Youth Employment Support Services (YESS)

How to get started

Step 1

Set up or update your NEworks job seeker account at neworks.nebraska.gov.

Step 2

Set up an appointment with a career planner, or resource room navigator. You can meet virtually or come directly to the center, no appointment necessary. 

Step 3

Work with a navigator to begin your journey to a new career.

Classroom Training

We can help you pay for school. See our programs on the training page under classroom training.

Entrepreneurial Skills Training

Training, tools, and coaching to start your own business. See our programs on the training page under Entrepreneurial Training.

Explore Careers & Wages

Discover in-demand occupations, career clusters, and other labor market trends for Lancaster and Saunders Counties.

We offer the following services year-round. 

  • Comprehensive Guidance & Counseling – Get support, career guidance, and discuss your potential career options. This can include drug/alcohol and mental health counseling.
  • Financial & Family Well-Being – Gain skills and knowledge to make informed decisions with your financial resources.
  • Tutoring – We will pay for your tutor so you can focus on learning. From reading and writing to study skills training, instruction, and evidence-based dropout prevention and recovery strategies.
  • Adult Mentoring – Build a relationship with a professional in our community to gain one-on-one career insight, connection, and context.
  • Follow-up Services – Support services for the first 12 months of employment. For YESS participants, this can include some paid supportive services.
  • Work Experiences – Develop self-esteem, life strategies, career pathways, and marketable job skills through paid and unpaid learning opportunities.

Alternative Secondary School & Dropout Recovery

Re-engage with your education and complete a recognized high school equivalent (GED).

  • Basic education skills training
  • Individualized academic instruction
  • English language learning
  • Credit recovery
  • Counseling and educational plan development

Prepare for Postsecondary Education

Explore postsecondary education options, including technical training schools, community colleges, 4-year colleges and universities, and Registered Apprenticeship programs. Examples of other activities include:

  • Assistance with SAT/ACT testing preparation
  • Assistance with college admission applications
  • Searching and applying for scholarships and grants
  • Filling out the proper Financial Aid applications and adhering to changing guidelines
  • Connecting with postsecondary education programs

Leadership Development Opportunities

Opportunities that encourage responsibility, confidence, employability, self-determination, and other positive social behaviors. Activities can include:

  • Exposure to postsecondary education possibilities
  • Community and service-learning projects
  • Peer-centered activities, including peer mentoring and tutoring
  • Organizational and teamwork training, including team leadership training
  • Training in decision-making, including determining priorities and problem solving
  • Citizenship training, including life skills training such as parenting and work behavior training
  • Civic engagement activities which promote the quality of life in a community
  • Other leadership activities that place youth in a leadership role, such as serving on youth leadership committees

Empowering young adults to explore careers and discover their potential.

Career Exploration & Career Pathways

Our career planners will work with you to identify employment, education, and training objectives that lead to future careers.  We will work intensively with you to identify strengths, as well as areas of need, to establish suitable goals focused on your long-term success.

Eligibility

You might be eligible for the program if:

You’re 16-24 and NOT attending school

AND at least one of the following is true:

  • You dropped out of school.
  • You have a high school diploma (or equivalent), low income, and you lack basic skills and/or you’re an English language learner.
  • You’re an individual with justice system involvement.
  • You’re homeless or a runaway.
  • You’re currently in (or were in) foster care.
  • You’re pregnant or parenting.
  • You have a disability.
  • You have a low-income and you need help entering or completing an educational program, or you need help getting or keeping a job.

You’re 14-21, with low income, and IN school

AND at least one of the following is true:

  • You lack basic skills.
  • You’re an English language learner.
  • You’re an individual with justice system involvement.
  • You’re homeless or a runaway.
  • You’re currently in (or were in) foster care.
  • You’re pregnant or parenting.
  • You have a disability.
  • You have a low-income and you need help entering or completing an educational program, or you need help getting or keeping a job.

Cost

All services are provided at zero cost to the job seeker and are funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Success

We measure success by the achievement of our people, by the jobs they can find, and the quality of life those jobs offer. It is our goal to help you find good employment and keep it or advance.

For Employers

Reasons why you should hire a YESS youth:

  • Each youth is assessed to ensure his or her skills and interests match your organization’s needs.
  • We evaluate each youth for residency and eligibility.
  • A YESS youth is coached to bring his or her “A Game” to your organization: Attitude, accountability, attendance, appearance, ambition, acceptance and appreciation.
  • There may be tax benefits for hiring a YESS youth.
  • Job requirements and responsibilities are reviewed and expectations are set to help make a good match and ensure job retention.
  • Our youth understand a meaningful job means satisfaction for a good day’s work and an opportunity to grow his or her skills and contribute to the community and the economy.
  • We teach our youth how to be responsible, how to be a better person and how to prepare for the future.
  • Over our history, dozens of local businesses like yours have hired capable and enthusiastic young employees from the YESS program.
  • Hiring a YESS youth is win-win. Your organization gets a motivated employee, and a young person gets a chance at a better life.

For Parents

The YESS program is completely free of charge. Participants are never expected to take out loans. Sometimes training funds may not cover the entire cost of training. When that happens, we will work with the school to explore other options.

For Educators

The YESS program works closely with schools and provides supportive services to students in need. 25% of the funds for this program are designated to serving in-school youth and 75% to out-of-school youth. Our program provides drop-out prevention services. Education and workforce preparation can be offered concurrently.