Youth Employment Partnership Is Opening Doors for Oakland Youth

Youth Employment Partnership is delivering meaningful opportunities for youth and young adults facing barriers to education, employment, and housing.

Watch our YEP Grantee Spotlight Video - Skills, Support, and Brighter Futures

“Episcopal Impact Fund’s support—helping us turn barriers into opportunities and empowering Oakland youth and young adults to build independent, self-sufficient lives—is crucial to our success.” — Michele Clark, Executive Director, Youth Employment Partnership

The Youth Employment Partnership (YEP) delivers a comprehensive, youth-centered model that helps Oakland young people build the skills, confidence, and stability they need to thrive.

Through programs for youth ages 14–24, participants gain access to job readiness training, paid work experience, academic support, and personal coaching. Younger participants engage in summer and after-school employment that builds soft skills like communication, teamwork, and financial literacy. Older youth can pursue vocational training tracks in construction, culinary arts, warehousing and logistics, and soon healthcare. These pathways are paired with an on-site high school completion program, individualized case management, and holistic supports designed to meet each young person where they are.

Housing is a cornerstone of YEP’s model, especially for the 18–24 age group, where roughly one-quarter of participants face homelessness or significant housing instability. Without safe and reliable housing, education and employment become nearly impossible to sustain. To address this, YEP offers transitional tiny-home units and a 30-bed residential dorm where young adults receive 24/7 support, meals, life-skills coaching, and structured routines that promote stability. This integrated housing approach gives young people the foundation they need to stay engaged in training, show up consistently for work, envision long-term goals, and ultimately transition into independent, self-sufficient adulthood.

We are proud to support their work.