A Trauma Informed Approach to Education for Career Pathways

Kenny is a young man who dealt with unimaginable circumstances in his past. He faced uncertainty and fear each and every day—would his mother overdose? Would there be strangers in his house? Would he be screamed at or assaulted? This was his life, day in and day out. Over time, anger began to build up inside Kenny and he would act out, making bad decisions. He did not see a future for himself, lacked hope and believed he did not deserve anything better.

Kids like Kenny, who need help the most, are being denied community programs because of their past. At-risk youth don’t get the support they need to learn career skills and technical training—leading to unemployment or not achieving their fullest potential.

“I was allowed to be myself. It was here that, in a world of crushing darkness, I finally found an eternal light. I found someone that believed in me and was there to tell me that I’m not a loser. My dreams aren’t impossible.”

Opportunity to Change Futures

As a student in the culinary and automotive Behavioral Job Training Programs offered through Rawhide, Kenny gained practical, marketable skills through classroom and hands-on learning experiences.

$42: Average cost per day for one youth to participate in the job training program.

Behavioral Job Training Program instructors use a trauma-informed approach to education so youth can succeed in their school and work. Throughout the program, students learn how to support themselves financially, gain new skills, discover their strengths, work on their confidence, and break through other employment barriers.

Youth who complete this program benefit from gaining confidence in their ability to get and keep a good paying job. Last summer, Kenny was hired at an auto shop due to the work experience and training he received through Rawhide’s job training program. This program has changed the course of his life, showing him a different path in life he could take.

 

The Need for this Program in Our Communities is Critical

Unlike many job training programs, the majority of our program funding comes from individual contributions, including monthly donations. More than one-third of individuals with a mental illness make less than $10,000 a year—well below the federal poverty level.

$100: Average cost of food supplies for one youth in the culinary program.

Your donation doesn’t just give struggling youth the essential job training and resources they desperately need. It gives them a path to a future they’d thought impossible to achieve.