YOUTH CO-OP INC

REFUGEE PROGRAMSREFUGEES ARE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE FLED THEIR COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN AND HAVE MET THE UNITED NATIONS' CRITERIA OF HAVING A "WELL-FOUNDED FEAR OF BEING PERSECUTED FOR REASONS OF RACE, RELIGION, NATIONALITY, MEMBERSHIP IN A PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUP OF POLITICAL OPINION". THE REFUGEE SERVICES IN SOUTH FLORIDA, COVERING PALM BEACH, BROWARD AND MIAMI DADE COUNTIES, OFFER AN ARRAY OF PROGRAMS TO ASSIST REFUGEES, ASYLUMS, AND PUBLIC INTEREST PAROLEES IN ACHIEVING SELF-SUFFICIENCY TO EASE THE TRANSITION IN THEIR NEW COUNTRY. THE AGENCY HAS OFFERED REFUGEE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES SINCE 1982. IN 1997, YOUTH CO-OP JOINED THE NETWORK OF THE U.S. COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS TO PROVIDE RECEPTION AND PLACEMENT AND MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM SERVICES TO REFUGEES FROM VARIED COUNTRIES. ALL SERVICES ARE FREE AND AVAILABLE IN THE LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY THE PARTICIPANTS. THE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM ASSISTS REFUGEES IN TRANSLATING THEIR STRENGTHS, SKILLS AND PAST EXPERIENCES INTO ASSETS; THE MATCH GRANT PROGRAM ASSISTS IN ACHIEVING EARLY SELF-SUFFICIENCY WITHOUT ACCESSING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE; EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A KEY TO SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION INTO AMERICAN SOCIETY AND IMMIGRATION ASSISTANCE IS ALSO PROVIDED IN PREPARATION FOR ACHIEVING CITIZENSHIP.

CHARTER SCHOOLSYCI'S BOARD IS COMMITTED TO GROW IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR. YCI CREATED AN EDUCATIONAL DIVISION TO OPERATE ITS NETWORK OF SCHOOLS, WHICH DESIGNS, DEVELOPS AND IMPLEMENTS SUCCESSFUL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THE NETWORK. THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO SCHOOLS, WHICH HAVE CHARTERS SPONSORED BY THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD YOUTH CO-OP CHARTER SCHOOL ("YCCS") AND YOUTH CO-OP PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL ("YCPHS"). FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, AN AVERAGE OF 748 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH AT YCCS AND AN AVERAGE OF 191 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN GRADES NINTH THROUGH TWELFTH AT YCPHS.