Office of Youth Opportunities

The Office of Youth Opportunities connects Charlotte’s young people with paid jobs, mentorship, leadership experiences, and safe spaces to learn and grow. Our mission is to make sure every young person has the support and opportunities they need to succeed today and build a brighter future.

OYO carries out this mission through three strategic pillars:

Youth Career Experiences

Youth standing, posing for a picture holding up iPads.
Four student posing for a picture and smiling for the camera.

We prepare young people for the workforce by connecting them to paid internships, skill-building experiences, and career exploration opportunities. These initiatives blend wages with professional mentoring and exposure to high-demand industries, helping youth build confidence, networks, and long-term economic stability.

  • Mayor's Youth Employment Program (MYEP): This initiative offers youth between the ages of 16-18 access to paid summer internships, pre-employment training, and exposure to professional workplaces.  
  • Envision Academy: Combines civic education, mentorship, and leadership development with paid experiences to prepare youth for college, training, or employment.
  • Career Readiness Initiatives: Workshops, site visits, and training that build soft skills, professional identity, and awareness of career options, serving as a bridge into internships and employment.

Youth Career Experiences

Youth Development

Youth on stage speaking at an event.
Students listening to a presenter at an employer's job site.

We invest in young people as leaders in their schools, neighborhoods, and communities. These initiatives strengthen social-emotional skills, build confidence, and create opportunities for youth voice and leadership at every level—from classroom to citywide engagement.

  • Peer Club and Peer Mediation: School-based initiatives that empower middle and high school students to build self-awareness, resilience, and leadership skills. Youth learn to resolve conflicts constructively, support one another, and create positive, inclusive school environments.
  • OYO Ambassadors: Internship alumni who continue as youth leaders, mentors, and program representatives at City events and with partners.
  • Civic Engagement Initiatives: Training and hands-on experiences that build youth voice, communication skills, and civic responsibility.
  • Leadership Development: Programs that build confidence, character, and leadership skills through mentorship, hands-on learning, and connections with community leaders. Youth strengthen communication, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities while discovering their voice and potential to lead in school, work, and life.

Youth Development

Youth Safety

Six students in a medical facility posing for picture.
Five students sitting at table working, with CMPD tshirts on.

We prioritize safety by addressing risks early, supporting positive alternatives, and funding community-driven solutions. These initiatives reduce violence, strengthen trust, and connect youth and families to the resources they need to thrive.

  • Alternatives to Violence (ATV): Community-based violence interruption led by credible messengers who mediate conflicts, mentor youth at risk, and connect families to wraparound supports.
  • SAFE Charlotte: A grant program funding grassroots organizations that provide community-driven violence prevention and safety initiatives in Corridors of Opportunity.
  • Youth Diversion: provides youth with first-time, low-level offenses an alternative to the justice system while holding them accountable for their actions. The program offers tailored support and life skills training to redirect behavior and promote positive long-term outcomes.

Youth Safety

Together, these pillars help young people prepare for school and careers, become confident leaders, and stay safe by preventing violence and offering positive alternatives. This work supports youth, their families, and the whole community.

Partner with Us

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.

  • 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.

  • Become a Host Employer, providing paid work-based learning experiences for youth over six weeks in the summer. This experience introduces youth to the world of work, builds social capital, creates career clarity, and promotes upward economic mobility.

  • Sponsor a nonprofit work experience for youth through work-based learning opportunities with local 501(c)(3) organizations. Your contribution can offset the costs to these nonprofit organizations, allowing them to provide work and mentorship to youth over six weeks in the summer.

  • Share your expertise as a subject matter expert for the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program. Through interactions with professionals in various career fields, youth can learn firsthand the work you do and the journey to get there.

  • Organize an Industry Day, an engaging site visit to your office where youth can experience an industry firsthand and interact professionals in the field. Industry Days build social capital through networking, provide career clarity, and inspire youth to continue seeking opportunities and career paths they may not have been aware of.

For partnership opportunities, contact youth@charlottenc.gov.

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