LEAP

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LEARN.  EARN.  ACHIEVE.  POTENTIAL.

Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential (LEAP)™ is a multimillion-dollar national initiative to increase employment and educational opportunities for young people facing some of the greatest challenges on the path to adulthood. The LEAP initiative was partially funded at inception by a grant from the Social Innovation Fund, and is now supported by national and local philanthropies. 

Focusing on youth who are homeless or highly mobile, in the juvenile justice systems, and/or foster care, LEAP integrates programming, content, and resources to more effectively support young people as they earn a secondary credential and explore career pathways. In Minnesota, there are currently fifteen sites serving “Opportunity Youth” that are connected to the LEAP initiative. 

Questions & Answers

What is the LEAP Initiative? 

LEAP is a national initiative created to support young people as they earn credentials and explore career pathways.  Initially funded by the Social Innovation Fund, LEAP is now funded in part by the Annie E Casey Foundation. LEAP National supports 9 local partnerships in 7 states. There are 16 MN LEAP Sites. Through LEAP, the Foundation hopes to identify effective strategies for helping youth and young adults overcome challenges and succeed in school and at work by adapting evidence-based models to work for the unique needs and strengths of Opportunity Youth. The LEAP Core Elements are:

• Career Readiness Skills through Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) model 

• Support and Basic Needs provided by the Hennpin County Plus Program 

• Youth Apprenticeships with guidance by PAYA and CareerWise USA

• Equity-Based Systems Change

• The PPL LEAP Advancement Board (LAB)

• The PPL LEAP Alumni Network (PLAN)

What is a LEAP Site? 

LEAP Sites are spaces where Opportunity Youth spend time—community centers, schools, or youth-serving organizations.  In Minnesota, many LEAP Sites are Alternative Schools which serve youth who have taken non-traditional, tailored pathways to their education.  Current LEAP MN Sites include:

• Brooklyn Center Early College Academy  

• Choice Academy 

• Destination: Diploma to Degree (D3) at Mpls College

• Diploma Connect

• El Colegio High School 

• Elpis Enterprises

• GAP School 

• The JK Movement

• Loring Nicollet Alternative School 

• MERC Alternative High School 

• North Education Center Academy

• PYC Arts and Technology High School

• Sanneh Foundation

• South Education Center Academy

• Teen Hope (Pathways to Success)

• VOA High School

What is a LEAP Partner? 

LEAP Partners are organizations, companies, groups, or programs who coordinate to support Opportunity Youth in the LEAP network by providing services, career pathway opportunities, and advocacy. Some examples of LEAP Partners are:  

• Avivo 
• City of Minneapolis Green Career Exploration

• Foci Center for Glass

• Foster Advocates

• Hennepin County Juvenile Justice Behavioral Health Initiative

• Hennepin County’s PLUS Program

• Hennepin County DOCCR Resource Workgroup

• Hennepin County Youth Justice Council

• Just B Solar

• LEAP Sites (See Above)

• The Legal Rights Center

• Minneapolis College

• Minnesota Afterschool Advance

• MN Department of Transportation 

• MN Youth Justice Coalition

• Native American Community Development Institute 

• Northgate Development’s Regional Apprenticeship Training Center (RATC) 

• The Opportunity Youth Network

• Paj Ntaub Cuisine 

• Ramsey County Workforce Solutions

• Teen Parent Network

• Vivid Black Paint

How can I find out more?

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