BEGINNING MKE INC

The compounding effects of poverty, violence, and trauma are well documented in the United States, and specifically within our local communities (John Schmid, "A Time To Heal", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2017). Many youth affected by the intersection of poverty & trauma experience unique challenges in navigating and sustaining a transition to successful adult educational and vocational outcomes. These challenges are compounded when youth become involved in the justice system, have an incarcerated parent, or come from families with marginal support due to migration or other factors. They need extra preparation, training, and ongoing support.

Programs like Job Corps provide robust job training, but they often fall short in preparing youth or employers in understanding trauma, teaching self regulation skills, or preparing youth to accept direction without triggering self defeating trauma responses. It is for this reason that some have characterized these programs as "doomed to fail" in preparing trauma affected youth for the workforce.

This proposal aims to address this gap by mitigating the effects of trauma that adversely impact the young person’s capacity to learn, regulate their emotions, or trust adults in roles of authority by pairing youth with comprehensive resources that enable them to pursue their personal goals.