The shooting deaths of seven people last summer prompted the Santa Monica City Council to consider a plan for a new youth vocational training program focused on school dropouts and unemployed 16 to 24-year olds, reports the Santa Monica Lookout.
If the Council decides to fund the $239,668 program, it would assist youngsters with finding work in the hospitality and services industries, supporters say.
The Virginia Avenue Park’s Teen Center would facilitate the Hospitality Training Academy (HTA) with the Venice-based St. Joseph Center operating the training program, the planners report.
HTA executive director, Adine Forman said the non-profit’s goal is to help participants develop skills useful for building a career, rather than steering them into fast food work.
City officials say they hope to begin by providing mental health services to 50 teens and young adults already identified by HTA and St. Joseph staff. The non-profit was selected because of its record of accomplishments with innovation initiatives.
The social services would address the fundamental factors of youth violence. “In light of these events and in an effort to support the community, staff recommended the acceleration and advancement of the program,” an unidentified staff member said.
According to a staff report, the new job-training program is ready to go as soon as funding is approved.