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Economic Development and Quality of Life for Families and Communities
Job Readiness through Teen Zone
Issue
Nearly 4,000 AT&T employees live and work in Arizona. Employees
in the telecommunications industry work almost around the clock, causing
both personal and family stress. These stressors combined with the issues
and stresses of raising and caring for a teen provide unique challenges:
How do you help older children develop skills that will enable them
to be productive employees in a fast-changing economic/technological
environment? How do you help young people develop into capable, contributing
citizens in our global society?
What has been done?
The AT&T 4-H Teen Zone program targets middle and high schools in
eastern Maricopa County communities that are close to the AT&T worksites,
where AT&T employees reside. The program is managed through the
4-H Youth Development program in the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension.
The goal is to help youth learn workforce preparation, leadership and
communication skills. Mentors play integral part in teaching and learning
how to plan and develop programs, and older teens have the opportunity
to participate as teen teachers and leaders, developing skills and abilities
in leadership while presenting positive role models to younger participants.
Programming takes place once a week after school at eight different
school locations. All teen educators and peer mentors participate in
leadership and curriculum training. All participants have the opportunity
to participate in monthly weekend field trips, community service opportunities,
guest speakers, and job-shadowing experiences.
Impact
Twenty-five teens have secured gainful part-time employment since participating
in AT&T 4-H Teen Zone; 100 percent of the participants increased
their abilities in interview techniques; and 55 percent developed and
created their own resumes. The Teen Zone teens made a big impact in
community service participation this year collecting nearly 430 pounds
of food for Trick or Treat so Others Can Eat food drive and collecting
and distributing nearly 300 hygiene products which were donated to shelters
and families in need in Maricopa County.
Funding
AT&T Family Care Development Fund
Contact
Jolie Ogg Graybill, assistant agent, 4-H Youth Development
The University of Arizona
Maricopa County Cooperative Extension
4341 E. Broadway Road
Phoenix, AZ 85040-8807
Tel.: (602) 470-8086, FAX: (602) 470-8092
Email: jolieg@ag.arizona.edu
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