etc. and I can’t pay for them—can you help?
- Can you find me a job?
- What is an apprenticeship and how does it work?
- Can you help me enroll in school?
- Is it OK for me to bring my kids to the Youth Outreach office or to meetings with staff?
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Can you help me find a place to live?
If you do not have housing, staff can help you look for housing, apply for Section 8 vouchers or public assistance, or help you get into the emergency shelter. They can also help you think about friends or family that you might be able to stay with for awhile. They can help you figure out if you have the money to afford a particular place.
If you are being evicted from your housing, staff can help you talk to your landlord to see if there is a way to avoid eviction. If you are evicted, staff can help you find new housing and solve the problems that led to the eviction.
If you begin working with the Youth Outreach program you can apply to participate in our Housing Scholarship Program if you are eligible. If you are selected to be in the Scholarship Program, we find you an apartment and The Learning Web pays your rent and utilities while you finish school and/or work at your job. The scholarship allows you to concentrate on finishing school or working towards a better job rather than struggling to pay your rent to keep your housing. There are requirements for scholarship participants that can be explained to you by Youth Outreach staff.
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I need basic supplies like food, toothpaste, etc. and I can’t pay for them—can you help?
We can let you know how to use the local food pantries and where you can get a meal each day. We have a limited amount of personal hygiene supplies that are given out for emergencies. We can help you apply for public assistance support so that you can pay for necessities. We can also help you find a job that will help pay for your living expenses in the long term.
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Can you find me a job?
Our Youth Outreach Case Manager can help you look for a job and in some cases, we can offer you a paid apprenticeship that will help you get the skills and experience to get a job on your own.
Help finding a job or finding a better paying job includes helping you learn how to put together a job resume, know where to look for jobs, fill out applications for a job, practice for job interviews, and connect with other local resources that can help you find jobs. Once you find the job, the Case Manager can help support you in keeping your job and gaining promotions.
Youth Outreach has a computer lab that you can use to search for jobs or prepare a resume, phones that you can use to contact employers, and copy machines for help with forms and applications. The Case Manager offers job site exploration visits, college tours, and workshops that can help you brush up on job hunting skills.
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What is an apprenticeship and how does it work?
An apprenticeship is a way you can get job training and experience that will help you find a job later on. You work at a business with a mentor, your supervisor, who teaches you all the skills needed to work at your job. The Youth Outreach Case Manager will talk to you about the kind of work you would like to do and will find a business that matches your interest area. You are paid by The Learning Web for the work you do as an apprentice. Sometimes your mentor will have a regular job opening and like your work so much that you are hired after your apprenticeship. This is totally up to your mentor and is not guaranteed. Mentors can be a great reference when you are applying for other jobs.
An apprenticeship is never full time work. Usually, you start out working 10 hours per week and as you get more experience, your hours may increase to a maximum of 20 hours per week. You are paid minimum wage.
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Can you help me enroll in school?
Yes, the Case Manager can help you fill out forms, join you when meeting with school staff, help fill out financial aid applications etc. You can use our computer lab to apply to school, financial aid, or to do homework assignments. We also can help you study for the GED test.
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Is it OK for me to bring my kids to the Youth Outreach office or to meetings with staff?
Yes, we welcome your kids and have toys and activities that you can occupy your kids with while you meet with staff. We also have a program for young parents called Supporting Strong Families, which you can read more about here https://learning-web.org/programs/supporting-strong-families.html