Jobs for At-Risk Youth

A 17 Year Old High School Student Employed by ARISE
is The Inspiration for This Job Creation Concept
Targeting At-Risk Youth

“Finding work that is a true calling is as mysterious a process as falling in love”

One of the biggest problems facing those whose aim it is to reclaim and redirect at-risk youth is finding them meaningful jobs. In the old days, kids who were not going to complete high school or go on to college would be coached by their parents to learn a trade. For most troubled youth, “learning a trade” is as old-school as reading a newspaper, or playing Pac-Man video games. Today the teen unemployment rate has reached close to 50% in our nation’s capitol and is almost that bad across the country. When you factor in high risk youth accustomed to expressing themselves with their fists, 90% unemployment and above could be the norm.

One solution for teen unemployment we at ARISE stumbled on is training youth as graphic designers using Adobe software, such as Indesign and Photoshop. Once youth are shown how much fun it is to lay out graphics and create colorful, funky designs, they are sold. Next, we merged the layout skills with the wonders of our high speed color copier where youth can actually print and display the images they create. It’s wonderful to observe creativity in bloom.

ARISE develops and publishes educational manuals, workbooks and motivational posters. The next step is introducing youth to the low tech book binding machine and paper cutter. Once youth help create a product and see it take shape, they are imbued with a pride of purpose and ownership that’s absorbing and inspirational.

Since ARISE ships its curricula and staff training materials nationwide, orders for its manuals, workbooks, Positivity Cards and motivational posters need to be carefully assembled and weighed for shipment. FedEx labels are printed and affixed to boxes, calls are made for delivery pick up – all part of this wonderful learning experience.

Here’s how non-profits not in the publishing field can offer undeserved youth, both male and female, opportunities for education, personal fulfillment, real jobs and the opportunity to become creative entrepreneurs. Just about every organization has a need to raise funds. This can be done by your group offering to design and deliver to other non-profits, local businesses, government agencies etc., flyers, brochures, booklets etc. all produced in house by the youth in your Graphic Design training program. In addition, attractive holiday greeting cards can also be created by your team, printed, packaged then sold.

Some of the costs involved in setting up a program similar to what I have explained will depend on the size and resources of the organizations. The cost of our first binding machine was about $750. The paper cutter was $49 and the color copier approximately $8000 (copiers can easily be leased, and reconditioned copiers are also available). Various sized copy paper and cover stock runs about $150. Adobe software purchased at a discounted price for use by non profits $500-$700. Graphic Designer (instructor) about $15-20 hourly depending on skill levels. There are jobs waiting. Check out Craig’s list in your city and see for yourself. Our next undertaking at ARISE is a web developer and search engine optimizer internships for troubled youth.

ARISE is a nonprofit foundation established in 1986 and located in North Palm Beach. Those interested in learning more about the ARISE Graphic Designer program for at-risk youth should contact Edmund Benson – ARISE Foundation, ebenson@arisefoundation.org or Phone 1-561-630-2021.Web – at-riskyouth.org

Graphic  Illustrator

Average salary: $60,000

Responsibilities: Often working with advertisement agencies or as freelancers, illustrators design fonts and images for a variety of media, from websites to print campaigns and video. They study the layouts, sketch, illustrate and prepare graphic material for Internet websites.

Experience and training: As many illustrators are freelancers, there are no special requirements and trainings for the job. However, a strong portfolio is a must to be able to attract new clients.

Qualifications: Creativity, communication and problem-solving skills are crucial. Illustrators must be able to communicate ideas visually, verbally and in writing. They also must be open to new ideas and influences, and quick to react to changing trends. The abilities to work independently and under pressure are equally important traits. They are required to have self-discipline to start projects on their own, budget their time, and meet deadlines.

When we treat youth as if they were what they ought to be, we help them grow into what they are capable of becoming.

ARISE Production

Book Content

  1. Make sure you have adobe InDesign installed on your workstation.
  2. Open Adobe InDesign and create a new document.
  3. The dimensions should be 51p0 picas by 66p0 picas
  4. Insert the amount of pages needed.
  5. Create a master page with the copyright and date information
  6. Apply that master page to the entire document
  7. Fill in the pages with content of your choice (This includes a title page and table of contents).
  8. Make sure all images are in there respective folder and properly linked.
  9. Add pages as needed.
  10. Export final document to a PDF.
  11. Send PDF to printer.

Book Covers

  1. Make sure you have adobe InDesign installed on your workstation.
  2. Open Adobe InDesign and create a new document.
  3. The dimensions should be 66p0 picas by 108p0 picas.
  4. Add a second page.
  5. Create a background layer with a fill of our color of choice on the first page.
  6. Create a spine of about a ¼ inch in the center of the document (This will distinguish between the front cover and back cover.
  7. Fill the spine with text of your choice.
  8. Choose an image and text for the front cover (Right side) and back cover (Left Side).
  9. Make sure all images are in there respective folder and properly linked.
  10. On the second page, put a line through the center of the page.
  11. Export final to PDF (Choose to show crop marks)
  12. Send PDF to be printed.

Cutting Covers

  1. Cut cover by the crop marks

Book Binding

  1. Turn on the book binding machine
  2. Once the machine has warmed up, put the book contents horizontally in the page holder.
  3. Line up the cover to the line that you put on the backside of the page.
  4. Press the “start button” and the machine will bind the book.

Posters

  1. Make sure you have adobe InDesign installed on your workstation.
  2. Open Adobe InDesign and create a new document.
  3. The dimensions should be 72p0 picas by 108p0 picas.
  4. Choose a border of your choice.
  5. Put image and text of your choice onto the poster.
  6. Export to PDF.
  7. Send to printer to be printed.

Laminating

  1. Once you have printed your poster, cut the white edges off all four sides.
  2. Put the poster into a laminating pouch.
  3. Put the poster and pouch into the protective cover.
  4. Turn on the laminating machine.
  5. Once the laminating machine is warm, turn on the motor and put the poster into the machine.
  6. When the poster has gone through the machine, take off the protective cover.

Shrink Wrapping

  1. Gather the material that needs to be shrink wrapped.
  2. Plug in the shrink wrap machine and heat gun.
  3. Draw a generous amount of shrink wrap plastic out and insert the material.
  4. Press down the machines arm until the plastic seals
  5. Do the perpendicular side.

Packaging

  1. Find a box that suits the amount of material you wish to package.
  2. Tape the bottom of the box once horizontally and another vertically.
  3. Put the shrink wrapped material into the box.
  4. If there is any empty area at the top of the box, fill it in with bubble wrap.
  5. Seal the top of the box.
  6. Put a packaging slip on the top of the box and insert a label.

Supplies

  1. Keep an eye out for supplies that are running low. This includes printer supplies (toner), paper, shrink wrap plastic, laminating pouches, glue, and boxes.