California Family Life Center’s Lake Elsinore Youth Opportunity Center is looking for young people who are interested in seeking career guidance and training. Thanks to funding by the office of Riverside County District 2 Supervisor Karen Spiegel, two programs have been implemented to aid young people seeking a worthwhile career path.
The Youth Community Corps Program specifically looks to place youth in municipalities or nonprofits and offers paid work experience, work readiness training, career exploration, placement in employment for youth ages 18-26 who live in Riverside County District 2. The nonprofit’s Youth Employment Program offers those same opportunities as well as advanced training for those aged 16-24.
“CFLC is excited to partner with Supervisor Spiegel’s office to offer new unique opportunities to more youth in our county,” CFLC Development Coordinator and Chaplain Zach Bell said. “These are outstanding ways for young people to get their feet wet in the workforce and gain valuable experience.”
Prior to moving to Corona in 1985, Supervisor Spiegel spent 10 years working with at-risk youth and their families in Long Beach. She believes that “Education and life experiences give our youth the foundation to build upon so that our values, customs and history live on in future generations.”
District 2 encompasses Canyon Lake, Corona, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Lake Elsinore, and Norco, along with the unincorporated communities of Gavilan Hills, Lake Mathews, Temescal Valley, Woodcrest and a few others. For more information on Supervisor Spiegel, please visit https://rivcodistrict2.org.
For many years, CFLC’s Youth Opportunity Centers have offered young people the chance for paid work experience, help finding a job or going back to school.
These youth can earn certificates in Microsoft Office Suite, Work Etiquette/Basic Office Skills, Forklift Operators, HVAC, Logistics and Construction. Career Pathways offers job search techniques, job shadowing, career planning, occupational skills, apprenticeships and paid work experience. The education component of these centers includes tutoring, financial literacy, high school diploma/credit recovery, entrepreneurial skills training and guidance. There are also opportunities for workforce preparation, mentoring and leadership development.
The Workforce Development Board’s co-chair Jamil Dada and Workforce staff recently took seven youth to Washington D.C. where they met with elected representatives and their staff to advocate for issues impacting youth in Riverside County. The leadership group consisted of youth from six Youth Opportunity Centers across Riverside County, with four of them being from CFLC’s centers. The youth passionately conveyed the vital role that YOC plays in supporting their success and development and they highlighted the importance of these resources in empowering the next generation.
Contact the Lake Elsinore Center, 400 W. Graham Ave. in Lake Elsinore at 951-471-8415 or the Rubidoux Center, 5656 Mission Blvd. in Riverside at 951-683-9622.
For more information on CFLC, please visit www.cflckids.org.
