Youth services at the Opportunity Center are delivered, primarily, by Hennepin County Library and EMERGE to give young people the support they need for learning, school, leadership, and career exploration.
Youth Individual Career Coaching
EMERGE offers a variety of opportunities to combine employment search, career readiness training, paid internships, and post-secondary support for a successful start.
Young people will have access to: work readiness workshops, digital & financial literacy, community engagement activities, and paid internships & job placements.
Contact for enrollment/more information: Khadro Mohamed, mohamedk@emerge-mn.org, (612) 425-4701
Cedar Youth Leadership Group (CYLG)
The Hennepin County Library Cedar Youth Alliance serves kids, teens, and young adults in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. The alliance focuses on positive leadership activities to engage youth, further developing their sense of empowerment and encouraging their future participation in community affairs. The group creates projects and activities, promotes the library homework help service, and hosting college, career, and community conversations for youth.
Homework Help
Homework Help is a drop-in, after school Hennepin County Library program for K-12 that offers children and teens a free, safe, and welcoming space to master academic concepts, complete homework assignments, and build confidence and expertise in their learning.
Homework help tutors include neighborhood college students with expertise, lead tutors, and other staff members. The structure provides peer leadership and job skill development. Homework help surveys completed by students at the Opportunity Center show that one-on-one support from tutors is valued and a big reason they return to the program.
Teen Tech Squad
Teen Tech Squad leverages modern learning and innovation skills in youth through STEAM-based activities. The squad is composed of local teens that are hired to develop and lead STEAM-based activities and workshops for youth in the community.
Squad-managing employees are equipped with tools to research, design, implement, and facilitate the activities for youth. They build skills in leadership, technology, interpersonal and career readiness by planning and delivering workshops.
