YouthBuild, a nationally recognized youth employment and training program has made one of its homes at SCCC. In collaboration with Northeast Parent and Child, Better Neighborhoods Inc. and HUD, SCCC has begun an 18 month program to provide GED education to 12 students. The students participate in hands-on construction training 2 days and 2 days per week of GED classes. Friday's are spent with the classes doing some type of community service project.

Each YouthBuild class consists of 12 participants and gives the students 6 months of hands on construction training and preparation for the GED exam to earn their diploma. August 2006 was the start of the program, with a new a class starting in February of 2007 and another class in July 2007. Each class works on a construction project that renovates a neglected home, makes it available to a new home owner and puts it back on the tax roles. The students are provided with the tools and are taught basic construction skills and work together in teams to renovate blighted and abandoned two family house into a one family home. The program has the support of local trade unions and one of program's goals is student employment with a career ladder and a future for advancement. If a student discovers that construction isn't for them, their goal would be to continue their education and to explore other options. YouthBuild is about giving participants the "tools" they need to succeed.

Stay tuned, as we update the progress of the program, the renovations of the student's lives and the house they are working on.