Contact Information:

Sangeeta Tyagi
Vice President for Education and Career Development
617-623-9900

Description of Organization

YouthBuild USA is the national support center for more than 225 YouthBuild programs in which young people work toward their high school diploma or GED while building housing for homeless and low-income people, with a strong emphasis on leadership development and civic engagement.

Dropout Recovery Related Projects

Ninety percent of the 8,000 students who enroll in YouthBuild each year are high school dropouts. Forty YouthBuild programs are authorized to grant high school diplomas, either as charter schools, alternative schools, or as part of a charter management organization; the rest provide GEDs and college access. A number of YouthBuild programs provide AmeriCorps education awards for college. YouthBuild schools are working on the cutting-edge of educational reform, demonstrating that small, personalized schools that offer a balance of academic rigor, relevant learning opportunities, and positive relationships can succeed in re-engaging students who have dropped out of traditional schools.

YouthBuild is a full-time program, lasting 6 to 24 months.