Midcoast Youth Center announces the launch of the Career Opportunities and Advancing Skills Together (COAST) workforce development program, which connects 16- to 24-year-old students and young adults to meaningful and engaging career and community learning opportunities.

The program has a two-pronged approach to career success: 1. A seven-week training program covering topics such as writing a résumé, preparing for a job interview, financial literacy, teamwork and flexibility paired with 2. an identified job shadow, internship and/or job placement. To that end, the program seeks partnerships and connections with businesses and organizations willing to participate in offering a job shadow, internship or placement at their business/organization.

The goal of the COAST program is long-term meaningful employment.

In 2022, Midcoast Youth Center received a Maine Career Exploration Grant from the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, which allowed for the creation of this unique program designed to prepare young people for the workplace.

“We are so pleased to be able to offer this new program designed particularly for young people who left school before graduating or who graduated but aren’t sure what their next steps might be,” Jamie Dorr, executive director and founder of Midcooast Youth Center, said in a prepared release. “We’d love the opportunity to support each participant to find something they love to do while also finding financial stability.”

The next COAST training starts on July 11 and meets every week for seven weeks, with follow-up sessions beyond that. Participants should enter the COAST group with a desire to learn and to also explore career opportunities provided by the program. Pre-registration is required. Contact MYC for more information.

Interested businesses or organizations willing to host a participant of COAST through job shadowing and internships can reach out to Jenn Dobransky, workforce development director at MYC, at jenn@midcoastyouth.org or (207) 504-1830.

MYC’s mission is to empower youth to be healthy, engaged and resilient by offering recreation, education and enrichment, leadership and life skills, referrals to mental health support and substance use treatment, and support to youth experiencing housing insecurity.