Preparing NYCHA Youth for Construction Jobs and More Through YouthBuild
In March, the inaugural cohort of NYCHA’s YouthBuild program in Brownsville, Brooklyn, began their six-month journey into an alternative education pathway aimed at providing them with the skills and support they need to succeed.
YouthBuild is an international program that supports young people ages 16 to 24 who left high school early and may have faced challenges in their personal lives, including being justice-involved, aging out of foster care, experiencing housing instability, and other risk factors. The program offers a community-based model where young people can gain valuable life skills and work experience through a blend of education, construction training, leadership development, and job placement support. NYCHA received a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for its YouthBuild program, which will serve young people ages 17 to 24.
This cohort is the first of two six-month cohorts that will be conducted through NYCHA’s YouthBuild, managed by NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES). “We are extremely excited to bring YouthBuild back to Brownsville,” said Lenese McPhie, Deputy Director of REES. “At the core of this program, we aspire to empower and build up our NYCHA youth into confident community leaders as they pursue their educational and career goals. Every young person in the program is unique, and we hope to create an environment where their voices are heard and dreams realized.”
In addition to a stipend and support services, the cohort is receiving classroom instruction on construction skills and safety training, including OSHA site safety training and National Center for Construction Education and Research construction technology credentials; hands-on construction training as they work to renovate affordable housing units in Brownsville and Ocean Hill, Brooklyn; and high school equivalency (HSE) instruction to help them pass the HSE exam (participants who already have their HSE will work towards another educational goal). They will also build their leadership skills and organize and participate in community service opportunities. Following their successful completion of the program, YouthBuild members receive 12 months of job placement and post-program support to help them obtain apprenticeships and entry-level construction positions.
NYCHA’s YouthBuild partners are Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation, Brooklyn Public Library, and Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation.
As part of a weeklong orientation held at the Langston Houses Community Center, Carver Houses Resident Association President Nina Saxon, an alumnus of YouthBuild, spoke to the cohort members about how her YouthBuild experience changed her life.
Ms. Saxon’s journey began as a teenager in her Spanish Harlem neighborhood in the late 1990s. She had dropped out of high school and was hanging with friends who were involved in risky behavior. Her father asked her, “What are you going to do with yourself?” and she didn’t yet know. However, a pivotal moment came when her close friends were arrested, which prompted Ms. Saxon to make a change. She walked into the location of the first YouthBuild program in East Harlem (Youth Action YouthBuild) and never looked back.
She shared how she “learned how to do blueprints, carpentry, math skills, and I also had an internship at a hospital. There’s a building on 117th and 2nd Avenue that I helped build brick by brick.” Ms. Saxon spoke of the personal challenges she faced during that experience, including losing both of her parents, but she was determined to earn her GED and build a better future for herself.
After receiving her GED thanks to support from YouthBuild, she pursued an undergraduate degree at Morgan State University, along with several other YouthBuild graduates. After graduating from college, she moved back home because she wanted to work and be a force for good in her community – she credits YouthBuild with helping instill love and care for her community. Ms. Saxon became an advocate for YouthBuild’s mission, working as Vice President of the YouthBuild National Alumni Council and traveling the country to talk about the benefits and results of the program. In addition to being the Resident Association President of Carver Houses, she also currently works for City Comptroller Brad Lander.
“This is a movement, and the work we do is never over,” Ms. Saxon said. “The reason I came here today is to tell you my story to give you some inspiration to see that you can do this. I started at YouthBuild when I was 17 and I’ve been on the board of directors for 30 years. You all will make history as the inaugural NYCHA group, and the next cohorts will look to what you did. Once a YouthBuild, always a YouthBuild.”
Ms. Saxon’s experience and advice resonated deeply with the participants, many of whom expressed aspirations to earn their GED, gain meaningful employment, and ultimately build better futures for themselves. YouthBuild member Aniyah said, “One goal I’m hoping to achieve from this program is to gain valuable skills that I would be able to use in my day-to-day life.” Fellow cohort member Kaliyah said she likes the program because of the support: “I like the feeling of warmth when I get here. It’s a struggle sometimes getting here, but I’m always glad when I make it. I would encourage others because it’s helping me.”
Are you, or do you know, a Brownsville resident between the ages of 17 and 24 who’s interested in earning a high school equivalency diploma while gaining high-demand construction industry skills? The next YouthBuild cohort will begin in fall 2025. Please fill out the interest form today or visit NYCHA YouthBuild Program | OpportunityNYCHA – REES to learn more about the program.