Restoring Opportunities Internships (ROI)
Today’s youth employment and career development system continues to overlook a key portion of America’s talent: under-resourced, academically achieving teens who neither qualify for risk based programs or have access to social networks that can offer employment opportunities.
National studies confirm that teen work experience has a positive impact on high-school graduation rates, college enrollment, career development, and long-term success. However, teen employment rates continue to fall, especially among minority teens. Low income and minority teens tend to have few connections or little to no access to jobs beyond the service industries.
To address this critical gap, StepUp has built a new youth empowerment through employment program called Restoring Opportunities Internships (ROI). Our ROI program is designed to provide high-achieving, low-income, under-resourced, and/or minority youth with meaningful, career relevant employment. These are paid internships for high school students aiming to reward successes in school, offering advancement from the service industry, introducing them to professional environments, and building career networks so they can launch and achieve their dreams, ambitions, and potential - at no cost to the student or family.
In addition, StepUp’s ROI program is designed to provide 360% of community support- meeting the unique needs of teens, employers, parents, schools, and youth programs. Here’s how:
Through the ROI program, teens gain access to relevant career experience, with mentors and professional networks, and income for family needs and college. These experiences are proven to build confidence, determination, and achievement.
Employers will gain valuable assistance from motivated teens, the morale boost of making a difference, and full service recruiting, mentoring, and education services from StepUp Wilmington that make it easy for youth and employers to learn and earn.
To ensure that teens grow in their internships, in school, and at home- our before, during and after assessments gather feedback from students, teachers, employers, and parents to help design action plans that solve youth challenges or promote strategic growth past their internship duties.
Contact:
Blair@stepupwilmington.org
What are employers looking for?
They are looking to see if students meet ASCENT hiring goals. The ASCENT criteria is broken down below:
Students are the right AGE (in high school - Mostly Juniors or Seniors, some Sophomores and recent grads),
Student’s SCHOOL work demonstrates your dedication, work ethic, reliability and readiness (Mostly As and Bs),
Student’s CALENDAR is open enough for you to meet the hours/schedule/length of the internship (around 10-20 hours a week, after school and/or summertime),
The specific internship EXPERIENCE matches the student’s passion, ambition, and career/aspiration goals,
That the student NEEDs to work. If they don't need to work, volunteer opportunities are the way to go,
And finally that students can reliably get to work with safe TRANSPORTATION- either themselves or through a parent/guardian
Where/Who are these internships with?
We have great connections with employers in the field of IT, Medicine/Healthcare, STEM, Law, Business, Finance, Hospitality, Marketing, Government, and many more
Past interns have worked with Live Oak Bank, Novant, Ward & Smith Law Firm, MegaCorp, Cape Fear River Watch, EmergeOrtho and more.
How can you get started?
We have great connections with employers in the field of IT, Medicine/Healthcare, STEM, Law, Business, Finance, Hospitality, Marketing, Government, and many more
Past interns have worked with Live Oak Bank, Novant, Ward & Smith Law Firm, MegaCorp, Cape Fear River Watch, EmergeOrtho and more.