Through our Stand for Something (S4S) program, we work to engage young people ages 14 to 25 who face multiple barriers to success, teaching them cultural and self-awareness and activism while providing a meaningful role in community problem solving. The two strands of S4S are C.O.R.E. (Community Organizing and Radical Empowerment) and R.E.A.D.Y. (Real Employment Access for Determined Youth).

C.O.R.E. is a year-long intensive academy that trains youth in grassroots community organizing skills, taking them through each step from research, to campaign planning and execution, to evaluation. C.O.R.E. youth embark on winnable campaigns that function to improve local conditions, while they develop as leaders who possess the skills to create social change in their communities.

R.E.A.D.Y. is a youth employment program that emphasizes job readiness training and sheltered job placement for youth ages 14 to 25. Paid intensive job readiness training is followed by a temporary sheltered job for each participant at LE or one of our partnering community-based organizations (CBO). Each CBO identifies internships that support various career paths including green technology, education, health care, etc. Participants in the R.E.A.D.Y. program receive constructive feedback from their host CBO, as well as from a full-time job coach, case management, career development, unsheltered job search support, and regular group mentoring sessions. Placing youth in caring, community service-oriented workplaces creates a safe space for them to continue to build both self- and social awareness while assisting in the process of self-sustainability.