The young workers are going to do demolition work, put up dry wall and assist subcontractors with electrical and mechanical jobs during the year. They will work alongside veteran builders at Project YES -- or Youth Empowerment Services -- a planned multi-purpose youth center being built next to Castlemont High School.

The four workers come from YouthBuild, a local nonprofit that targets young people, providing them with academic help and job training. Janelle Keene, 24, Donald Dorothy, 18, Fernando Abarra, 21, and Monique Grissin, 20, were at the site Friday.

"We are going to do some steel framing, and we learned about this at YouthBuild," Grissin said. "I have always liked working with my hands. Young people should be involved with the center, and building it is the first step."

This year, YouthBuild received a $700,000 federal grant to train more young people in construction trades.

In East Oakland, where street violence is common, many young people, especially African Americans, say they have stopped looking for work or don't have the skills to hold jobs. Others say low-paying jobs at fast-food restaurants aren't desirable.

Still others say many job-training programs don't result in real jobs, and students drop out of school because they don't see a connection between education and jobs.

As a result many are lured into the drug trade for fast money. Community leaders say this only fuels a cycle of fear and violence, and young people who should be in school end up in juvenile hall.

The idea for Project YES was started in 1997 by former Alameda County Supervisor Mary King after a series of clashes between black and Hispanic students at Castlemont High. King worked with a student group called Youth Together.

County staffers are planning arts programs and job-training initiatives at Project YES to give more young people positive options after school, the time many crimes involving juveniles occur, police say.

"We want to involve young people in every phase of the project, from planning programs to building the center ... they will also rename the center when it opens," said Olis Simmons, Project YES administrator. "(Alameda County Supervisor) Nate Miley insisted that young people be hired and people from the community."

YouthBuild offers young people year-long training, mixing classroom studies with on-the-job training.

Many have never held jobs or even looked seriously for employment. The program teaches them the importance of being on time, getting along with co-workers and supervisors, and other work ethics.

"Construction jobs are also good-paying jobs, and this is an opportunity to further their apprenticeships," Simmons said.

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
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