Youth Employment Academy

The osage cafe, located in the heart of denver's lincoln park neighborhood at 1099 osage street, is denver's first community-based Youth culinary training center. Here you will find a full-service cafe and catering company offering affordably priced, healthy meals made by Youth ages 16 to 24 who are training for jobs in the culinary arts through the Youth Employment Academy's culinary Academy. The 45-hour course offered to students includes a servsafe certification upon completion. Youth are then elgible for a paid internship at the cafe, and graduates emerge with marketable skills and experience and are assisted with education and Employment placement.

Yea's programs seek to empower Youth to reach their greatest potential in education and Employment by gaining skills and positive values. Utilizing best practice strategies of positive Youth development, yea acts as a stepping stone to career and educational success for students caught in the achievement gap between high school and early college. Current programming includes career academies in the demand-driven industries of culinary, customer service, and arts and technology. Academies range from short, 15-hour weekend intensives up to 70 hours of weekly training, with an average of 45 hours of skills training. Academies are held for Youth from ages 14 to 21. Continued on schedule o.the culinary Academy teaches Youth about food safety, healthy cooking, knife skills, following a recipe, sauteing, roasting, and baking. Participants also utilize the kitchen lab at the osage cafe to learn about front- and back-of-house restaurant skills. The creative industries academies include training in skills needed for entry-level jobs in information technology, graphic design, architecture, video production, and more, utilizing a project-based curriculum for actual clients so Youth learn project management and other job skills. Some academies are held during in-school time (and receive high school credit) while others are held after-school, on weekends, and during the summer. Upon completion of a career Academy, Youth are eligible for a real-world internship experience at the osage cafe or arts street studio. We also provide an afterschool mentorship program throughout the year for Youth in any program. The Youth Employment Academy has the ability to provide career specific occupational training, which can lead to nationally recognized certification and entry-level readiness for Employment in the career of their choice.

Yea's newest social enterprise, decatur fresh is a grocery market, workforce training program and community space. It offers local residents in the sun valley neighborhood affordable, nutritious, international food options while providing Youth training in careers in customer service or grocery store management.