Chicago Youth Training and Employment Program
One of Four To Speak on Capitol Hill

 

CHICAGO, IL. (August 31, 2009) – Jobs For Youth/Chicago's (JFY) Executive Director Andrew Abrahams will speak on Capitol Hill on September 15th as a part of a panel discussion on identifying and improving quality practice in youth programs at the National Youth Employment Coalition's (NYEC) Promising and Effective Practices Network (PEPNet) Accreditation Ceremony and Forum. JFY is one of only four organizations nationwide that received recognition through the NYEC PEPNet Accreditation Pilot.

NYEC is a national membership network that improves the effectiveness of organizations that seek to help youth become productive citizens. Toward this end, NYEC sets and promotes quality standards; tracks, crafts, and influences policy; provides and supports professional development; and builds the capacity of organizations and programs.

"We are thrilled to be recognized nationally for the work we have been doing in Chicago for thirty years," JFY's Executive Director Andrew Abrahams said, "We are looking forward to meeting the other organizations in D.C. and working together to impact more of our nation's youth."

Building on the NYEC PEPNet Recognition process from 1996 to 2003, NYEC launched a new PEPNet Accreditation pilot process to identify quality youth programming and promote continuous improvement in the fields of youth development, workforce development, and education. The process involved each organization undergoing a quality self-assessment, completing a continuous improvement process, submitting a comprehensive written application, and receiving a rigorous three-day site visit from two to three experienced, highly qualified youth work professionals. Based on reviewer recommendations, the NYEC PEPNet Accreditation Commission accredited four youth-serving organizations, all of which who will speaking on Capitol Hill: Arizona Call-A-Teen Youth Resources, Inc. (Phoenix, AZ), Jobs For Youth/Chicago (Chicago, IL), Our Piece of the Pie (Hartford, CT), The Work Group's New Jersey Youth Corps Program (Pennsauken, NJ).

 

About Jobs For Youth/Chicago, Inc.

Jobs For Youth/ Chicago, Inc. (JFY) helps young men and women from low-income families become a part of the economic mainstream; and, in the process, provides the business community with motivated job-ready workers. JFY offers pre-employment training, GED preparation and job placement services to youth that are between the ages of 17 and 24. Established in 1979, JFY has made over 26,000 job placements and had 964 students receive their GED (since 1987). More information is available at www.jfychicago.org, including a short video about JFY programs and services.

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