YEAR ONE INC

FOUNDED AS YEAR ONE, INC., MILE HIGH YOUTH CORPS (MHYC) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1992 TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT NEEDS OF DENVERS YOUTH WHILE CONNECTING THEM TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE OUTDOORS. THAT FIRST YEAR, 20 YOUTH SERVED DENVER NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH A SINGLE 10-WEEK PROGRAM. DURING ITS 30+ YEAR HISTORY, MILE HIGH YOUTH CORPS HAS GROWN FROM A SMALL, SEASONAL, NEIGHBORHOOD-BASED ORGANIZATION TO A COMPREHENSIVE, YEAR-ROUND, REGIONAL PROGRAM SERVING 24 COUNTIES OUT OF TWO REGIONAL OFFICES IN METRO DENVER AND COLORADO SPRINGS. TODAY MHYC SERVES UP TO 250 YOUNG ADULTS ANNUALLY AND HAS THE LARGEST GEOGRAPHIC FOOTPRINT AMONGST COLORADOS EIGHT ACCREDITED YOUTH CORPS. YOUTH AGES 17-24 RECEIVE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND CAREER READINESS SUPPORT LEADING TO THE OBTAINMENT OF INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATIONS, AN EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP TO BE USED TOWARD POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION OR APPRENTICESHIP, AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT GOALS. THESE YOUNG ADULTS, CALLED CORPSMEMBERS, SERVE ON COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS RELATED TO LAND CONSERVATION, ENERGY AND WATER CONSERVATION, HEALTHCARE, OR CONSTRUCTION. MHYC RECRUITS YOUTH FROM COMMUNITIES THAT LACK ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND INVESTMENT, PARTICULARLY AREAS WITH HIGH RATES OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT. WHILE MANY CORPSMEMBERS HAVE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO ACCOMPLISHING EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT RELATED BENCHMARKS, MHYC IS COMMITTED AND INTENTIONAL IN ITS APPROACH TO REMOVING THOSE BARRIERS AND ENSURING ALL YOUNG PEOPLE ARE POSITIONED FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS.