The Johnson County Board of Supervisors approved a new agreement at its April 24 formal meeting to support the Youth Empowered to Serve, or YES!, program. The program supports summer youth employment and enrichment initiatives led by Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County.
The program will run from April 1 to Aug. 30, 2025, using up to $33,000 in county funding.
Launched in 2017, the program is a shared effort between the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County and Johnson County Social Services.
YES! aims to serve up to 25 teenagers aged 14-17 each summer, with an emphasis on reaching low-income communities and those at higher risk of involvement with the juvenile justice system. It offers a three-part curriculum that includes employment soft skills training, personal development sessions, and hands-on work experience at community job sites.
The program includes partnerships with local employers and organizations such as Goodwill of the Heartland, GreenState Credit Union, Hills Bank and Trust, and Johnson County Social Services.
The local youth in the program will attend weekly sessions on job preparedness and financial literacy and will gain six hours of weekly worksite experience at locations including the Iowa City Public Library, Grow Johnson County, Heyn’s Ice Cream, and other community food pantries.
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Youth who participate in all the program’s offerings will receive a $100 weekly stipend, with an additional $50 bonus incentive for those who complete the program and attend at least 80 percent of the sessions. An additional $5 incentive is offered for completing the program.
The county agreement also includes performance goals, at least 75 percent of youth should complete orientation, finish the program, attend regularly, build a resume, and report improved communication, job readiness, and satisfaction with the program.
Besides direct training and work experience, the program will offer weekly one-on-one check-ins, making sure the participants receive support for social, educational, and transportation needs. All program staff and volunteers are said to undergo background checks.