WISE is a program at the Latin America Youth Center in Washington, DC focused on vulnerable children and teens ages 16 to 24. The majority of the programs recipients indentify as Latinos or African Americans. The program aims to provide the individuals training in the areas of professional development, customer service, and Microsoft Office, ultimately providing them with the capacity to get a job or complete high school.
Providing professional skills for working life
Estados Unidos
Problem
According to the 2014 report titled “One Nation Underemployed: Jobs Rebuild America”, 13.1 percent of African Americas in the United States are unemployed, compared to the 6.5 percent of Whites and 9.1 percent of Latinos. Looking solely at Washington, DC where approximately 45% of the population identifies as African American, the unemployment rate is a troubling reality.
Project
Students are offered a variety of academic classes during three-month periods, including mathematics, social sciences, and language, in addition to job-related workshops and activities such as computer class. These classes position students to obtain a degree equivalent to high school or complete certified trainings. Once they succeed in receiving their degree or certificate,
students are empowered to seek out paid internships and/or formal jobs.
Beneficiaries
The majority of the projects beneficiaries are Latino and African America youth and teens living in Washington, DC who neither study nor work and are seeking to complete their formal education in order to improve their professional opportunities.
volunteers involved
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"In one of the most developed countries hides the abandonment, segregation, and lack of opportunities for some of America’s most vulnerable residents. Through projects like WISE, we seek to reinvigorate individuals with the feelings of belonging and community, a hallmark of the United States." (Español) Nicolas Torres, (Español) abogado