A Note from Seattle Site Director, Lainie Farmer:

There are over 23,000 youth in King County between the ages of 16-24 that are disconnected from both school and work. Most of these young people want to work but they lack the skills, education, confidence, and social capital to get a living-wage job. They face real-life barriers, such as housing insecurity and overcoming trauma, which prevent them from realizing their full potential and meeting the job demands of our robust and growing economy. In a city with so much prosperity and opportunity there are no good reasons that our youth are being left behind. We can do better.

At Juma, it starts with a job in the stadiums but our program and services are much more than that. We empower youth to set personal, professional, and financial goals and discover their strengths. We explore potential low-barrier, high-demand careers and develop a plan for youth to get there. We help young people earn a paycheck and learn how to manage their money. We provide support and community while youth hone in on their professional skills and find their passion. We are family.

Reducing the number of disconnected youth is a problem that can be solved but it will take partnerships with the private and public sectors and our communities, all working together to illuminate pathways to upward mobility. It requires listening to youth, like Xavier, a Juma Graduate, to truly understand their motivations and experiences. “I went from a couple of years of struggle to a few months of learning new skills that I will have the rest of my life. I truly appreciate what Juma has done for me. Juma gave me the opportunity to do more with my life.” We invite you to join us in our journey to make possible, possible for Seattle’s youth.

For more information, contact Lainie Farmer, Site Director, at lainief@juma.org.

FOR YOUTH FOR EMPLOYERS FOR VOLUNTEERS