Youth Programs

Overview

Charlotte youth sitting in a conference room smiling.

HNS Youth Programs has expanded its offerings to better meet young people (ages 13 -24) where they are, providing the resources they need to thrive. From youth engagement opportunities to employment programs, we are committed to nurturing potential and building on strengths, enabling youth to connect with others, contribute to their communities, and explore pathways in education and employment.

We offer resources, job opportunities, and support that help them build meaningful connections, develop essential skills, and explore new pathways in education and career development. Our programs focus on strengthening character through employment, fostering leadership, and encouraging community engagement. We celebrate the unique talents of each young person, supporting them in creating a brighter, more equitable future for themselves and their communities.

Youth Employment

MYEP Students smiling at the camera while holding #1 hand props at the MYEP Kickoff event.

The Youth Employment team is dedicated to equipping all Charlotte youth with the skills, experiences, and opportunities necessary for success in the workforce. Learn more about our programs below.

Mayor's Youth Employment Program

Mayor's Youth Employment Program

The Mayor’s Youth Employment Program (MYEP) provides Charlotte youth between the ages of 16 and 18 with equitable career development opportunities to explore the world of work, build social capital, and enhance economic mobility.

MYEP participants explore careers, hone skills, and gain exposure to models of professionalism, creating pathways to attainable career goals. As youth achieve, our community grows stronger.

We work with host employers in Charlotte's economy's private, public, and non-profit sectors who can provide one-of-a-kind career experiences. By partnering with the MYEP, businesses help youth develop career goals, stay in school, achieve academically, and enhance social skills that enable them to succeed.

Video Transcript

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I'm looking for a career path that's

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going to fulfill me one moment I was

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saying right where you guys are right

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now the next I was faced with corporate

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America I remember being nervous waiting

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to meet my employers the people you're

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about to meet want you to succeed in a

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few minutes the opportunity to choose

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your own life begins my internship

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turned into a four-year apprenticeship

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with Bosch Rexroth which I just

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completed and it helped me to get my

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associates of science and computer

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integrated machining and that is going

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to turn into me continuing my education

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to become a mechanical engineer I knew I

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wanted to be a police officer I just

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didn't know what that meant exactly I

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was able to ride with them for 10 hours

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on a police car go to cause do what they

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do see what they'd see it was a great

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experience there my internship and up on

1:00

Hill they treated me like family I

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wanted to be a nurse anesthetist but

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worked in the surgery waiting room I got

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to scrub in to see his hip replacement

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surgeries so I got to see every process

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that went into the extra surgery

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I was a part of the my IEP program 2015

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and 2016 I interned at Edison Ford a

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construction company and at HM TV yet

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another construction company it was a

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good experience I learned a lot and they

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were willing to teach me everything that

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they knew through my internship I

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realized what my true passion was before

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I interned with BankAmerica I was I was

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all over the place I wanted to be a

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physicist a journalist a lawyer a

1:44

firefighter a part of the police I

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wanted to be part of the FBI or CIA I

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wanted to work for the government I

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wanted to be an artist I wanted to be a

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dancer I got this experience for two

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months in the corporate world learning

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about the bank or finances or I would

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see what the tellers do or learn from

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the personal bankers you are ready

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because you are prepared to take

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advantage of the opportunity you don't

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always recognize the moments that will

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change your life at the time that

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they're happening but this is happening

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right now it's time

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[Music]

MYEP History

In the Mid-1980s, Mayor Harvey Gantt developed a framework for a program to support upward mobility for Charlotte youth. In 1986 his vision came to life as the Mayor's Youth Employment Program (MYEP), dedicated to providing students with career experiences that help youth develop career goals, stay in school, achieve academically, and enhance social skills that enable them to succeed in life. Over the years, the MYEP has gained state and national recognition.

For Students: MYEP Application Process

Thank you for your interest in applying to the Mayor's Youth Employment Program!

Prospective MYEP participants must complete the following steps before being considered for placement:

Complete Job & Career Readiness Training. If you received a completion certificate last year from (JCRT), you do not need to complete this course again.
Submit a MYEP application, including a resume, written component, career interests, and skills
Complete a virtual MYEP interview
Complete a background check and drug screening

MYEP staff review all application materials before assigning students to a Host Employer.

Student Eligibility

MYEP students are high school students (or will graduate in the Spring of 2024). In order to participate in the MYEP, students must…

Be 16 on or before April 15, 2024
Be enrolled as a current student in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools or reside in the City of Charlotte
Successfully complete a Job & Career Readiness Training
Have a current photo ID and a Social Security number
Complete an online application and interview by Monday, December 4, 2023
Follow instructions (provided in the Spring) to complete a background check and drug screen
Participate in a student orientation

Charlotte Mecklenburg School (CMS) students may contact their school's Career Development Coordinator (CDC) regarding participating in the MYEP. Non-CMS students may contact 704-336-5577 for information.

For Businesses: Become A Host Employer

The MYEP works to provide all Charlotte youth with equitable career development opportunities to explore the world of work, build social capital, and enhance economic mobility. This mission is not possible without the support of businesses like you.

Ways businesses can get involved:

Sponsor a work experience for a student to be placed at a local non-profit
Serve as a Subject Matter Expert in one of our virtual pathways, benefiting hundreds of students interested in your industry
Host a student at your place of business during the 6-week window

Benefits to employer partnership:

No resumes or interviews to sort through
Participants have completed a college-level career and readiness training prerequisite
Custom matching with students based on skills/needs
Drug and background screenings

Becoming a host employer

The MYEP is a 6-week summer career-focused internship program, a minimum of 25 hours per week at a rate of $13/hour for a total of $1,950.

Experience can be onsite, virtual, or a hybrid of on-location and remote.
Pre-requisite training is offered to all CMS high schoolers and those in the Charlotte area who attend charter/private schools or are homeschooled.

Apply to Become Host Employer

Loebsack & Brownlee

LAWA

CAMP NORTH END

List of Partners and Sponsors

For Non Profits: Apply for a Grant to Become a Host Employer

The MYEP excited to provide grants to local non-profits to subsidize placements for Charlotte youth to have an immersive work experience with your organization. This opportunity is an exciting way to expose youth to the meaningful work being done in the community.

To Apply:

Registered 501(c)3 organizations may apply for grant funding to provide a stipend for MYEP youth.

Deadline to apply: January 17
- The grant application for this season is closed The deadline for Non-profits to apply to the MYEP is January 17
Complete SparkHire Interview
Submit Certificate of Liability

Benefits to non-profit partners:

No resumes or interviews to sort through
Participants have completed our Job & Career and Readiness Training prerequisite
Custom matching with students based on skills/needs
Drug and background screenings
Grant funding to provide payment to MYEP student

Becoming a host employer

The MYEP is a six-week, career-focused summer program for high school students 16 and older. They work a minimum of 25 hours per week at a rate of $13/hour for a total of $1,950.

Experience can be onsite, virtual, or a hybrid of on-location and remote.

Pre-requisite training is offered to all CMS high schoolers and those in the Charlotte area who attend charter/private schools or are homeschooled.

City of Charlotte Named All-America City for Its Youth Programs

Charlotte has been named a 2023 All-America City by the National Civic League for its work focused on youth engagement and development. This prestigious award has recognized and celebrated the best in American civic innovation since 1949.

Read full All America City Award Story

Job and Career Readiness Training

Job and Career Readiness Training

Charlotte youth at Job and Career Readiness seminar

This program connects 16-24 year olds with career readiness training, including job readiness, interview preparation, and essential skills. Job & Career Readiness Training is available during the school day or on weekends, depending on what best fits your schedule.

This training is the first required step for students interested in becoming eligible for the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program (MYEP). This program focuses on structured pathways toward career opportunities or specific goals.

Eligibility

Open to ALL eligible high school students in Charlotte that:

Will be 16 on or before April 15, 2026
Have a current Social Security Number
Are eligible to work in the U.S.

Stay tuned for Job and Career Readiness Training dates this fall!

Career Exposure Events

Students at a career exposure event listening to a professional talk about their company.

Throughout the year, youth programs connects students to different job shadowing and career exposure events. Stay tuned for more information!

Youth Engagement

Charlotte youth sitting and smiling at camera and talking amongst each other.

The City of Charlotte offers many programs to help meet youth where they are and empower them to reach their full potential.

These programs and activities are designed to uplift and support youth in their personal growth, education, and career aspirations.

CROWN Events

CROWN Event showing plates of food

CROWN (Connecting Resources and Opportunities with the Next) is designed to bridge the gap for youth by connecting them with the resources, skills, and opportunities they need to thrive. Through custom programs, skill-building workshops, and career exploration, CROWN connects young people with the tools they need to succeed in education and beyond.

Stay tuned for the next CROWN event, and check out photos and videos from past events!

Brand U

BRAND U equip teens with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to develop their personal brand and present themselves professionally for career readiness and character development.

By the end of the various sessions, participants will be able to create a resume, market their strengths, build a professional online presence, and confidently showcase their brand to potential employers or in community settings. This program is designed for youth at different stages of life and is not specific to a particular career path or industry.

Youth Civic Engagement

Generation Nation: Charlotte Mecklenburg Youth Council

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council (CMYC) is the official student advisory council for City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The program is managed in partnership with GenerationNation, a Charlotte-based nonprofit with strong experience in K-12 education and youth civic leadership. CMYC further positions Charlotte as an innovative, inclusive, inspiring, and welcoming city that is focused on the future.

Through the CMYC partnership, diverse Charlotte youth:

Positively interact with and advise community leaders;
Gain understanding about the city’s successes, challenges, and opportunities for civic problem-solving in the City and across local governments and organizations;
Join a growing network of young civic leaders who are working to make Charlotte America’s Queen City, opening her arms to a diverse and inclusive community of residents, businesses, and visitors alike; a safe family-oriented city where people work together to help everyone thrive.

You can join any time during the year.

Learn more about Generation Nation

Youth Civic Engagement Summit

The Youth Civic Engagement Summit is an event that empowers high school students for active civic engagement and community contribution. The summit focuses on exploring civic engagement, envisioning Charlotte's future, participating in volunteer projects, and fostering both personal and civic growth.

CROWN Youth Civic Engagement Summit Graphic recording.png

The 2024 Youth Civic Engagement Summit empowered 47 high school students from five schools to become active community leaders. In collaboration with the Upward Bound Program, which supports students from low-income families, the summit at UNC Charlotte provided a platform for engaging discussions on civic engagement and community transformation. A highlight of the event was a service project where students filled 100 care bags for The Relatives, an organization that aids youth and families in crisis. The summit showcased the power of youth voices, underscoring that, with the right tools and support, young people can drive meaningful change in their communities.

Youth and Safety

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department: Community Engagement

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department is actively involved in the quality of life in the community.

Programs include COPS & Kids, Youth Diversion Program, REACH OUT, Right Moves for Youth, the Envision Academy, and much more. Visit CMPD’s Community Programs page to learn more about how to get involved.

CMPD Community Programs

Community Relations: Youth Engagement

The City of Charlotte’s Community Relations team works hard to engage the youth throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg by implementing new programs that focus on leadership, communication skills and relationship building. Learn more about programming, including peer mediation and conflict resolution training.

Learn more about these programs

Alternatives to Violence

Alternatives to Violence (ATV) works to stop shootings and killings in the Beatties Ford/LaSalle area using a public health model with three primary strategies:

Detecting and interrupting conflicts.
Identifying and treating individuals at high risk of involvement in violence.
Changing social norms that exacerbate violence in the community.

ATV team members are trusted messengers who are based in the community. These trained violence interrupters and outreach workers prevent shootings by identifying and mediating potentially violent conflicts in the community and following up to ensure the conflict does not reignite. ATV outreach workers engage high-risk individuals, talk to them about the costs of violence, and assist them in accessing services and support, including employment. The team works within the community to communicate that violence should not be viewed as usual but as a behavior that can be changed.

Video Transcript

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The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County are joining a rising national movement

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to stop violence before it happens and empowering the community with quick,

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effective techniques to resolve conflict. Alternatives to Violence, better known as

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ATV, addresses violent crime as a public health crisis.

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A trusted network of community advocates that detects and interrupts conflicts, identifies

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and treats high risk individuals and deters violent behavior through community engagement.

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Developed by the nonprofit organization, Cure Violence global, this model has lowered crime

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rates in several U.S. cities and in countries across the globe. in Charlotte, work begins

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atBeatties Ford Road and Lasalle Street. A hotspot for violence where the Alternatives to Violence

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team is building relationships and trust. Learn more at cltgov.me/ATV

SAFE Charlotte

The SAFE Charlotte Grant Program, a key initiative from the SAFE Charlotte Plan, allocates grant dollars to Charlotte-based nonprofits to address community violence and promote safety. The program focuses on fostering collaboration among local organizations to create a stable, supportive environment that addresses the root causes of violence while advancing economic mobility. These grants target individuals and families below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

The program’s funding supports nonprofits working within four key focus areas:

Youth Services: Targeting individuals aged 13 to 19, providing recreational activities and counseling.
Child Care Services: Supporting children under age 13, with programs such as parenting skills classes and early childhood education.
Employment Training: Offering workforce development programs like resume building, job training, and skills development.
Mental Health & Trauma-Informed Care: Providing mental health support, including counseling, case management, and trauma recovery services.

Each participating organization receives up to $430,000 in grant funds over two years, which includes $30,000 for the Capacity Building phase. This phase equips organizations with the tools and training needed for federal fund usage, alongside planning and collaboration to ensure effective service delivery.

The grant recipients have included:

2022: United Way of Greater Charlotte
2023: Care Ring, Inc., MeckEd, Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte
2024: Center for Prevention Services, Latin American Coalition, ourBridge Inc.

The program fosters collaboration to tackle violence and create stronger, safer communities while providing vital services to those most in need. It. By providing these resources, the SAFE Charlotte Grant aims to reduce violence, strengthen community ties, and promote long-term social and economic progress.

Community Violence Data Dashboard

The dashboard is intended to introduce several indicators of community violence including homicides and violent crimes. In the future, this dashboard will include other key indicators of crime including youth violence, intimate partner violence, emergency department visitations and other measures.

Community Violence Data Dashboard

Corridors of Opportunity

Corridors are vital to the health of Charlotte’s communities, serving as links that connect people to the resources and businesses they need to live and thrive. With a $38.5 million investment, the City of Charlotte is renewing its commitment to six key corridors.

More Info

Hospital Based Violence Intervention

The city has partner with Atrium Health to launch an evidence-based hospital-based violence intervention program that will work with victims of violence who require medical assistance from Atrium.

Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program

As for the Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program, we are continuing our partnership with Atrium Health. The FY 2024 budget allocated $250,000 from the city, matched by $250,000 from Atrium Health, to continue funding this program. The initiative pairs victims of violent crime with case managers and provides wraparound services aimed at reducing the likelihood of them becoming future victims or perpetrators of violence. In the coming year, Atrium Health will take the lead in enhancing internal infrastructure and support for the program, while also strengthening the connection between ATV and the hospital-based violence intervention program.-based intervention services.

SAFE Charlotte Grants

As a part of the SAFE Charlotte report recommendations, the city has partner with United Way to deploy grants to Charlotte-based grassroots organizations to address violence.

More Info

Partnership Opportunities

The work we do with young people in Charlotte could not be complete without support from our different partners. Whether your organization wants to help build student potential and life skills or you want to offer a paid summer work experience, we have many ways to get engaged in our work.

Below are some of the ways your business or organization can get involved:

Contact us today to get involved!

Partner on community-based beautification projects like gardening or park clean ups that allow youth to give back to their neighborhoods while learning new skills. Through these projects, youth can develop a sense of pride in their community while gaining practical skills in environmental stewardship, teamwork and project management that can benefit their future careers.
Host events where youth can connect with local professionals and mentors to help build life skills. These events could include panel discussions, networking sessions, and mentorship circles, helping youth build social capital and gain insights into various career pathways.
Partner to design workshops focused on job readiness, entrepreneurship, and professional skills. Our team’s expertise in nurturing potential can be combined with your organization's resources to create interactive, hands-on sessions that provide real-world insights and experiences.
Become a Host Employer, sponsor a nonprofit work experience for students, or share your expertise as a subject matter expert for the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program

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