Creating a YES for every student
What is YES?
YES stands for Youth Employment Services. We work with Champaign Unit 4 high school students, helping them learn and develop important career skills, explore different career paths, and gain actual work experience.
Our Mission
Creating a YES for every student
Our Vision
We will ensure any student seeking career readiness and skill development will get the support needed to set them up for success.
Our Values
- Support
- Knowledge
- Influence
- Listening
- Leadership
- Success
Support Levels
In order to achieve our mission of creating a YES for every student, we offer two levels of support:
- YES Classic -
- Ideal for younger participants and those who have not had any job experience yet
- Program works closely with participants throughout the school year before placing them with a summer worksite that matches participant's skills and interests
- There is a cap on participant numbers at this level and spots will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis
- YES Select -
- Ideal for older participants and those who have already had some experience in a workplace
- Participants select the areas of support that meet their current needs as they find employment on their own throughout the year
- There is no cap on participant numbers at this level and support may be received at any time based on participant needs/interests
Program Components
YES Study Sessions (Spring Semester)
YES Study Sessions provide training and hands-on learning for important career readiness skills such as communication, teamwork, time management, problem solving, and leadership. Students also learn how to create a resume and how to gain confidence with interviews and networking. This component is required for participants at the Classic support level.
One Big Career Fair (Spring Semester)
The One Big Career Fair is an annual event where YES participants are able to meet and interview with potential summer employers. It traditionally takes place in April/May. We are hoping to offer this event both virtually and in person during Spring 2022, giving employers and participants two opportunities to connect. This event is required for participants at the YES Classic support level.
YES Connect (Spring Semester)
YES Connect offers participants at either support level the chance to dig deeper into their ideal career field. This component provides opportunities to engage with speakers from specific industries, attend specialized workshops for their chosen career field, explore pathways to careers, and create actionable goals to get them where they want to go.
YE$ Prep (Summer)
YE$ Prep is our paid training week for students participating at the YES Classic support level. The focus for this week will center on topics that are specific to YES-sponsored job placements such as using our timecard app and completing new hire paperwork. YE$ Prep consists of 10 paid hours over a period of five days and will occur during the week before summer jobs begin.
YES-Sponsored Summer Job (Summer)
Participants at the YES Classic support level will be placed with a summer job for six weeks during June and July. They will have the opportunity to work up to 100 hours during that time period and will be assigned a Worksite Coordinator through the program. Worksite Coordinators will provide ongoing support and communication to ensure each participant's summer job placement is successful and meaningful.