Written by Elena Chan, Director of Community Development
One of the Mission Adelante’s values is partnership. We believe that the opportunities and challenges in our community are God-sized, and that meeting them requires partnerships that begin with relationships and trust and move toward collaboration. Over the past three years, many partnerships have been generated through Adelante Thrift. Since its opening we’ve been able to partner with more than 150 entities in various ways!
Most recently, we’ve teamed up with Workforce Partnership, a local non-profit organization funded by the federal government that serves to provide Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Program services to youth in Wyandotte, Johnson, and Leavenworth counties. Youth services target individuals who are low-income and who meet one or more of the following criteria: basic skills deficient in reading and/or math, foster child, homeless, ex-offender, pregnant or a parent, runaway, and school dropout. The program helps to prepare youth for employment through a combination of educational assistance, skill development, job search assistance, and supportive services.
One of the ways the young adults develop workplace readiness skills is the opportunity to actively participate in the workforce through internships and a chance to explore different industries. For some of the participants, this is their first employment experience, and for others it offers additional, real-world experience in high-demand industries.
Thanks to our new affiliation with Workforce Partnership, we’re gaining four summer youth interns at Adelante Thrift who will work as a cashier, a sorter, a pick-up assistant, and a floor/sales associate! The training they receive this summer will include: orientation to the assigned job at the store and to the workplace in general, guidance on how various job tasks are to be performed and reported, help to recognize the importance of routine tasks, training on how to organize and prioritize their work, coaching through adequate one-on-one supervision of work activities, and being provided with appropriate feedback on their performance.
By hosting these four young adults, we hope to make an impact on not only these individuals in the workplace but also in the broader community. We are hopeful that our interns will have a great summer that will help them foster their professional growth and expand their career options.
CURRENT NEEDS:
- We are now collecting filled backpacks to bless kids in the community in August. Are you or your small group interested in helping out? Visit www.missionadelante.org/serviceprojects/backpacks/ for details and to sign up!
- Are you passionate about education and kids? Our Leaders in Training program is always looking for new volunteers. Please contact Megan if you would like more information: meganm@missionadelante.org.
- Adelante Arts Community needs one or two volunteers to teach guitar to kids! No need to be an expert. If you enjoy playing a few chords and would like to share that ability with others, fill out an interest form at http://www.missionadelante.org/arts.