DANVILLE — Preventing gun violence through career and mental wellness opportunities is the mission of the third event put on by the youth council with Project Success.
On Wednesday at the Laura Lee Fellowship Hall, Project Success is holding a youth empowerment and wellness event from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Jamie Nightlinger says this is “their thing” in referring to the youth helping the youth with an event connecting 16-22 year-olds with future opportunities.
“It’s definitely going to have a high amount of interactive and resource rich focused on youth empowerment, career readiness, and wellness,” Nightlinger said. “We are planning on having entrepreneurship tables, apprenticeship and internship opportunities, and local employers that are hiring in the area.”
She added there will be a job application zone with employers who specifically hire those 16 and up, a mock interview and resume building station, and support for those wishing to complete a job application on site.
There will also be a room full of community resources, and barbers on site offering haircuts.
As for mental health, Crosspoint Human Services will be on site with a stress management mini workshop and will share a mindfulness activity.
Leaders with the Navy, Army, Danville Fire Department, and more will be present with job opportunities.
“This is actually the third ‘Voices for Change’ series that we have been doing, where the students are focused on best practices for gun violence prevention,” she says. “And a big thing that the students talk about is being able to get jobs and their mental health. And so this is an extension of what the youth told us that they need, that they think would lessen the violence in the city if these things were available more.”
There will be opportunities for advancement for the youth as well, with local leaders.
“Congresswoman Robin Kelly is going to have a table for an internship opportunity,” she said. “Tricia Teague with the TREP school is going to do an entrepreneurship table, and Kevin Sage from the Danville Area Community College is going to have some information about trade schools.”
Parents are also welcome to attend along with their children.
Nightlinger says the event, “is going towards our gun violence prevention efforts of providing opportunities to the youth to hopefully keep them making better decisions.”