New SER Youth Center receives $500K from the position to assist children and teenagers in SW Detroit.
Southwest Detroit is now home to a brand-new youth center designed to support and empower children and teenagers who are in need of assistance in becoming self-reliant in life.
DETROIT (FOX 2) – The Youth Reengagement Center in Southwest Detroit is expanding with new improvements. This facility is dedicated to helping young individuals who need it most to build independence in their lives.
Cleophus Hammond shared, “I’ve been with SER Metro for two years now, and it’s been a life-changing experience for me.”
Elsea Roman added, “They have so many resources, coaches, trainers, and teachers, and I’ve built relationships with almost all of them.”
The new SER Detroit Youth Reengagement Center in Southwest Detroit received a $500,000 grant from the state on Monday.
Through high-quality education, career, and training programs, this nonprofit organization assists at-risk and disadvantaged young people in achieving self-sufficiency.
State Sen. Mary Cavanagh (D-6th District) commented, “The SER Metro Youth Engagement Center will be life-changing not only for the community but for our state.”
This $4 million project, a collaboration between SER Metro Detroit and Job for Progress, Inc., has been successfully completed.
The new Youth Reengagement Center is located on Michigan Avenue in the building next to the SER Metro-Detroit office in Southwest Detroit. It features a brand-new Construction Training Lab and state-of-the-art classrooms equipped with the latest technology.
In one location, young people are pursuing medical assistant certifications.
Chad Walker expressed, “I’ve learned a lot in the youth programs, and I can honestly say that we’ve participated in many financial education courses, and I’ve truly grasped the material they are teaching us.”
Hammond added, “I’ve had mentors, and I’ve formed connections with people who will last a lifetime.”
The new center aims to meet the growing demand for services that address issues such as preventing young people from dropping out of school or finding employment, as well as mitigating socio-economic factors that may contribute to high-risk behaviors and involvement in the criminal justice system.
Kate Partington from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation said, “I applaud the SER Metro Team for all your hard work in making this innovative place a reality. I would also like to commend all the young people who came forward to contribute ideas and suggestions so they could claim this space as their own. We look forward to the opportunities, connections, laughter, and learning that will come from this center.”
At SER Metro Detroit, young people are working toward becoming certified nursing associates in one of their lessons.