Tammi K Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 My oldest son is 18. He moved to Oregon in April with the promise of a full-time job learning construction and room and board at a friends house. He wanted to earn some money for college and a skill he could use on the mission field. He ultimately wants to enter the ministry. He's a good kid and a hard worker. But, the business decided (after he arrived) that they didn't have enough work. He couldn't find a job. the family he was staying with decided that since he wasn't working they weren't as happy to have him there.....A cascade of really unfortunate events. The thing is that he loves Oregon (hates Alaska...too cold for him. He's a swamp blossom) and LOVES the church he's been attending. So, he really wants to stay but the current situation is just not working. I though JobCorp might be a possibility to allow him to stay there. But, I really don't know too much about it. If anyone has any info I would love to hear it. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 This is years ago-- but I was the clinician assigned to the local Jobcorp kids when they came to our community health center for health issues... They impressed me as troubled kids in a very loosely supervised program. This was not in your state, and it may have been that particular center or that particular time, but I've been a little leery of that program ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 This is years ago-- but I was the clinician assigned to the local Jobcorp kids when they came to our community health center for health issues... They impressed me as troubled kids in a very loosely supervised program. This was not in your state, and it may have been that particular center or that particular time, but I've been a little leery of that program ever since. :iagree:I knew some kids that were part of JobCorp in Missouri and it was pretty much the same. Many, at that time, went to JobCorp as an alternative to dropping out of highschool, did not have stable family backgrounds, and this was kind of a "second chance" type thing for at risk kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 How about looking into Americorp instead? They give scholarship money when you are done, and it is supposed to be a great program. I know many fine adults that did it when they were around that age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Unfortunately, my experience with Job Corps is the same as the PPs. You do not want your son there. DH did participate in Americorps though right out of college. It pays a small stipend; probably enough if your DS continues to have free housing but not enough to live independently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 My experience as a social worker in SC is the same. I work in adult education here in Connecticut, and yes-- I'd agree with all these assessments. LAST. RESORT. BAAAD BAAAAD BAAAAAAD. astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 @Tammi K - From what PP have written, JobCorp does not seem to be a healthy place for him. Possibly he would be interested in joining the military? They have a fantastic program for Education benefits. During the first week(s), the recruits are offered the opportunity to sign up. If they sign up, during the first year, they contribute USD$1200. USD$100 per month, for 12 months. After they get out, with an Honorable Discharge, the government will pay up to USD$37K for their Education. Possibly he could become a Chaplains Assistant, or, learn some kind of a Trade. My first choice would be the U.S. Air Force and my 2nd choice would be the U.S. Army. We used to listen to KOOL-FM in Anchorage, so I know how cold and windy it gets up there. :) Another possibility is an Apprentice program, with a Trade Union. I suspect he would have more opportunity for that in Anchorage, where he has family, references, etc. GL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 The people we know that were involved in JobCorp (two different states) made it sound like it was mostly for future inmates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted August 28, 2012 Author Share Posted August 28, 2012 Thanks for the suggestions and idea. They had me chuckling. While I admit that there were times during his childhood that I would have liked to lock him away, he's a very good kid and I don't think prison is in his future. So, perhaps I should tell him to steer clear of future inmates. Sadly, he's a kid who made some decisions based on some unkept promises and he has to decide how to move forward. I wish the military was an option. but, he's pretty determined that it is not the way he wants to go. We looked into Chaplin program in the Air Force and we were told you need to come in as an officer - hence a degree which he can't afford right now. I'll have him look into Americorp and trade unions. There's bound to be something out there for him. But, if anyone else has ideas, please feel free to keep them coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 A union with an apprenticeship program, that would be ideal. You get to earn money and take classes at union expense. Americorps might work. We used Americorps and City Year volunteers to get tutors for urban middle/high school students but these were usually community college students and the stipends we offered were small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Some Americorp positions offer housing I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Job Corp is what you make of it, and how good the instructors are that work there. Our town has one with a fantastic reputation and lots of local support. Some prominnt business owners went thru job corp. Granted, some started as drunks. My nephews went thru one in Oregon (I can't remember which one though), mostly because there was essentially no family support to encourage college or similar for them. One learned a trade and is doing great. Another learned a trade and has since been using it to work/pay his way thru college. The other, well, he was a slacker, went to job corp, didn't do much, and hasn't done much since. The other 2 were never troubled kids but had no skills for employment. Without job corp they wouldn't be the employed adults they are today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 My df sent a young adult that was living with her to one in VA. The young lady is doing great, but the population is just as some here have described. Many have not made it thru the program. My sense is that you have to be motivated and strong enough not to succumb to peer pressure. In her program, you could not have cell phones or computers for quite a while, could not visit home, could receive letters, and had a very strict schedule/routine/curfew. She is going for further training and will end up with a food service license and some sort of chef certificate, and will definitely be employable. It was kinda like a group home, with tons of rules and some guidance, but it didn't attract kids who planned on college and were just desiring a trade before they became missionaries...:D We looked into it briefly for ds before he had to leave home. I'm glad he didn't go that route, as he needed something totally different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 For housing and job skills, has he considered enlisting? Good idea. And while it is tough to do, he can work towards his degree while in the military. Once it is finished, he can change career fields. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 My mother and her dh forced my youngest brother to go through it. Twenty years later he's still bitter, and I don't think it actually did anything for him. My guess is that most of the young people didn't want to be there, and that would be a bad environment for your ds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 If he wants to go into ministry, what about YWAM? Room and board is included in their training prior to a mission and I stayed at a base in the U.S. once and it was all 18-22 y.o. taking some gap time before school or taking a break from school. It seemed like a great set-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Has he thought about Peace Corps? My df met her husband there--and learned all about fishing, too! :D Oops--sorry--reread your post and see he wants to stay in Oregon, not just learn a skill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 My mother and her dh forced my youngest brother to go through it. Twenty years later he's still bitter, and I don't think it actually did anything for him. My guess is that most of the young people didn't want to be there, and that would be a bad environment for your ds. My brother was in a program in Montana years ago and had the opposite experience. He'd dropped out of school and was at a dead end. Job Corps gave him the structure in life that he needed and that my family wasn't able to provide. He was doing better there than he ever did in school...until he up and married a girl he met there and had to leave the program. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Has he asked around at the church he is attending? If he has been attending regularly and is happy there he may be able to find some contacts through that for an apprenticeship or entry level job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsingscrapper Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 I went to Job Corps when I was 19. It was one of the open campuses. I met some kids who I wished would go away as they were wasting time. The best thing JC ever did was make 18 the minimum age. They gave me a stipend every two weeks and set aside a matching amount for me when I was done. The only thing we needed money for was laundry soap and toiletries. You got a clothing run after 30 days and again at 100 days. Then it was every 100 days after that. There were expectations in terms of room inspections and curfew. They also did evaluations, like report cards, every so often. If you passed, you got a bonus in your bi-weekly stipend which was also matched in your readjustment fund. They may have changed things but I nailed every evaluation. The bonuses got bigger from $25 to $80 at the highest. We couldn't afford college and my dad made too much on paper for me to get financial aid. Job Corps was my way out of the toolies. On another note, I would love to live in the toolies now. :lol: Don't discount it. They might still help with advanced training. I got placed with United Airlines in their Reservation Center because of Job Corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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