PYWA Corps

ProYouthWork America Corps is a national program designed to significantly increase the number of individuals entering the youth services profession. The program recruits outstanding college graduates and working professionals to the field, trains them, and places them in community-based youth service organizations where they have access to professional mentoring and ongoing skills development. As part of this work, we reach out to universities and university students and connect university students with youth-serving organizations.

Our focus is to invest in positive youth development training and the professional development necessary to ensure that PYWA Corps members are able to implement and model best practices in youth service delivery, particularly in understaffed urban and rural communities.

All PYWA Corps members are required to successfully complete PYWA’s nationally-recognized training program and engage in regular mentoring and professional development during the first two years of their placement. These specially trained, talented individuals will be able to provide a variety of services, including supervision of at-risk youth living in temporary emergency shelters; facilitating prevention curricula; responding to the specific needs of runaway and homeless youth and youth at risk for substance abuse, violence, suicide, and other life-threatening behaviors; and providing intervention, support and resources to families. While increasing the capacity of agencies to respond effectively to children and families, PYWA Corps members will also bring strong leadership to the field, and, by example, demonstrate the value of a skilled, well-educated youth workforce.