Success Stories

• Emergency Fund For Needy People
• Gilda's Club
• MIKVA Challenge
• Southside Education Center for Youth
• St. Leonards House
• Women's Self-Employment Project
• Youth Job Center

Youth Job Center of Evanston

Like many not-for-profits, our computer network was outdated and our ability to fully leverage current technology was extremely limited. As a small agency with a budget well under $1 million, Teaming for Technology's work allowed us to make network improvements that we previously had neither the dollars to purchase nor the expertise to implement.

The Youth Job Center is a nonprofit agency that focuses on youth employment, particularly those members of our community that are situationally challenged and considered "at-risk". Our Core Program services youth ages 14-25. Many of these youth are not only socially and / or economically challenged, but often lacking in base skills (i.e., academic, communicative, business, etc.) making them difficult to place. In response to the changing demands of both clients and employers, the Center has pioneered a variety of new programs, including: 1) Strategic Corporate Alliances (SCA), currently in its fifth year of placing chronically unemployed members of our adult population and public aid recipients into full-time jobs with benefits; 2) ETHS Outpost, a satellite office at Evanston Township High School that serves student employment needs; and 3) the Summer Tutors Program, which involves the hiring of 14- and 15-year-old at-risk youth as tutors for District 65 summer school students. Historically, approximately 78% of all clients served are low-income, 85% are minority; and 5% are mentally and/or physically disabled.

Many employers, even those in non-technological fields, are reluctant to hire individuals who do not have basic computer skills. Unfortunately, many Youth Job Center clients fall into this category. In order for our clients to have a chance of obtaining jobs beyond the standard low-wage entry-level placements, computer literacy is an important component of our training curriculum. Our computer training has evolved beyond its initial focus of providing basic instruction on computer operations and data entry to a more detailed study of Microsoft Word and Excel, Internet and email usage. We continue to look for opportunities to enhance this program to satisfy the ever-expanding computer literacy needs of our clients.

We currently have a computer lab with ten workstations. Teaming for Technology has provided us with incredible support over the past 8 months. They have spent untold hours supporting us in crystallizing our thinking in developing a meaningful technology plan, training staff and/or informing us of Teaming for Technology sponsored training opportunities, providing our technology support person with insights that will make him much more effective and independent in maintaining the integrity of our evolving technology infrastructure enhancing (or essentially rebuilding) our internal computer network including installing required wiring and connecting new hardware to the network, providing internet access to all units on the network via our newly installed DSL, providing us with leads that allow us to acquire licenses, equipment and other services at significantly reduced prices, developing a website that gives us broader and more efficient access to all of our constituency groups, and being accessible to handle any technology based inquiries that we have had during that time.

On behalf of the staff and clients of the Youth job Center of Evanston, we want to thank Teaming for Technology for their committed support. Their efforts have allowed us to implement much needed improvements in client supportive services and operating efficiencies. Without their support, we would not be able to provide the variety and quality of services that we now offer. We are extremely grateful that of the many worthy agencies and causes out there, Teaming for Technology chose ours as the recipient of their generous gifts of time and resources.

James Sibley
Executive Director
Youth Job Center of Evanston