StepUp opens satellite office in ReCity collaborative

By Syretta Hill

Like many communities, Durham is striving to engage disconnected youth. According to the most recent Measure of America report, one in every seven American young people between the ages of 16-24 are not connected to work or school. One thing Durham has that other communities do not, however, is ReCity, an organization whose sole mission is to connect agencies that serve the disconnected youth population. 

In May, StepUp Durham made a temporary move into ReCity’s 12,000 square foot collaborative space located at 112 Broadway St., Suite B near downtown Durham. The space is beautiful, designed with intentionality to be a dignifying facility for some of our most vulnerable. In sharing this space with other nonprofits, our hope is to partner with aligned agencies, leverage resources, and streamline services.

This summer, StepUp Durham is proud to announce that it will pilot its job readiness curriculum for youth during it's temporary ReCity relocation. StepUp will train job seekers between the ages of 16 and 24 in the skills associated with obtaining and maintaining employment (resume writing, mock interview skills, effective communication, time management, etc.), while other agencies within the ReCity network provide summer employment opportunities for the youth who graduate the StepUp pilot program. 

In the future, we hope this collaborative will inspire other nonprofits to come together for collective impact to achieve significant and lasting change. ReCity is about re-imagining what our community would look like if we lived our lives together instead of separately. StepUp Durham is honored to be part of this vision. 

 

More about ReCity: 

"ReCity working to re-write Durham's story," Durham Voice