City Pathways for Youth Program

The City Pathways for Youth Program offers young people professional development workshops and hands-on job training. Youth ages 18-25 gain valuable work experience as paid interns at a local park, earning up to 750 hours of training over a 10-month period. Designed to provide low-barrier access to employment for vulnerable communities, this program allows interns to choose from three specialized tracks: recreation, aquatics, or maintenance. Eligible participants must be low-income or face challenges to employment, such as previous homelessness, disabilities, justice involvement, or experience in the foster care system.

In its first year, the program enrolled 15 participants who completed comprehensive job readiness training for careers in parks and recreation. The training covered essential topics such as mandated reporting, sexual harassment awareness, resume and cover letter writing, and sports coaching. As a result, 12 of the 15 participants successfully secured employment with the City of Los Angeles.

Grantee: City of Los Angeles
Awarded Amount: $348,328
Start Year: 2023
End Date: 2024

Program Contact:
Connie Lopez
(213) 913-5381
 concepcion.lopez@lacity.org