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GICV began operating the
YouthBuild Johnstown Program in October 2007
when it recognized an opportunity to be part of
the national YouthBuild USA Network and
competitively bid for and was awarded a grant by
the U.S. Department of Labor to begin in Cambria
County. In June 2009, GICV received its
second competitively bid grant award to expand
to portions of Somerset County.
 As
of January 2012, the core training program of
YouthBuild Johnstown will continue with GICV
funding.
Through YouthBuild Johnstown, GICV provides
youth ages 18–24 who have barriers to employment with
the chance to earn their GEDs, and receive
on-the-job training earning $7.25 per hour.
The overall
goal of this 6–11-month program is for youth to
achieve economic self-sufficiency through an
opportunity that they otherwise may not have
had.
GICV, leading the 13-member YouthBuild Johnstown
community partnership*:
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Enables youth with barriers
to obtain their GEDs and employment skills
to achieve economic self-sufficiency in many
in-demand occupations and postsecondary
education and training opportunities
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Teaches the construction trade and
provides hands-on application of skills as
the youth help to build or rehabilitate
homes for families with low incomes
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Teaches leadership skills and
assists participants in exercising
leadership as they engage in a community
development project and run their own
Participant Council
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Prepares participants for the real
world of work by providing specific
instruction and connecting them with the
public workforce investment system (PA
CareerLink, Cambria County) and with
employers in
construction and other regional
high-growth industries
Youth must be ages
18–24 who have left high
school without a diploma (a small percentage may
be high school graduates or have their GEDs, but
are deficient in basic skills) who have one of
the following barriers:
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Is of low income
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Has an incarcerated parent
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Is a juvenile or adult offender
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Is a current foster youth or aging
out of foster care
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Has a disability
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Is a migrant farm worker
While the core
training program for new participants is funded
by GICV, former YouthBuild participants receive
follow-up services of case management, job
retention, and employment retention funded by
the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and
Training Administration's Office of Workforce
investment, Division of Youth Services.
Enrollment
Enrollment is ongoing. For more
information on GICV's YouthBuild Johnstown, contact Mindy Rickabaugh at (814)
536-3536, ext. 291 or
mrickabaugh@goodwilljohnstown.org.
*The 13-member
YouthBuild Johnstown community partnership includes
GICV as the lead agency, the Southern
Alleghenies Workforce Investment Board,
Johnstown Housing Authority, Redevelopment
Authority of Cambria County, Greater Johnstown
Career and Technology Center, Pennsylvania
Highlands Community College, Greater Johnstown
School District, Home Builders Association of
the Alleghenies, Greater Johnstown/Cambria
County Chamber of Commerce, Administrative
Office of Juvenile Court Cambria County, Cambria
County Assistance Office, Office of Vocational
Rehabilitation, and the Greater Johnstown
Community YMCA.
Click
Here for the YouthBuild Application
Eligibility based on a list of criteria.
Applicants may contact GICV to determine
enrollment acceptance.
Funded by GICV
Coverage area by counties: Cambria and Somerset.
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