In 2014, MTA’s RealTalk is launching a new city-wide youth engagement program to unite health practices with job readiness and post secondary training.

We cannot fully engage youth to be healthier, if they do not see a future for themselves that includes a good job, college or some sort of training. Why would we expect that they prioritize long-term health when they can’t see short term success in other areas of their lives? Building life and work skills will help youth to plan their futures and understand that healthy choices today lead to greater success tomorrow.

— Traci Callender, MTA’s Director of Prevention Initiatives

MTA’s youth leadership program will combine health education, job skills training, career exploration and community service. The program has a ladder design where youth enter and receive basic skills, learn essential health information –including and beyond HIV and sexual health, and participate in community-building and education activities. Youth can progress through program stages with more specified trainings and opportunities as well as increased responsibilities. Participation can help students from DC public high schools meet the 100 hours of community service graduation requirement.

Evidence shows that persons with jobs are more emotionally stable, live healthier lives and are more engaged in their own communities. We know that we cannot impact health outcomes of youth as they transition to adulthood, without supporting them to successful employment and post-secondary opportunities.

— Adam Tenner, MTA’s Executive Director

We expect that youth will stay beyond the 100 hours to explore more in-depth job training, career exploration and health education. As youth move up the ladder of engagement, they receive a range of incentives and even paid positions at Metro TeenAIDS.

— Tiesha Butler-Williams, Leadership Development Coordinator

Corporate and Community Partners: A number of corporate partners are contributing to this effort, by supporting program costs, committing to job training and placement and providing other resources. Accenture, a global management consulting, technology and outsourcing services company, has been a vital partner both in supporting the design of the groundbreaking effort as well as in committing their professional and corporate resources to it. Click here to learn more about Accenture’s corporate citizenship initiative, Skills to Succeed, which aims to equip 500,000 people globally by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business.

Accenture is proud and inspired to be working with Metro TeenAIDS to design and implement this program. This new REALTalk initiative represents a comprehensive approach to life readiness that includes job skills, health knowledge and community engagement. The team is excited to be supporting these youth in making healthy choices and developing their leadership capabilities so one day they can become our business and community leaders.

— Chip Sherrill, Managing Director, Accenture

Join Us: For more information about corporate support, contact Jennifer Bellamy at [email protected] or 202-543-9355.