BUILD (Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development) engages Chicago’s at-risk youth in schools and on the streets to help them realize their educational and career potential , and to contribute to the stability, safety and well-being of our communities. Through a proven, nationally recognized model that has transformed thousands of lives since 1969, BUILD provides the people, programs and pathways our at-risk youth need to reject gang involvement, violence, dropping out of school and giving up on a meaningful future.
We work in some of our city’s most challenging and under-resourced neighborhoods--Austin, East Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, Hermosa/Logan Square, and Fuller Park—because we believe every young person in every neighborhood deserves every chance to build a bright future.
BUILD something amazing with us
OUR PEOPLE
From our street outreach team, tutors and social workers, to our executive team and board of directors, people are the “secret sauce” at BUILD.
The relationships we develop with young people, and the ones we model in front of them, are as important to their success as any program or intervention we provide. We build the kind of trust and lasting bonds that kids need to know they have an advocate, a friend and someone with high expectations for them.
Our team is diverse—80% of our staff reflect the cultures and life experiences of the young people and communities we serve.
Our team is talented—We bring proven expertise in administration, programming, clinical services and community engagement to bear on improving lives
Our team is committed—to young people, to quality, to impact.
Our Team IS BUILD
In-School Activities
Prevention Specialists implement our Violence/Gang Prevention Curriculum in the classroom or with small groups of youth with identified behavioral issues. The goal is to equip the participants with tools to resist violence, drugs and gangs while developing life skills, such as decision making, goal setting and conflict resolution. The most at-risk youth are recruited for involvement in structured after-school activities that allow them to apply their newly acquired life skills and move toward being at-hope youth.
Building Futures equips participants with tools and supports needed to graduate from high school (or equivalency), advance to post-secondary opportunities, develop leadership skills, and engage in civic engagement. Through workshops and individual counseling and support, BUILDing Futures assists at-risk students to develop and implement plans for postsecondary education and career. Our Personal Education Plans, part of the Mutual Accountability Plan (MAP), allow students to establish short and long-term goals, as well as action steps needed to reach their goals. BUILDing Futures reaches 750 participants a year, 500 are duplicated from the Prevention and Intervention Components.
Building Futures equips participants with tools and supports needed to graduate from high school (or equivalency), advance to post-secondary opportunities, develop leadership skills, and engage in civic engagement. Through workshops and individual counseling and support, BUILDing Futures assists at-risk students to develop and implement plans for postsecondary education and career. Our Personal Education Plans, part of the Mutual Accountability Plan (MAP), allow students to establish short and long-term goals, as well as action steps needed to reach their goals. BUILDing Futures reaches 750 participants a year, 500 are duplicated from the Prevention and Intervention Components.
Our team is diverse —80% of our staff reflect the cultures and life experiences of the young people and communities we serve.rtunities.
Our team is committed- yo young people, to quality, to impact.
Our team is talented —We bring proven expertise in administration, programming, clinical services and community engagement to bear on improving livesnt, and career-related topics.
Building Futures equips participants with tools and supports needed to graduate from high school (or equivalency), advance to post-secondary opportunities, develop leadership skills, and engage in civic engagement. Through workshops and individual counseling and support, BUILDing Futures assists at-risk students to develop and implement plans for postsecondary education and career. Our Personal Education Plans, part of the Mutual Accountability Plan (MAP), allow students to establish short and long-term goals, as well as action steps needed to reach their goals. BUILDing Futures reaches 750 participants a year, 500 are duplicated from the Prevention and Intervention Components.