Serving Ohio's most diverse neighborhood, Scranton Road Ministries promotes community-based economic development and leadership training. Its community suffers from widespread poverty, crime, increasing teenage pregnancy rates, and rising school dropout numbers.
The nonprofit's Youth Jobs Partnership (YJP) is a workforce development initiative that provides Cleveland's young adults with comprehensive and relevant job training. The YJP trains disenfranchised youth into a highly competent workforce with marketable skills and a solid work ethic.
Microsoft software and technology that was provided through TechSoup has greatly strengthened YJP and increased its positive impact across the community. Even though many of the YJP participants are familiar with computers, many of them lack the computer skills needed to advance in their education and succeed professionally.
YJP engages these youths in a rigorous curriculum designed to sharpen their computer skills, especially in the Microsoft Office suite. In Excel, students are able to create personal budgets and can graph their savings goals. In Word, students create professional resumes, cover letters, and reference lists. Using PowerPoint, students learn to create and present professional presentations to a panel of judges.
Over 18 months, YJP has provided more than 1,391 of Cleveland's low-income youth with comprehensive job-training and placement services. The results are astounding: 86 percent of the students that complete the Youth Jobs Partnership program are placed into a job, college, or advanced job training, and the program doubles the graduation rate of its youth.