In collaboration with partners from other urban cities, D3’s T-TAP summer program is designed for young men of color with career aspirations in the trades or in technology. Modeled after successful university programs promoting student access to careers in the sciences like MARC (Maximizing Access to Research Careers), UNC’s MURAP (Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program), and UNC’s SOLAR (Summer of Learning and Research) Programs, T-TAP is an intensive and supportive 10 week on-site program for youth from low-income, urban areas. By providing the opportunity to learn, practice, and visualize success, young men will lay the foundation of a new pipeline – from their present lives to a future of success and self-sufficiency. Work experience, support from professional mentors, and development of life skills are key foundations for the program. Participating youth will also receive training on financial literacy skills and intensive emotional and social supports. The first cohort of the program will start in Summer 2016 and will feature 10-12 youth from 2 locations.
The main goals of CORE are to
1. Provide youth with the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship/vocational training through seminars, structured lesson plans and practical experiences.
2. To teach youth about the basic skills required of entrepreneurship/vocational training.
3. To help youth understand the relationship between academic subjects and the practical “World of Entrepreneurship”.
4. to help participants develop leadership skills; and to help participants learn organizational and business-related skills.
CORE is a comprehensive program that provides entrepreneurial and vocational training, financial literacy, business and life skills to underserved youth and young adults. D3 engages young adults in this program to unleash the positive energy these individuals have to rebuild their own lives with a commitment to work, education, responsibility and family while exposing the younger generations to the vast amount of opportunities. D3 provides mentoring to develop the necessary skills in youth that allow them to compete and succeed in today’s society. Research on young adult entrepreneurship has consistently demonstrated the usefulness and importance of job-readiness and vocational programs for young adult development. Without any goals or sense of what is required to achieve such goals, youth may end up jobless or in low-wage jobs with little advancement opportunities. The CORE program aims to improve skills in teamwork, problem-solving, money management, decision-making, personal responsibility and public speaking in preparation for recognizing, creating and preparing for business opportunities.
