Economic Opportunity for Struggling Young Adults

Inas, a single mother from Yaffa, had never held a steady job and could not support her daughter. She was referred to STRIVE, a multiphase program that helps chronically jobless young adults overcome the employment barriers they face.

"At the beginning of the course, I was afraid and didn’t know how I would sit in a classroom all day," confesses Inas. "But the people were so amazing that by the second week I was waking up early with so much energy and excitement."

Today Inas is proudly employed and feels she is a new mother to her little girl. "I have gone from cleaning homes to knowing that I have all of the options in the world for myself and my daughter," she says.

Originally developed in East Harlem, New York, STRIVE utilizes a tough-love approach to helping hard-to-employ populations find and maintain a career. Participants learn soft skills like time management and hard skills such as computer proficiency. They also receive one-on-one coaching to build a personalized career program, including the relevant vocational or professional training. Working with a bank of employers, STRIVE accompanies its clients through job placement and career advancement to encourage them to commit to working as a way of life.

May 2008