Complete Faith in Youth

In choosing college majors, career paths, and “true callings,” millennials have been served quite a contradiction — they’re caught between feeling special and staying true to their authentic selves, and thriving in a tough economy that values some pretty specific skill sets.

The Mile High Youth Corps, however, doesn’t believe that making money while following your heart has to be so dichotomous.

Established in 1992, the MYHC is a nonprofit organization that helps youths aged 16 – 24 make money while engaging in projects that better their own communities.

“With the youth unemployment rate in Colorado still nearly double that of adults, Mile High Youth Corps offers young people from all backgrounds the opportunity to earn a paycheck, make a difference in their local community, protect the environment, and develop their career skills for the future,” says Kelly Causey, Ph.D and CEO of MHYC.

The corps has worked on a number of projects, from fire and flood restorations in Boulder County to promoting energy and water conservation efforts. Upcoming focuses include building and maintaining trails, planting trees, and installing energy — and money — saving products in low-income households. In the organization’s 22-year history, projects like these have earned participants more than $1.75 million in AmeriCorps Education Awards, which can go toward secondary-education expenses.

In addition to providing work experience, the nonprofit’s members, called “corpsmembers,” are given access to ample educational opportunities. Through a nine-month program called YouthBuild, corpsmembers may complete high school diploma or GED courses and participate in leadership development and life skills programs.

“In 2013, a total of 35 YouthBuilders provided 10,685 hours of service, 15 earned a GED or high school diploma, 88% were placed in a job, and 29 percent enrolled in post-secondary education. YouthBuild corpsmembers also earned $30,828 in education awards,” Causey says.

And while the MHYC boasts so many remarkable achievements, none of these efforts would be possible if it weren’t for the group’s passionate dedication to recruiting members from all walks of life.

“We value all youth and the unique skills that each person has to offer,” Causey affirms. “At both the staff and youth level, we have a robust anti-discrimination policy that covers both sexual orientation and gender identity. Additionally, we place a premium on diversity in the workplace, with some of our top staff identifying as LGBT. We believe that people thrive when they are valued in the workplace.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Is there more? You bet. Visit MileHighYouthCorps.org.