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Arizona Center for Youth Resources (ACYR) is a nonprofit established in 1976 that equips young people with academic, vocational, and social skills by offering opportunities to claim their individual potential, secure their economic future and transition to a successful adulthood. ACYR provides programs of high quality and accountability, that are specifically designed to address the educational and workforce development needs of young people between the ages of 14-24 who face economic (70% below poverty) and educational (78% academically below 9th grade level) disadvantage. ACYR serves neighborhoods of high poverty and unemployment, high crime rates, and schools with low graduation rates. Annually, approximately 1,300 teens and young adults utilize ACYR’s services. Each year, over 400 youth obtain summer, part-time or full-time employment, collectively earning over $2.5 million, just under 200 youth graduate from high school or earn their high school equivalency; and over 150 young people enter postsecondary education and training programs. ACYR believes that young adults possess important strengths, resources, and skills, and are central actors in their own development.
ACYR operates services that are mission-driven and focused on desired organizational results:
• Youth Engagement and Advisement connects youth with necessary resources to assist them with developing essential skills and resiliency and help them navigate a return to education or to gain employment. Youth are matched with an advisor that will support them in meeting the goals they have set for themselves.
• Data and Quality Assurance tracks and monitors data across systems and programs for process improvement and reporting.
• Center of Excellence, a charter high school connected to ACYR, focuses on student success through smaller classes, innovative instruction and individualized attention.
• Workforce Development offers multiple programs that help create a highly qualified and well-educated workforce.
• Adult Basic Education promotes continuous learning opportunities through basic skills development, English Language Learning and preparation for the high school equivalency test.
• YouthBuild promotes leadership skills through education and construction-based employment activities.
ACYR has a history of being innovators and collaborative partners seek them out to provide creative quality youth development focused services. ACYR contracts with various organizations under multiple federal workforce development initiatives, providing highly accountable training, education, and employment services to over 40,000 adolescents and young adults.
To learn more about ACYR’s programming, click here and visit their website.