Youth Business Mentorship Program (YBMP)

Helping Teens Enter the Job Market

Job Training and Placement for 14~18 Year Olds

Common Wealth Development has been supporting Madison area teens with training and enriching first job experiences since 1991. With the current economic climate, the unemployment rate for the nation’s teens is approximately triple that of adults. Our Youth Business Mentoring Program helps level the playing field by working with teens, ages 14~18, to build the skills, confidence and support they need to land and succeed in their first job.

About Youth Development Programs

Job Training and Placement

YBMP begins with an intensive two-week pre-employment training, hosted once each fall and spring semester at the four comprehensive high schools in Madison (East, West, LaFollette, and Vel Phillips Memorial High schools). Students learn how to effectively find, apply for, and interview for jobs. After completing the training, students earn a $100 stipend for investing their time in their development, connect with a staff mentor, and outline their immediate and long-term employment goals.

Wrap Around Mentoring Support

Upon successful completion of training, the real fun begins! Students are placed in a real world job with a supportive local business, where they receive mentorship from both their workplace supervisor and CWD staff focused on how to keep and excel in their job. This double mentoring ensures that youth have the support they need to make the most of their employment opportunity and overcome challenges that may arise in a first job.

How to Apply

To apply, students must submit a youth application and have their parent or guardian submit the permission form. Once applications are submitted, a staff member will follow up with the applicant to discuss next steps.

While we do accept applications on a rolling basis, each school’s training session has its own application deadline. Please find application deadlines and session dates in the section below.