Juma’s YouthConnect program combines employment and job training at our social enterprises with a complementary suite of services focused on building financial capability and career pathways toward middle-skills careers and a living wage.
A job is about more than a paycheck. Work brings dignity and research indicates that the combination of a powerful early employment experience with continuing education support and asset building opportunities, helps youth overcome the hardships of poverty and aspire to career success. With support from a positive adult role model, youth are able to explore a range of education and career pathways, set career goals and develop the soft skills needed to succeed in 21st century careers.
YouthConnect works to ensure that, by age 25, youth are on a career trajectory toward a living wage, economic well-being, and prosperity, ultimately breaking out of the cycle of poverty in which they grew up.
Juma operates concession businesses in professional sports and entertainment venues to provide meaningful employment experiences to youth from underserved communities. You will find Juma youth selling ice-cream and coffee during games such as those of the San Francisco Giants (MLB) at AT&T Park, San Francisco 49ers (NFL) at Levi’s Stadium, Oakland A’s (MLB), and Atlanta Falcons (NFL) at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Youth are employed for the length of a sports season (average six to nine months), complete approximately 150 hours of work experience and earn on average of $2,000. While at Juma, they master soft and hard skills, build core competencies in customer service, sales and business operations. Much more than a job, Juma integrates a youth development, strengths-based approach to help youth develop professional skills and navigate the transition to healthy adulthood.
Alongside the job, youth are supported by a Program Coordinator and other staff focused on helping them overcome personal barriers to successful permanent employment and master skills like communication, professionalism, personal accountability, teamwork, problem-solving and leadership skills, all in a growth mindset-framework. Youth participate in a series of job search skills workshops such as resume writing and mock interviews and go on career tours that expose them to a broad range of middle-skills career pathways such as advanced manufacturing, healthcare and aviation. With Juma’s support, youth identify and attain strengths-based, short-term and long-term personal, financial, education and career goals in a Launch Plan. As part of this plan, youth are encouraged to think beyond the next job and set continued learning goals, such as completing the GED, enrolling at a community college, or pursuing a credential that will help them on a pathway to sustainable middle-skill careers.
Leveraging the teachable moment of a first paycheck, Juma’s financial capability services provide youth the opportunity to develop lifelong money management skills. Under the guidance of Juma staff, youth open bank accounts and participate in financial education workshops on topics such as money management, budgeting, saving, financial products, credit and debt, and fraud.
The Juma job offers steady employment and the opportunity to build a positive employment history, ultimately helping to launch young people into career pathways including accessing educational pathways.
Juma views “Connection” as part of each youth’s Juma journey, beginning on day one. The Connect (or launch) component of our YouthConnect program is grounded in the notion that young people must achieve stability before they can successfully pursue mobility. By working in the enterprise, they are taking the first step towards an eventual connection by developing foundational employment skills, gaining work experience, and beginning to create a professional network. Employment also promotes the stability necessary by easing financial concerns. Youth connect to career and educational pathways once they complete the Juma program. Once youth have completed the program, they become eligible for alumni services aimed at helping them achieve success in their post-Juma job or education connection, and beyond.
Juma operates concession businesses in professional sports and entertainment venues to provide meaningful employment experiences to youth from underserved communities. You will find Juma youth selling ice-cream and coffee during games such as those of the San Francisco Giants (MLB) at AT&T Park, San Francisco 49ers (NFL) at Levi’s Stadium, Oakland A’s (MLB), and Atlanta Falcons (NFL) at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Youth are employed for the length of a sports season (average six to nine months), complete approximately 150 hours of work experience and earn on average of $2,000. While at Juma, they master soft and hard skills, build core competencies in customer service, sales and business operations. Much more than a job, Juma integrates a youth development, strengths-based approach to help youth develop professional skills and navigate the transition to healthy adulthood.
Alongside the job, youth are supported by a Program Coordinator and other staff focused on helping them overcome personal barriers to successful permanent employment and master skills like communication, professionalism, personal accountability, teamwork, problem-solving and leadership skills, all in a growth mindset-framework. Youth participate in a series of job search skills workshops such as resume writing and mock interviews and go on career tours that expose them to a broad range of middle-skills career pathways such as advanced manufacturing, healthcare and aviation. With Juma’s support, youth identify and attain strengths-based, short-term and long-term personal, financial, education and career goals in a Launch Plan. As part of this plan, youth are encouraged to think beyond the next job and set continued learning goals, such as completing the GED, enrolling at a community college, or pursuing a credential that will help them on a pathway to sustainable middle-skill careers.
Leveraging the teachable moment of a first paycheck, Juma’s financial capability services provide youth the opportunity to develop lifelong money management skills. Under the guidance of Juma staff, youth open bank accounts and participate in financial education workshops on topics such as money management, budgeting, saving, financial products, credit and debt, and fraud.
The Juma job offers steady employment and the opportunity to build a positive employment history, ultimately helping to launch young people into career pathways including accessing educational pathways.
Juma views “Connection” as part of each youth’s Juma journey, beginning on day one. The Connect (or launch) component of our YouthConnect program is grounded in the notion that young people must achieve stability before they can successfully pursue mobility. By working in the enterprise, they are taking the first step towards an eventual connection by developing foundational employment skills, gaining work experience, and beginning to create a professional network. Employment also promotes the stability necessary by easing financial concerns. Youth connect to career and educational pathways once they complete the Juma program. Once youth have completed the program, they become eligible for alumni services aimed at helping them achieve success in their post-Juma job or education connection, and beyond.
Juma embraces a collective impact approach to achieving its mission, and over the last year has made significant progress forming partnerships with local nonprofit organizations serving foster care youth such as First Place for Youth, and other initiatives working to place disconnected youth into employment such as My Brother’s Keeper. These organizations are able to provide Juma youth with additional wrap around supportive services such as housing assistance, transportation and mental health counseling.
Juma: Noun/joo-ma/ 'Work' in multiple African dialects.
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