A Year Up: How a Pioneering Program Teaches Young Adults Real Skills for Real Jobs-With Rea l Success

by Gerald Chertavian Narrated by Lloyd James

Overview

The inspiring story of a pioneering program that is redefining urban young adults as economic assets, not deficits

During Gerald Chertavian's many years as a Big Brother, the former technology entrepreneur realized that our nation's "Opportunity Divide" strands millions of young, disadvantaged, yet motivated workers at the bottom of the job ladder. In 2000, Chertavian dedicated his life to closing that divide and Year Up was born.

Year Up is an intensive program that offers low income young adults training, mentorship, internships, and ultimately real jobs-often with Fortune 500 companies. 85 percent of program graduates are employed or in full-time college within four months of graduation. Today, Year Up serves more than 1,300 students in nine cities across the nation.

Following a Year Up class from admissions through graduation, A Year Up lets students share-in their own words-the challenges, failures, and personal successes they've experienced during their program year. This deeply moving and inspirational story also explains Chertavian's philosophy and the program's genesis, offering a road map for real change in our country and a beacon for young adults who want the opportunity to enter the economic mainstream.

Editorial Reviews

OCTOBER 2012 - AudioFile

Chertavian’s account of his life and how he came to create the program Year Up finds a great delivery in the voice of Lloyd James. His inflection balances the demands of background information and emotional content through emphasis and pacing. Chertavian explores the hows and whys of Year Up from an idea to a fully functioning brand organization in cities across the country and the ways it continues to help youth achieve success outside of standard systems of training and education. Whether Chertavian is reflecting on the successes and failures of the program, the individual students, or himself, James captures the tone and emotion well without overdoing it. He keeps enough distance to avoid indulgence but still elicits the poignancy of the moment. L.E. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2012 - AudioFile

Chertavian’s account of his life and how he came to create the program Year Up finds a great delivery in the voice of Lloyd James. His inflection balances the demands of background information and emotional content through emphasis and pacing. Chertavian explores the hows and whys of Year Up from an idea to a fully functioning brand organization in cities across the country and the ways it continues to help youth achieve success outside of standard systems of training and education. Whether Chertavian is reflecting on the successes and failures of the program, the individual students, or himself, James captures the tone and emotion well without overdoing it. He keeps enough distance to avoid indulgence but still elicits the poignancy of the moment. L.E. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169233766
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	07/19/2012
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos