TACOMA – A new, smaller group of young adults recently started the second year of Tacoma Goodwill’s YouthBuild program.

The 16 participants are all at-risk young adults between 17 and 23 years of age. They get job training in the construction field and classroom instruction to pass a GED – all while receiving a paid stipend. Classes began Oct. 8 and graduation will take place in April 2008 after working on homes for the Greater Pierce County Habitat for Humanity and other organizations.

“The class is open to a new way of living and learning because they see their way hasn’t worked so far,” said Latasha Haynes, program manager, noting the first-year participants were between 22 and 24 years of age. “They’re confident and excited.”

Many of this year’s participants heard about the program from those in the first year, Haynes said. There were 43 applicants for this year’s class but “when you can only take 16, there comes a point where we couldn’t serve all of them,” she said, and they were referred to other Goodwill services.

Funding cuts forced program managers to limit the number of participants this year. Goodwill is using money raised from store sales to support the program with help from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, a Perkins Grant, and funding from the Northwest Leadership Foundation.

“We would be able to provide more and stronger support services to youth we are serving,” Haynes said, if more funding became available. “There are so many things we could do.”

This year’s program supporters include YouthBuild USA, Rebuilding Together South Sound, Greater Pierce County Habitat for Humanity, Bates Technical College, Tacoma Housing Authority, Tacoma-Pierce County Employment & Training Consortium, Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters; Carpenters Local 470; and LADS Local 1144.

Richard Corak, Workforce Development director for Tacoma Goodwill, said YouthBuild provides a way for young adults to create a new life for themselves.

“You can’t put a price on the transformation – it’s about how to support themselves through a new life,” Corak said. “YouthBuild teaches them how to give back to the community.”