YES Flowchart – Click to Enlarge

The Youth Employment System (YES) is a collection of local organizations that focus on empowering young adults and preparing them for the workforce. Every year, EmployIndy awards grant funding so the providers can continue and grow their programs – inspiring our youth initiative focused on impacting, engaging, and creating opportunities for young adults in Indianapolis, specifically the opportunity youth population.

This year's grant recipients are as follows: Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE), Edna Martin Christian Center, Fathers and Families, Flanner House, Hawthorne, Keys to Work, Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center, PACE, and TeenWorks.

CAFE – Far Eastside Opportunity Youth Re-Engagement Center
The Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE) is a comprehensive, multi-service center serving Indianapolis’ Far Eastside. Their program is aimed towards providing services for opportunity youth. This program will be a component of the first Pivot Re-engagement Center in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club on the far eastside.

Edna Martin Christian Center – Opportunity Youth Support and Training
Edna Martin is part of the Center for Working Families network in Martindale Brightwood, providing the 14 Elements of Training to opportunity youth in order to grow the workforce and provide them with support and employability skills to succeed.

Fathers and Families – Strong Fathers PASSPORT Program
Fathers and Families’ Strong Fathers PASSPORT Program is a three-week class designed to equip participants with knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to become excellent fathers, husbands, and wage earners.

Flanner House – F.E.E.D. Program
The F.E.E.D. (Farming, Education, Employment, and Distribution) program housed by Flanner House will help opportunity youth develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions in the area of Logistic and Supply Chain management by managing produce that comes from the Urban Farm.

Hawthorne Community Center – Opportunity Youth Support and Training
Hawthorne will be using the funding to continue and enhance their Center for Working Families workforce development component. This specific delivery model focuses on providing services to underemployed and unemployed community members, with a focus on vulnerable populations, access to mainstream economy, and quality employment.

Keys to Work – Making Work Pay Program
Keys to Work will be serving transitioning opportunity youth through the Make Work Pay program. Each program participant will receive a paid work experience through RecycleForce. When complete, participants will be eligible for temporary work assignment and able to continue education and/or training programs without interruption.

Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center – Opportunity Youth Support and Training
Mary Rigg is part of the network of Center for Working Families and will be providing one-on-one employment, financial and community supports coaching, and group workshops for opportunity youth. The young adults will complete Job Ready Indy which includes many of YES's 14 Elements of Training. Once this is finished, they will be encouraged to enroll in post-secondary education, vocational training, and a variety of work experiences.

PACE – Barrier Buster Support for Past Offenders
PACE will be engaging with opportunity youth who have been charged with a felony offense by delivering education, employment training, job placement, and retention services. While they are providing these employability services, they will be giving them necessary barrier-busting support to achieve gainful employment as well as leadership and life skills to prevent them from re-offending and living successful lives.

TeenWorks – Alumni Services for Opportunity Youth
TeenWorks Alumni Services is a program that will focus on re-engaging with past TeenWorks participants who have become disengaged from education and the workforce. A program manager will facilitate professional development training, coordinate industry experiences, and manage participants' individual career paths in order to provide them with the necessities to excel in the workforce.