YouthBuild Columbus Community School is an at-risk youth and community development program.
The program simultaneously addresses several core issues facing low-income communities. These issues include housing, education, employment, crime prevention, and leadership development.
“We are a fully accredited high school,” said Kimberly Mattea, Marketing Specialist at Youthbuild Columbus. “Students ages 16 through 21 enroll to receive not only their high school diploma, but certification in a career tech field. They come to us for all different reasons, from all different backgrounds.”
“They serve their communities by building affordable housing, in the process transforming their own lives and their places in society.”
“For students who aren’t going to college, it gives them a way to transfer directly into a career,” said David King, YouthBuild Columbus Construction Instructor.
Additionally, YouthBuild Columbus is part of YouthBuild USA, a nationwide effort with more than 6,000 youth participants in 40 states and 23 different countries. The program is funded by the Department of Labor. This federal grant money supports educational and vocational training for opportunity youth in underserved communities.
“During the enrollment process we really sit down, talk to them, and get to know a lot about them,” Kimberly Matteo continued. “We find out why they chose us and what career path fits them best. Is it construction or any sort of manual trade…or is it nursing, or is it STNA or phlebotomy?”
With their last project, YouthBuild Columbus Community School project provided a Stambaugh-Elwood neighborhood veteran with a new home.
They are currently restoring another house in the Columbus neighborhood of Linden. The house will have an official ribbon cutting on March 17th, 2020. You can find out more about Muth & Company Roofing’s partnership with this Columbus restoration project on our website.
For more information about visit YouthBuild Columbus website, visit ybccs.org or learn about YouthBuild USA.