Youth Employment Services
Apprenticeships, workforce training, career pathways and job placement.
Mission Overview
What this mission does
Youth Empowerment connects students aged 14 to 24 with veteran mentors who have already done the hard work of rebuilding a life. That pairing is the programme — everything else is the curriculum around it.
Cohorts run in blocks: life skills and financial literacy, leadership and communication, then a hands-on track chosen by the participant — agriculture, media, trades or motorsports. Each block ends with a real deliverable the young person can put their name on.
Participants who complete a cohort move directly into our Youth Employment Services pipeline, where pre-apprenticeship becomes apprenticeship and apprenticeship becomes a career.
Purpose & Objectives
- Give every young person a mentor with lived discipline and integrity.
- Replace idle time with skills, certifications and paid opportunity.
- Build leadership from within the neighbourhoods we serve.
- Break the cycle of unemployment before it starts.
Discipline. Confidence. Direction.
Who We Serve
Who this programme helps
If you recognise yourself or someone you know on this list, this mission is for you.
- Students aged 14–24 in under-resourced communities
- Young people disconnected from school or work
- Children of veterans and military families
- Justice-involved youth seeking a second start
- First-generation college and trade candidates
On the Ground
Programme activities & services
What actually happens when you turn up. All of it runs on volunteer and member time.
Mentorship Match
Every participant is paired with a vetted veteran mentor for the full cohort.
Life Skills Academy
Budgeting, credit, communication, conflict resolution and personal readiness.
Leadership Lab
Squad-based projects where participants plan, brief and lead their own missions.
Pre-Apprenticeship
Introductory hours across trades, agriculture, media production and motorsports.
Public Speaking
Participants tell their story on camera and on stage before they graduate.
Certification Prep
OSHA-10, first aid, food handling and industry-recognised credentials.
Results to Date
1,150
Youth enrolled
92%
Cohort completion
410
Credentials earned
64
Active mentors
Get Involved
How you can participate
Three ways in. Pick whichever one you can commit to honestly.
Become a mentor
Two hours a week changes the arc of a young life.
Host a cohort
Schools, churches and employers can host a MEDVETS block.
Sponsor a seat
Cover tuition, tools and transport for one participant.
Join the Youth Empowerment mission
Discipline. Confidence. Direction. Enlist as a member, or fund the work directly.
Keep Going
Related Missions
Motorsports
STEM, trade skills and teamwork taught at racing speed.
MEDVETS Media & Broadcasting
Telling our stories, educating the public and empowering through media.