The Osceola Council on Aging (OCOA) has a multitude of community-based partners across Central Florida that have helped us reach, support, and serve hundreds of thousands of seniors, disabled adults, and disadvantaged families.
We value our partnerships immensely, and simply could not do such extensive work without their unwavering support and commitment to our mission.
For this column, I wanted to share a unique community partnership which invests in, and supports, our youth, which in turn supports local veterans who qualify for the Helping Homebound Heroes program.
YouthBuild is hosted by Valencia College, targeting students who did not finish high school, could not pass the state-mandated FCAT test or earn their General Education Diploma (GED).
The partnership began seven years ago as an avenue to empower Central Florida students who had not earned a high school diploma, and an opportunity to build a sustainable pathway to a better career. YouthBuild USA has programs across the United States which supports more than 10,000 students annually.
The educational initiative offers learning skills and industry credentialing for jobs in fields such as construction, earning NCCER Core and OSHA-10 certifications (authorized training in workplace safety), Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) opportunities, Warehouse Logistics (including Certified Logistics Associate (CLA) and forklift certifications.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, the college has received $5.19 million since 2016 to support the YouthBuild program in Osceola County. Based on reports from 2016 and 2018, 100-percent of students have obtained a “credential” (either a GED and/or an industry-recognized credential). Eighty percent of students have obtained “placement” (which means they gained employment and/or enrolled in postsecondary education).
“We are proud to say Valencia College’s outcomes exceed the national average for both rates of credential completion and placement,” said Bridget Valle, Director of Youth Programs and Services.
The Osceola County program is housed at Valencia’s Osceola Campus in Kissimmee, where students divide their time between studying for GED tests, while learning skills in Valencia’s Accelerated Skills Training programs. To date, 258 Osceola County students have participated in the Valencia College YouthBuild program.
In addition to those learning opportunities, “Students attend a weekly Career Pathways class to create resumes, cover letters, complete mock interviews, and learn employability skills,” added Valle.
Students who obtain their Construction certification (NCCER Core) receive additional on the job training and experience in partnership with the OCOA Helping Homebound Heroes program. As part of that training, students work at construction sites in the Kissimmee area, and complete a variety of residential renovations to increase safety and accessibility for local veterans, while being supervised and further trained by OCOA staff.
“These students attain handson training and a myriad of skillsets with the OCOA while learning to install flooring, cabinetry, lighting, do tile work, and much more.” Valle added.
The OCOA has managed the Helping Homebound Heroes program in Osceola County for nearly ten years. The program is readily available for veterans through local partnerships including The Home Depot Foundation, Team Depot, and Meals on Wheels America.
Contact YouthBuild@valenciacollege.edu, for questions regarding enrollment, or visit https://valenciacollege.edu/academics/continuing-education/youthbuild/index.php for more information.
To be eligible, students must be between the ages of 17-24; meet income guidelines; need a high school diploma or GED and be legally authorized to work in the United States. Additionally, students must reside in the following Kissimmee area zip codes to qualify; 34744, 34746, 34741, 34743.
Interested students can also apply for the YouthBuild program by attending orientation sessions Tuesday Aug. 13 and Aug. at the Valencia Osceola Campus, 1800 Denn John Lane, in Kissimmee.
