INDIANAPOLIS – April 17, 2023 – This morning, Mayor Joe Hogsett, City-County Council President Vop Osili, EmployIndy, and community partners announced the launch of YES Indy’s new Re-Engagement Center (REC), located at Watkins Park. EmployIndy’s “Youth Employment System”, YES Indy, established the REC model to provide safe spaces where “Opportunity Youth” – residents ages 16-24 who have disconnected from education and/or employment – can participate in open gym basketball and get connected to career services. 

“The more accessible we can make post-secondary education and employment, the more people will choose that path,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “By addressing significant barriers to school and jobs, the new YES Indy REC at Watkins Park makes resuming your education or professional ambitions easier for residents of the northwest side.” 

In Central Indiana, there are an estimated 30,000 Opportunity Youth who are not engaged in education and or the workforce. Since the launch of the first YES Indy REC in 2018 at the Finish Line Boys & Girls Club, 2,476 young people have registered for open gym sessions, with 240 having been entered into the YES Indy system where they have received barrier-busting support (such as vouchers for child care, legal assistance, housing, or transportation), career services, and connection to education, training, and job opportunities. 

“In alignment with our strategic plan, YES Indy RECs are a tangible way EmployIndy seeks to promote equity and remove barriers to quality employment for underrepresented residents,” said Rev Rodney Francis, EmployIndy Chief Programs Officer. “As the importance of postsecondary training has grown, coaching and connection to career services have become even more vital to navigate options and persist through to completion.”

A major factor in the success of the REC model, and in particular the Watkins Park REC, is EmployIndy’s work to build collaborative partnerships with community organizations. Through a partnership with Indy Parks and Recreation, young people now have a space on the northwest side to get engaged and reconnect to education or the workforce through YES Indy. And through neighboring YES Indy provider Flanner House as well as service provider Training for Success LLC, career services and support are nearby to help them take that next step in their professional journey.  

“After having spent some time attending a university, and feeling it wasn’t a good fit, I found myself working several hourly jobs, with not much direction,” said Chance Blackwell, YES Indy Watkins Park REC participant. “Getting connected to Flanner House through the REC has been helpful as I look to pursue my EMT certification and use those skills to help others.”

Once engaged at the Watkins REC, young people also have the opportunity to enroll in the YES Indy Power Huddle, a two-week job readiness experience where they will learn to foster a growth mindset, as well as earn two Job Ready Indy badges: Mindsets and Social Skills. During the Power Huddle, participants reframe their view of their own future and are introduced to opportunities available through YES Indy, such as achieving their high school equivalency, working with a career coach, enrolling in training, and being connected to employment opportunities. Since 2018, 423 young people have participated in the Power Huddle program.

To make these collaborative efforts possible, EmployIndy has worked to combine funding from the City of Indianapolis and The Indianapolis Foundation (with supporting funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act), through the Elevation Grant Program. 

“By creating opportunities for youth to feel not only safe, but seen, trust is being built in spaces that systemically and historically have pushed them aside,” said Pamela Ross, Vice President of community leadership and equitable initiatives for The Indianapolis Foundation. “The result is youth who are more open, which allows the community to thrive.”

The YES Indy REC at Watkins Park will host open gym sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Residents interested in learning more about this REC location and available services are invited to attend a public open house on Saturday, April 22nd at 10:00 AM, that will feature a basketball tournament and the chance to connect with several local organizations, such as Indy Parks, that will have information on employment and training opportunities. For questions regarding the April 22nd open house, email Tawnya McCrary at trainingforsuccessllc1@nullgmail.com.

Youth and young adults can learn more about YES Indy services or connect to a YES Indy service provider at yesindy317.org.