Back-to-School Alternatives for Philadelphia Youth & Young Adults

Want to go back to school? JEVS has options!

A traditional school setting doesn’t work for everyone, and life’s barriers can sometimes get in the way of completing your goals. Without support, getting back on track can seem impossible – JEVS Human Services can help!

With options for young Philadelphian’s to build a path forward, our programs can help with:

High school diploma, GED or equivalent completion
Learning a new trade or job skills
Finding employment that offers living wages and a career path.

E3 Services

Education, Employment and Empowerment: E3 provides no-cost educational pathways that include GED and/or diploma assistance, opportunities to find employment, and empowerment opportunities to help our city’s youth & young adult (ages 16-24) develop the skills they need.

“They pushed me even when I slacked,” said former E3 member, Felicity. “I found people that care about my future, too, and see my potential. It wasn’t just about a GED, it was what do you want to do next. They helped with resources, too.”

“If you have the right mindset and you are serious about getting your diploma, go to E3 — they have so many different resources to help you,” said Craig. “It was the one-on-one connection with the staff and teachers that definitely helped me. I got my high school diploma and E3 made it possible.”

For more information or to apply, contact E3 here.

Project WOW

JEVS Project WOW (World of Work) is a FREE program that offers skills training, support in achieving high school completion or equivalent, and job placement assistance to help individuals who want to get their lives on track.

The program provides young adults (18–24) opportunities to connect to the education and supports toward a promising future through hands-on training in building trades (property maintenance and repair).

Check out Project WOW in the media:
Trade-skills Program Gives Second-Chances to Young Adults in Philly
What Our City Needs: The Trades and JEVS’ Project WOW

For more information or to get started, contact Project WOW here.

IT Pre-Apprenticeship

IT Pre-Apprenticeship is a 21-week training program for young adults (18-24) in Philadelphia interested in the world of IT and office technology. Depending on aptitude and interest, participants study for CompTIA certification and/or certification as a Microsoft Office Specialist.

Participants can expect to gain skills in:

PC troubleshooting & repair
installing & configuring Windows operating systems
supporting small networks,
and, office technology basics such as emailing, word processing, and data entry.

For more information or to apply, contact IT Pre-Apprenticeship here.

STRIVE Future Leaders

STRIVE Future Leaders offers skills training, paid work experience, and job placement opportunities to justice-impacted young adults (18-24), helping to set them on a career path and become thriving adults and community members.

For more information or to apply, contact STRIVE here.

For a complete list of JEVS programs offering education, training, and employment opportunities to youth & young adults, check out our programs page.