4. Communication from Youthbuild USA

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• y®~r~~ ,~ ~• ~ I.A.G.O. Program Narrative U.S.A. AFF1t:tATED NETWORK I.A.G.O. (Initiatives Achieving Goals Outstanding) is a local organization that has been assisting youth achieve academic success for the past 7 years. By becoming an affiliate of the National YouthBuild USA network, (since 1978) we are in a position to offer even more education and job readiness certifications and opportunities to our youth in the South Bend area. Thus we are IAGO/YouthBuild South Bend. In the past we have only worked with youth in traditional education settings. We have helped hundreds of youth set and attain educational and personal development goals. Our scope has broadened to assist youth that have separated from the traditional school setting without obtaining their high school diploma or GED, and lacking any employment ready skills. Youth completing the 10 month program will obtain their GED, a nationally recognized certification in construction education (NCCER) which gives them a choice of becoming Supervisors in Construction, Carpenters, or Construction & Maintenance Painters. Perhaps they prefer computer technology. They can become certified as Database Administrators, Network and Computer Systems Administrators, or Computer Support Specialists . These youth will have hands on education that will not only benefit them by obtaining experience, employment and their certification, it will also benefit businesses and families throughout the Michiana area by providing in demand IT services, low cost housing and repairing existing worn and unsightly housing throughout the community. The building and refurbishing process becomes a symbol of their own lives, in that many were just like that old dilapidated house, an apparent lost cause. However, with a little work and effort it is transformed into a beautiful home. It is reinforced, that if with hard work and effort they can change that house, they can also change their own lives. That home becomes a tangible object they can look at in their own neighborhoods to be proud of and say to themselves "I accomplished something good. I can do the same thing with my own life, I am worth something." Most prisoners come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Most have not completed high school. Roughly 1 /3 were unemployed before imprisonment.