The EMployment Njoyment Projek™ is an overall umbrella model for Labyrinth Center in creating useful and enticing teen employment, apprenticeships, mentoring and work-study, and profit-based models for teens. It involves creating not only youth jobs, but youth enterprise in which a small business is run by youth. In addition, a web project documents and archives the entire operation, which again is run by participating teens. Products such as T-shirts and graphics will be designed by youth, then sold in local retail outlets as well as via the Internet, as in a private eBay auction "store".

Current Projects in the Works:

 

Labyrinth Center is seeking funding to help supplement shrinking budgets at the California Conservation Corps Tahoe Center. We are trying to create three class models for corpsmembers (18-23)to participate in:

1. Lettin' Go of the Streetz--Social and Communication Skills
2. Who's in Charge--Management and Leadership Training
3. Workin' 4 a Livin'--Transitional Living and Employment Skills

We are also involved in trying to create models to create

Building wheelchair ramps for the elderly and/or handicapped
Web building services...
Leadership & Management Training
T-shirt & other fashion design and sales

 

In addition, youth will participate in and receive a variety of school credits via paid employment, work/study, apprenticeship. Art projects might serve to create marketable products. In addition, we hope to have some youth set up to provide community service, for example, by building web sites for elderly or other disadvantaged adult populations, as well as nonprofit organizations.

Diversity is the key. The broad spectrum of teen desires and skills demand we create not one model for all to fit into, but to create multiple options that appeal to a broad range of youth.

 

We do a lot of work with adjudicated, delinquent youth. We've learned, however, that "bad boys" are capable of the greatest and coolest things. We've had bad boys participate in international youth conferences, sweat lodges, drum building and playing, web building, culinary arts classes, and more. Often, if you give a bad boy something GOOD to do that is something he resonates with, he will forget to be BAD for a while.

Good Stuff from Bad Boys!! is our overall, umbrella concept for working with adjudicated youth. Our goal is to work with boys in juvenile hall, group homes, ranch settings, residential settings and so on and help them find positive ways to channel their energies. Approaches will include:

Youth Enterprise projects
(sell products, eBay auctions, design clothing, sell art & graphics, web design, etc.)
Web building projects
Work/study projects
Community Service

 

To see the specific projects we are proposing or pursuing, please view our Collaborations page

 

For More Information Please Contact Bret@LabyrinthCenter.org

 

Last Updated February 25, 2006