JACKSON — State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz is seeking a $200,000 state grant to expand a mentorship and workforce development program serving at-risk teens in Jackson.
The funding would support the nonprofit Save Our Youth – Help Them Prosper, which connects young people ages 14 to 17 with mentors and supervised job opportunities in the community.
According to Schmaltz, the program helps teens build job skills while forming relationships with mentors who can guide them toward future careers.
Students have already worked with organizations including the Jackson Downtown Development Authority, the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, the Community Foundation, the Michigan Military Heritage Museum and several local businesses.
Organizers say the grant would expand the Youth Career Mentorship Program, which currently serves seven students but could grow to between 20 and 30 participants.
Save Our Youth was founded in 2004 to help vulnerable teens avoid entering the criminal justice system and instead connect with positive career pathways.