Hispanic Festival 2010 :The annual Hispanic Festival will be held on Friday, September 10th and Saturday, September 11th on the Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids. Click the "Read More" button on the right for complete details!
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HOY Program Benefits Wish List
High School Completion
We offer retention services for youth to stay in school, re-enrollment services for youth that want to return to school to earn their diploma, or free GED preparation classes for those who want to earn a GED. We have financial assistance to pay for the five $35 GED tests. This is a $175 value for those who qualify.
Employability Skills Development Training
Every HOY youth is required to participate in this 12 hour interactive training course to develop the skills and work habits employers seek. Youth also learn how to find and retain employment. Continued ESDT training is available through our weekly Job Club.
Career Exploration
The HOY program offers career exploration through KeyTrain® and CareerCruising® on-line services, job shadows, as well as monthly career speakers and internships. Internships also provide work experience and occupational skills development for youth.
Internships
Youth that successfully complete ESDT and FLST and that are in need of developing positive work history may be eligible for paid internships in their career field of interest. Internships offer youth real life work experience and an opportunity to develop references for future job searches.
Job Placement and Retention Services
After a successful internship or other demonstration of work readiness, HOY staff will assist youth in attaining and retaining employment through various strategies, such as: direct job leads through the Hispanic Center; continued job development training by staff; and assistance with the execution of their job search plan. Once hired, staff will monitor workplace success, attendance, and performance and help remove any barriers that youth may encounter.
National Career Readiness Certificate
Every HOY youth ages 19 to 21 or working toward their GED, is assessed for career readiness using WorkKeys® Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information. Youth have the opportunity to earn a Bronze, Silver and Gold level National Career Readiness Certificate to demonstration to employers that they have the skills needed to be successful in the workplace.
College Exploration and Preparedness
The HOY program promotes and encourages post-secondary education by assisting youth in preparing and paying for their ACT and SAT tests and by coordinating several college and vocational center visits throughout the year. The HOY program also transports youth to the annual Latino Youth Conference College Fair and the ALSAME college preparation conferences to assist youth in selecting the appropriate college.
Academic Development
To improve skills, performance and attitude toward learning, the HOY program offers free tutoring as well as access to computers with internet and printing abilities. In addition, we have several learning workshops throughout the school year to identify individual learning styles and teach new study skills such as test taking strategies and different ways to study. We also visit partner schools on a biweekly basis to support youths’ academic performance
Positive Social Engagement
The HOY Program offers several opportunities for youth to interact and engage in positive social atmospheres, such as Detroit Tigers and Lions games, local festivals and fairs, movies, laser tag and trips to the mall. The Hispanic Center is also open in the evening specifically to provide our local youth with a safe and positive environment for them to spend their time.
Leadership
The HOY program strives to prepare youth to be competitive in the local workforce and global economy. We offer cultural competency, communication and media literacy trainings, healthy relationship and family planning workshops and weekly Rap Session meeting where young men and young women meet separately to discuss a large variety of topics such as current events, conflict resolution, stress management, nutrition and music.
Civic Engagement and Service Learning
The HOY program works to instill the value of community into the HOY youth. We hold approximately 4 to 6 service learning projects in Grand Rapids to empower youth to make change and to reinforce the importance of community and civic engagement. We also teach the importance of voting and staying current on local and global events.
Financial Assistance
For those youth that qualify, the HOY program offers financial assistance for college books, skills training, transportation, work and interviewing attire, GED testing fees and other costs to overcome barriers to education or employment.
Individualized Guidance
Each youth develops a success “game plan” with their HOY Youth Advocate to outline the steps to reaching their educational, career and personal goals. Youth are also supported from community members that serve as mentors to youth in our program.
The Hispanic Center Of Western Michigan Launches New Website Design The HCWM is proud to announce the launch of our new website.
The Hispanic Center Of Western Michigan Announces New Director Please welcome Martha Gonzalez-Cortes as our new CEO and Executive Director.