Keeping you in school and encouraging development is a key to making you strong and successful.  The City of Richmond is committed to assisting you in this process. Our focus is to also help turn around the negative trends impacting many of you today. 

It is true - many youth in the City are not capitalizing on opportunities and are not focused on  truly reaching their potential, check out a few statistics you should know about:

• In many Richmond high schools where, on any given day, one of out five young people is truant. At George Wythe High School in 2006-07, the rate was 47%. 

• In 2006, Richmond had the fourth highest rate of students completing high school with no continuing education plans .

• Richmond Public Schools report that 5% of students did not complete high school in 2005. 

• The U.S. Department of Justice indicates that 57% of all violent crimes by juveniles occur on school days; 19% of which occur during after school hours.

• Forty percent of Richmond’s 2007 Summer Youth Employment Program participants reported that there is “nothing for teens to do” in Richmond.

With this in mind, the City of Richmond has created a Youth Academy which targets Youth between the ages of 14 and 17. You will have an opportunity to safely take part in activities that offer positive relationships, develop skills and provide exposure to after high school opportunities. 

The Youth Academy is designed to provide after-school employment and apprenticeship activities that promote leadership, learning, and career awareness throughout the city. You will be exposed to work sites, workforce development training, positive social outlets, enrichment activities, and future planning assistance.

There are several pathways that you will be able to participate in:

• Arts and Communications
• Public Safety
• Technology
• Human Services

The Academy will operate in two timeframes:  during the academic school year (20 weeks of instruction and site placement) and during the summer (9 weeks). 

For more information regarding the Youth Academy and other youth employment or volunteer opportunities in the City, contact the Youth and Workforce Development Division at 804-646-7491.