ALMS Keeps It Simple For Youth Employability Service: Job Training Programs for Youth

All Leaders Must Serve (ALMS) is a nonprofit California mentoring organization with a unique approach that sets us apart. We empower young adults ages 15-25 to become job-ready, not just through traditional job readiness training, but also through our transformative training in soft skills, which includes work ethic, character development, and communication.

As an adult mentor organization that empowers through job readiness, we've learned to keep the message short, encouraging, and simple. In ALMS, we've learned to facilitate job training for youth in small increments that will keep young people engaged and interested. The lesson must come from the student's point of view, presenting information they may not have heard before, while also conveying the knowledge that employers are looking for this behavior, mindset, and action. The first 45 minutes we facilitate a lesson, which is the first and one of the most powerful things we can offer our youth – the lesson.

The best approach for a youth mentor program is to offer numerous opportunities for conversation during lessons. Most young people encounter training that only allows them to listen, but not to give feedback. It's a big mistake among training centers, education establishments, parents, and adult mentors. The fastest way to shut down the mind of a young person is to lecture them. Adults are so focused on imparting information to young people that they often talk without seeking feedback. It's one thing to teach this way to children, but we would get far more learning done if we also engaged them. But in the adolescent years and beyond, we should be asking what they are hearing!

Feedback is a cornerstone of our mentorship process at ALMS. We rely on it because we want to know if young people are genuinely listening and applying what we share with them. If we are only talking to hear ourselves speak or just to be seen, we are missing the great opportunity of preparing our youth to learn what we're talking about and to also think about what that means to them. We will never understand what they are hearing unless we ask them about it. Too often, educators and adults are afraid to learn that no one is paying attention, that the young adults disagree with our ideas, or that what we are saying seems irrelevant to the listener.

It is essential to ask our youth and find out what is going on. ALMS embeds questions during the lesson, specifically to find out where the student's understanding level is, as well as their interest. When mentoring at-risk youth, you cannot assume that they understand everything that is being said. The student may be struggling due to a lack of sleep. Lack of sleep may occur because there is trauma going on in the home. Trauma may be happening in the house due to insufficient income to cover bills and feed the family. And so it goes. We may never understand the underlining reasons, but we will know that the student is not engaged in understanding what goes on a resume or how to greet someone properly at a job interview.

Alternatively, the same student may struggle with vocabulary, which presents an opportunity to expand their vocabulary and thought. I recall when a student did not know the definition of an acronym. The adult mentors had a chance to stop and explain something so simple. Acronyms are prevalent in daily life; it could hinder that young person’s ability to navigate obtaining services or searching for employment.

ALMS keeps it simple by having everyone sit in a business setting and take turns reading a paragraph from that day’s lesson. By sitting in this way, we can start at one end of the room and ask everyone to read. Eventually, if someone struggles with reading, we are there to help them without shame or judgment.

Once, we had a young lady whose friends were so protective of her that she never had to read at her continuation school.

Facilitator: "Maria, would you read the next paragraph?"

Student's Friends: "No, she can't read. You shouldn't ask her!"

Facilitator: "Maria, I struggled with reading after graduation. I want you to try your best. We will help you."

It turns out that Maria had been in the country for two years. I called her phone and got her grandfather. We spoke for a while, and I invited him to bring Maria to the library, and I would help her read. He was thrilled and took her to the library the next day. Once I asked her to read for me, with none of her friends present, Maria began to read – almost perfectly! She was also surprised. She had been sitting in school, watching other people read, and as she followed along, she started getting the words without realizing it. Maria graduated from high school that year, receiving eighty percent of the scholarships. She went on to the Community College the following year.

At ALMS, we believe in the power of the mentor to create a safe and supportive learning environment. We often underestimate our youth by not challenging them to step out of their comfort zone and speak up, read, or provide feedback. It's not unusual for me to walk up to a student in the meeting and ask a direct question. I will have asked everyone the same question. But if an answer intrigues me and I want to learn more, I will move closer to them and ask them to tell me more. I will also let them know that I am not trying to embarrass them – "I want to understand!" Once they are convinced that I am authentic and genuinely interested in their thoughts, they have always opened up and shared.

Most students would appreciate being seen by an adult who values their feedback. That's what ALMS does. We must keep it simple by asking – "I want to know you, tell me more," young people will respond.

Many students do not share their thoughts. They may be brilliant visionaries and creative craftsmen; they may be with writers, poets, painters, and chefs. They may be great project managers, or healers, caretakers, or teaching. But whatever they are, whoever they are, they are waiting for someone to tell them that they can do it. We need to understand them their full person and potential and what they want to do with it. It's our responsibility to provide them with the information they need to 'become' and not neglect to ask them questions. The questions we ask are a simple way to peel the onion back to help them find the core of who they are supposed to be. Help ALMS continue to challenge our youth to become critical thinkers and servant leaders who give back to their community.

Monthly givers make it possible for ALMS to keep it simple - focusing on our youth instead of organizing large fundraising events or pursuing government grants.

Become a monthly giver.

For more information contact Jayne Williams, Executive Director at jayne@almsinyolo.org or go to our website at www.AllLeadersMustServe.org.

If you would like to donate to youth mentorship programs, visit ALMS at www.AllLeadersMustServe.org/donate.

Why ALMS is Different - Mentor Programs for Young Adults: ALMS Job Readiness Mentor Program

All Leaders Must Serve (ALMS) is a nonprofit California mentoring organization dedicated to empowering young adults ages 15-25. We achieve this through our transformative job training programs, which not only equip young adults but also provide ongoing support throughout their early adult life after they graduate from high school and college.

ALMS stands out from other mentor organizations. While others may focus on the needs of young children, our goal is to provide employability services to any young person in high school, out-of-school, attending community college, or a four-year college who needs assistance. We understand that securing a job is just the beginning, and that maintaining and excelling in a job or career can be challenging when a young adult lacks the basics of soft skills.

Soft skills are not just desirable, they are essential. Every employer expects a new employee to possess these skills before hiring them. Yet, too often, new employees are unaware of this, as neither parents nor schools emphasized soft skills to young people during the high school years.

In an average home, when it's time to go to school, parents may wake their student, and the youth may choose what they will wear – unless there's a school uniform. Parents may have breakfast prepared – if they eat breakfast - and a car, bus, or friend may be waiting for them to take them to school. If the student is sick, pretends to be, or has another reason for being unable to attend class that day, their parents call the school, and that is that.

Now the same young adult is expected to get themselves up, out the door, and arrive at work showered, dressed appropriately, groomed, and on time. Self-discipline may not have been taught, explained, or expected in the past. Yet, now those skills are expected to be successfully applied because money is involved. It's not only an unfair expectation, but it also sets our new employees up for failure; thus, the fear of failure only grows when it proves to be true.

Soft skills also include the ability to get along with coworkers and work effectively as a team. But if you learned to isolate and find comfort on your social media, it isn't easy to know how to take your job seriously. Work ethic demonstrates that being a hard worker is something you value for yourself as well as for your employer. If young adults leave their job to find a better one, it's like getting a divorce without realizing your part in the breakup. Young people must understand that the problem will follow them until they develop a strong work ethic, cultivate their character, and learn how to communicate effectively by asking questions and expressing their feelings to others.

Employers need to understand that this is what our young people are struggling with. Until we begin to communicate our willingness to listen, we could potentially be losing some of the best employees in our community.

The ALMS mentor programs for young adults provide mentors who play a crucial role in the success of our programs. These mentors listen without judgment, offering guidance and support to the young adults. They become the grandparents, uncles, and aunts who believe in the youth until they can believe in themselves. We operate in groups of three to ten, depending on the activity and/or program, and we allow the youth to choose who they feel comfortable with based on our stories, skill set, experiences, common family background or culture, and our concern for their success.

When a young adult does not trust others, but they believe you have something they need, they are willing to listen to what you have to say, at least once. Once may be the only chance you get to share your authenticity, so it is wise to offer your personal story – the one that you don't usually tell because it's embarrassing. But actually, it's those awkward moments that make you real to others. It's the pieces that make you unique from everyone else, and it's usually what causes someone to relate to and choose you as the person they trust as their mentor.

My personal story reveals a little history, a little about abuse and mental health in my family, and my experience of injustice and shame. But they can see that I rose above those things, which means they can too! My story encourages students to know that no matter what has happened to them, they are not alone, and Ms. Jayne will not judge them. As founder and Executive Director, I share my story with the youth when introducing ALMS mentor programs, so they know how passionate and honest I am about serving them. I want the young adults to know that ALMS is not just a job, but we have faith in them and in who they are meant to become. If it is the only thing they remember about Ms. Jayne, I want them to remember that!

What is it that you want the young adults that you mentor to remember about you? How much are you willing to humble yourself before you expect the young adults to trust you and listen to what you have to share? Mentors must model the way through our understanding and stories of pain, shame, isolation, loss, rejection, anxiety, and/or depression, before we expect young adults to want what we offer as mentors.

ALMS offers more than just a listening ear to young adults through mentor programs for adults. We provide adult mentors who are trained to serve others by sharing their personal stories of failure and success. We put ourselves out there and demonstrate that the path to success is through failure and perseverance, not giving up. Life continues to march on. Young adults are at the beginning of the journey. They will go through the school of life either alone or with the wisdom of adult mentors who have shared parts of their trip, their pitfalls, and their celebrations giving hope to the young adults who learn soft skills, self-discipline, self-reliance, and building character so that they may one day turn around and provide that information and more to the next generation.

Mentoring isn't just about spending time with someone; it's about investing in their growth and development. It's about giving them a piece of what made the mentor who they are. It's about planting a seed in the ground and watching it take root and grow into a strong tree with many branches, that will one day feed many more.

If you want to learn more, or if you would like to donate to youth mentorship, contact Jayne Williams at jayne@almsinyolo.org or www.AllLeadersMustServe.org/donate

ALMS Includes Everyone: Job Training Programs for Youth

All Leaders Must Serve (ALMS) is a grassroots nonprofit mentoring organization located in Woodland, CA. Within this quaint community, there are 1,722 students reported with disabilities of some sort, 2,043 English learners, not to mention homeless and foster youth. Imagine the many challenges the school district faces. Among the many challenges schools have today is orchestrating a learning environment with children on the spectrum, also known as Autism, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or Dyslexia. These are a few of the disorders considered Neurodivergent, which refers to a different way the brain works. In the case of Autism, it seems like more and more children are falling into this category because the definition has changed dramatically over the years and so have our perceptions of what it means to be autistic.

Lisa Jo Rudy, author of “A New Understanding” from “Verywell Magazine,” which is a website providing health and wellness information by health professionals, confirmed to me that the methods embedded into the All Leaders Must Serve (ALMS) program can motivate youth on the spectrum and with learning disabilities. Regardless of the challenge, whether diagnosed or not, All Leaders Must Serve (ALMS) in Woodland, CA has been amazed and encouraged to see how well youth ages 15-25 who have struggled in traditional school transform and even thrive after completing the Job Readiness or Trust series offered by adult mentors when mentoring at risk youth.

The article shares that “young people on the spectrum may be chatty or nonverbal, brilliant or cognitively disabled, hypersensitive to sound and light, or comfortable playing percussion in a band. The behavior of Autistic children and their issues may be unusually quiet and unresponsive, or they may have extraordinary abilities while others struggle to complete basic activities of daily living.” I can’t imagine how challenging it must be for teachers with even a few Autistic children springled among the 30 or more students in the classroom, serving the vast needs of how the brain is processing, learning, and the behavior differences at the same time. Throw in a pandemic when children are forced to deal with the requirements of restricting social activity, and you have the makings of a mixed-up, fearful, and anxious teenager. No wonder our high schools are brimming with students who do not trust and are fearful of the transition into adulthood.

As a society, we have been focused on the outcome of the pandemic and the confusion of these young people, and we are still trying different ways to help them. In response to these challenges, ALMS meets in person to provide face-to-face mentor support that continues from high school to age 25, when the brain is more developed and able to cope with difficult decisions with more confidence. But it is also the perfect developmental stage for comprehension and lasting change.

The ALMS mentor programs for young adults have been very successful with students in all social, emotional, ethnic, and economic differences. One of the reasons for this is that the founder, herself, was challenged with Dyslexia – another form of neurodivergent before anyone understood her needs. She left home at 18, moved to California on her own, and learned to accept her challenge. With the help of her first mentor’s belief in her, she learned to thrive with her disability. Her journey and the challenges she faced along the way inspired her to create a program that would provide the same kind of support and guidance to other young people facing similar struggles. That’s why she wrote and founded ALMS – to encourage and inspire every student at a point when they are the most vulnerable to paralyzing fears, anxiety, and depression to have access to a teenage mentoring opportunity with a topic focus of interested. With ALMS, an anxious high school student preparing for graduation can find a sense of purpose and confidence – armed with communication skills and an understanding of what’s ahead This information can change the trajectory of their life - and ALMS has the track record to prove it!

ALMS recognizes that ‘all brains and all minds matter,’ quoting Barry M. Prizant, PhD, author of Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism. Because so many young people fit into the vast description of being neurodivergent, on the spectrum, or autistic – many undiagnosed, ALMS has discovered that treating all students that come to their program between the ages of 15-25 with respect and celebrating their unique differences connects individuals to their strengths while supporting them to overcome many of their challenges. ALMS provides a positive community where students are seen and accepted, which helps them prosper socially and emotionally.

When communication skills are taught, practiced, and celebrated over time, the growth substantially prepares them for employment, relationships, and life. The ALMS youth program has learned that rather than seeing the students for their flaws, ALMS sees every participant, regardless of their challenges, as a necessary and needed part of the community. The key is to help students understand what they need to know and celebrate what makes them unique while removing shame and guilt for who they are. If the students don’t see the direction of their uniqueness, ALMS opens doors and keeps them moving until we find it. We do this through mentor participated community service, helping individuals people in need, and Industry Tours. Whether students are at-risk, neurodivergent, or high achievers, everyone has insecurities, fears, or questions about how things work. Everyone needs to be seen and valued; if they don’t, they don’t come to ALMS.

Now, more than ever, schools and parents need the grass-roots support of ALMS youth programs and mentoring programs for young adults to offer training, career development, and partnership throughout the community. As funding for education becomes scarce and government agencies like Health and Human Services (HHSA) and CalWORKS deal with restrictions, ALMS will remain steady with the support of the community as a nonprofit that does not receive government funding. Donate to youth mentorship and support ALMS as we discover the unique brains available and put them into the workforce to serve their community and grow their skills.

Become a part of our family as a monthly giver.

Go to the website AllLeadersMustServe.org/donate.

Written by Jayne Williams ALMS Founder and Executive Director

Mentor Programs for Adults: ALMS Nonprofit Mentor Program

All Leaders Must Serve is a nonprofit California mentoring organization that significantly contributes to the community, by empowering young adults ages 15-25 through job readiness soft skills.

These skills, including work ethic, character development, and communication, and they not only benefit the individual but also contribute to the community's growth. This service is made possible with the invaluable assistance of adult mentors who offer their time in various capacities. Whether it's two hours a day, two hours a week, or two hours a month, every mentor's contribution is significant. Some mentors even go beyond these commitments, participating in community service or activities with the youth participants that further enhance the training.

The following is the mentor description that ALMS follows.

WHAT IS A MENTOR?

Being a mentor is about more than just sharing your experiences and advice. It’s about listening and understanding.

A great adult mentor is known by how they inspire young adults to reach their goals, and that inspiration comes from a relationship. A mentor is not about control, but about building a meaningful relationship. The character and function of this relationship determine the quality and outcome of the mentorship. A mentor is committed to the developmental growth of the mentee, not living vicariously through them. If you find yourself talking more about yourself than listening to the mentee, you are not being a mentor. A mentor wants to understand the mentee so they can be encouraged in their journey and calling.

A mentor can serve their mentee in the following ways:

• They are a source of information. Mentors have the advantage of life experiences that the mentee does not have. Mentors can share advice, direction, and know-how.

• They provide wisdom. Wisdom means “the skill of living” or knowing what to do next.

• They promote specific skills and effective behavior. Mentors provide practical encouragement, so the mentee grows emotionally, as well as in other ways.

• They provide feedback. The mentor is a mirror and commentator. They share an informed point of view with a long-term strategy for life and respecting others.

• They coach. As a coach, they prepare and instruct their mentee to win at life.

• They are a sounding board. Mentors provide to their mentee the opportunity to test ideas and intuitions before they become attitudes, behavior, or plans.

• They are someone to turn to. Mentors are available for times of personal reflection and crises so the mentee can learn to trust, be authentic, respect their mentor and engage in an honest relationship. A mentor engenders that kind of confidence. . .

• They help devise plans. Whether one is charting a path for higher learning, plotting a career path or struggling with personal decisions in relationships, a mentor lends perspective and practical advice.

• They nurture curiosity. Mentors tend to open doors rather than close them. They show the possibilities, the opportunities and the unexplored. They seem to have a fondness for asking questions that create critical thinking skills and social awareness.

All Leaders Must Serve is dedicated to empowering students to become confident, resilient, and self-sufficient. We achieve this through the transformative power of mentoring relationships and job readiness training. By providing on-site mentoring services at high school campuses, we are able to build trust and relationships, reaching more students and inspiring hope for a brighter future.

Our mentor relationships and training not only identify leadership potential among youth participants but also nurture it, guiding these individuals towards a path of leadership and success. These young leaders have the opportunity to shine in front of their peers during our teenage mentoring opportunities, a testament to the impact of our mentorship programs.

For instance, during our first pilot program at a continuation high school, a young woman who had run away from home and was struggling with school attendance and engagement had a transformation during the eight-week program. After completing the Job Readiness sessions, ALMS recognized her leadership abilities and invited her to continue with the next group, allowing her to choose a lesson she would like to teach. She was thrilled, and she decided on the last lesson called “Leaders That Serve.” One part of this lesson allows the students to choose what positive characteristics they would like to be remembered by when they are much older. They have a chance to pick one character out of ten to twelve words. As this young lady was asking the other girls to select one, she commented.

“What I’ve learned is that once you select one, the others seem to follow.” What a profound thought from an 18-year-old in a continuation school. She went on to work with autistic children and has found her way as a leader who serves.

Becoming a mentor is not just about helping at-risk youth, it's also about personal growth and fulfillment. You have the opportunity to watch young people who otherwise might be lost to the streets, a connection to this new generation that needs to be seen, heard, and gently pushed in the right direction. We, as a community and country, cannot afford to let our young people drift off into the abyss just because they’re angry and frightened of what they don’t understand. If we had someone who took our hand and helped us, we owe it to the next generation. If we did not have that special person in our lives, we may not understand why it’s so important to do it.

When we invest in the next generation with positive thoughts, encouragement, and inspiration, we are not just touching their lives, but the lives they will touch. Instead of investing in addressing social issues like domestic violence, child abuse, homelessness, poverty, and crime, we should invest in those aged 15-25 before they become part of these statistics.

Let’s break the cycle one young person at a time.

Become an adult mentor – because mentoring at-risk youth is a responsibility we all share.

Donate to youth mentorship programs.

Go to our website at https://www.allleadersmustserve.org/donate. Or contact me at Jayne@almsinyolo.org;

www.AllLeadersMustServe.org

The Biggest Barrier: ALMS Youth Mentor Training

All Leaders Must Serve (ALMS) is a nonprofit California mentoring organization dedicated to empowering young adults aged 15-25 to become job ready.

We achieve this through our transformative training in soft skills, which includes work ethic, character development, and communication skills. When we first began our search to help young people through a Woodland, CA mentorship program, we had to ask: What are the issues young people are struggling with? If we're going to help young people find jobs, what skills do they need? It was clear that employers in Woodland and throughout the country were concerned about the lack of work ethic, character, and communication skills of our youth. There were stories of youth walking off the job during lunch, coming in late, and instead of asking a question, simply not completing the assigned work.

When Behavior Is Misread

Employers saw this as a lack of interest, integrity, and laziness. However, the truth was much deeper than the surface behavior exhibited on the job.

The real reason had an impact not only on future jobs the same young people would or would not apply for, but it also affected the mindset of employers who decided not to hire young people coming out of high school. These same young people needed to work to help support their families. They were disconnected youth who lived in families with limited resources and their own barriers to helping their children succeed. Often, the families that were Spanish-speaking only, often unschooled, migrants, under-skilled, low-wage workers who may not have the tools to answer their child's questions or fears.

In Woodland, many young immigrant children and teens are instructed to only trust people the family knows. Their parents are fearful of what might happen to their child, and after spending several summers in Mexicali, Mexico, I completely understand why. I recall a grandmother in grief because her two granddaughters went to school one day and never came home. After months passed, it became apparent to the community what had happened. Still, that type of trauma doesn't go away easily, if at all – and especially in a foreign country that may have a different environment.

Young ladies, especially, are encouraged to stay home as much as possible, although education is encouraged. Yet, parents don’t always make the connection between school and after-school programs that could provide more support and success for the student.

Unseen Struggles, Unspoken Fears

It makes it difficult for the ALMS program to reach high school students who want to advance their employment opportunities. The goal of ALMS is to convince parents that ALMS is a trustworthy organization. The one entity that parents in Woodland trust is the school. For ALMS to be successful, we must be an after-school mentor program that offers teenage mentoring opportunities for job readiness.

Although getting the parents to buy into a youth employability service program is difficult, it is still not the most significant barrier. Between the ages of 15 - 18 (high school), students are trying to discover who they are, what they will stand for, and who they want to be - at an age when they will choose what to follow. In other words, they have an increased awareness and are more self-conscious, with a desire for independence, often accompanied by emotional ups and downs, and are extremely sensitive to how people perceive and think about them.

For some, our adolescent memories include fun times with friends or family. It's a good place to hide from our fears and insecurities. However, the fact is that when we discuss young people leaving high school and securing a permanent, entry-level job, we aren't considering the mindset of the youth. We aren't taking into account that this generation lived through COVID-19 at home, often on their cell phones, playing games or scrolling through social media.

This generation attended school via a Zoom call on a computer screen or cell phone.

Some may not have had a camera attached to their device, which made it easy to be 'invisible' or not seen on the screen. For others, they could turn their screen off, not showing their face to the classroom, and possibly leave the computer without anyone knowing the difference. Employers now expect our youth to arrive for a job with essential soft skills, such as showing up on time, calling in (without parental assistance) to report any potential issues, or notifying the employer if we've moved or changed our phone number.

These are the same young people who, despite their fears, may show up at work in the beginning. But, some leave for lunch and never return, battling their anxieties about their employer, or choose to ignore a task because they're still learning how to do it. They carry with them the backpack of all their trauma and fears, and there is no instruction on how to cope with them on the job. They have no understanding of what to expect and how to process the information, or the appropriate response to address their questions. Why is this?

What the Resume Doesn’t Show

Many of these young people carry the trauma of their parents, and it influences how they see themselves, what they are capable of doing, and what they could learn if they understood the rules of the game. If they have no role model at home who teach them what it looks like to be a professional, how to dress, speak, and carry themselves with confidence, there's little hope they will know how to emulate it when the time comes.

The fear of failure is a feeling we can all identify with.

Addressing the barriers of young people is the essence of ALMS. The Executive Director meets every youth participant who chooses to join the mentor programs for young adults. She and the volunteer mentors share their personal stories of challenges and success. Students are inspired to dream big so they can think big! ALMS calls our big dream the moon!

The theme is 'reach for the moon – because if you don't arrive there, you will fall among the stars!'

The stars are places and people you never thought you would meet or visit. They are bigger than the dreams you had. As students are encouraged to dream big, they are encouraged with the words that the ALMS adult mentors will believe in them until they can believe in themselves. Yet, it's up to the youth to do the hard work and avoid distractions, and it's up to adult mentors to teach them what that looks like and be there for them. ALMS is here to guide them through this journey, offering hope and optimism for a brighter future.

ALMS strongly believes that the most significant barrier for young people to face is fear. Fear will cause them to be unprepared, making them feel unwanted and undervalued, and will easily distract them from focusing on their future and recognizing their value to their community.

ALMS or any good mentorship program for adults must address the harmful emotional battles that newly graduated and out-of-school youth face before they make poor decisions that could have lasting consequences. Without properly preparing our youth emotionally for their future, many are unable to access what's available to them. The lack of confidence and fear of rejection will continue to lead to disconnection and economic disadvantage, ultimately taking a toll on our society rather than helping these young people contribute to its building. ALMS believes that each individual is essential to enhancing and building a rich and diverse community. Let's make sure they are.

Your support is crucial. If you'd like to learn more, contact Jayne Williams at jayne@almsinyolo.org or visit our website at www.AllLeadersMustServe.org.

You can also become part of the family by becoming a monthly giver to expand our reach throughout the community.

Consider donating to youth mentorship at www.AllLeadersMustServe.org/donate.

ALMS Redirecting Juvenile Detention

All Leaders Must Serve (ALMS) is a nonprofit California mentoring organization dedicated to empowering young adults ages 15-25 to be job ready. We achieve this through our transformative training in soft skills consisting of work ethic, character development and communication skills.

ALMS started in 2015, and traditionally ALMS began at a local continuation school in Yolo, and worked primarily with high school girls. After achieving immediate success, it was soon requested by the Principal that we include boys. The first year boys were invited to the program, twenty-four (24) boys applied when our slots allowed for 7-10. It was a wonderful challenge to have; however, it showed the hopelessness of young men in our high schools and community, and these young men represented the ones who had not given up and dropped out.

Courage to Change: The ALMS Approach

When COVID-19 hit in 2020, the schools were not available to ALMS. We met with students in parks when the weather permitted and in local coffee shops. ALMS prepared to pivot to the immediate needs of the community, and if schools were not available, we knew that something else would be.

The ALMS Executive Director was invited to serve as a member of the District Attorney’s Restorative Justice Advisory Committee after recognizing the programs ALMS offered to youth with a first-time, low-level offense. ALMS was only one of many options. And, although ALMS offered both adult mentors and job readiness training, it required a one-day commitment for seven weeks.

The adult mentors assigned to the task included a retired insurance salesman with 20 years clean from drugs and alcohol, and a cancer survivor who spoke fluent Spanish. The other adult mentor was a retired correctional officer with 17 years on death row at San Quentin.

The bonus – these two men had been best friends from childhood. They saw in the young men a cry for help and became father figures. Most of the young men who came to ALMS were between age 22-25.

The young men chose ALMS because they were courageous enough to say, I want a mentor. I know my life is messed up, and I need answers. In fact, one young man asked to continue the program for a second course. He did not have a good relationship with his father, he left his mother when he was 16, was living with a girlfriend and learning carpentry from a friend. But drinking got him in trouble one night when he and his girlfriend were fighting. He didn’t think anyone cared. ALMS did!

The young man shared how much he wanted to become an electrician. He signed up for a government-financed apprenticeship and waited. He attended ALMS for almost two years, and poured out his hopes and dreams to his mentors, as they befriended him, encouraged him, and gave him advice about relationships, life, and work.

Four years later, the young man was hired by UC Davis as an electrician and still has a successful relationship with his girlfriend. He would tell you that at the beginning he didn’t want to come to ALMS. But once he did, it was like drinking a glass of cool, fresh water, and he was a thirsty man.

Mentors, Meals, and a New Start

When you’re homeless, you’re usually hungry and you do strange things that you never thought you would do. That’s what we learned about another young man who was sent to ALMS from the DA’s office.

This young man, 24 years old, left his mom’s house and chose to sleep in his car. That’s not unusual if there’s abuse in the home. His father was nowhere to be found, and this young man was withdrawn, isolated, and did not trust anyone. He was a large young man. About 6’7 and close to 250 pounds, solid, and hiding under a hoody.

Walmart was just some place where he thought he could get food, until he got caught.

He met the ALMS mentors and saw that someone cared. The District Attorney’s office required this young man to attend the ALMS mentor program for seven weeks, and in that time he made two unlikely friends. At the conclusion of his sessions, they took him to a coffee shop and then went shopping for interview clothing. He needed shoes, shirt, slacks and jacket. When he started ALMS, he had one part-time job. After finishing his program, he got two more jobs. One day one of the mentors got a call from this young man. “I just want you to know that I am laying on the floor of my new apartment with my keys in my hand.” He was no longer homeless!

Changing the Trajectory: Intervening Before Incarceration

ALMS believes that we can make a difference between those headed to incarceration and homelessness.

It’s harder to help young people once they’ve been incarcerated, but it doesn’t mean that we should not try and change the trajectory of young men and women who did not get the help they needed before they arrived there. ALMS is committed to the concept of going into Juvenile Hall and working for change. The brain has not fully developed yet. There’s room for thinking outside the box and looking for a way to embrace young people who have made a wrong turn in their journey.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation has taken up the torch towards Probation Reform. They highlight a three-minute video that explains how juvenile probation could be transformed. See the video here: https://www.aecf.org/blog/three-minute-video-explains-how-to-transform-juvenile-probation.

According to the video, Casey’s call to action is to the leaders and line staff of juvenile probation agencies — as well as judges, prosecutors, juvenile defenders, community organizations and other system partners. Their answer is to:

• Divert young people with nonviolent, low-level charges from juvenile court toward community organizations, human service agencies and their own families. Probation officers would focus their time on young people who pose a significant risk for serious offending.

• Emphasize incentives, not sanctions. For generations, juvenile probation has been built around punishment. Research makes clear this approach is backwards: Incentives moti-vate young people to do positive things like succeed in school and remain drug free.

• Commit to racial and ethnic equity. While only 40% of the country’s youth population are youth of color, they represent 68% of youth held in residential custody for technical viola-tions of probation orders. Youth of color are overrepresented on probation caseloads and diverted less frequently than their white peers, too.

• Build young people’s skills, decision making and positive connections to promote their per-sonal growth, positive behavior change and long-term success.

ALMS believes we address all of these issues, not just for those who commit low-level crimes, but all young people before they act on unhealthy impulses. Between the ages of 15 - 25, young people will make decisions that have life-long consequences. As adults, we are aware of and understand this. The time to act is now. You can proactively be a part of the solution.

Donate to youth mentorship and begin here!

ALMS is a grassroots organization that started with $1,000 in 2015. We have grown because we search for volunteer adult mentors who want to make a difference, train them, and then find opportunities to reach the young people who need the help.

Your support, no matter how small, can make a significant difference.

But we need your support now more than ever.

Visit www.AllLeadersMustServe.org/donate or contact Jayne Williams, Executive Director, at jayne@almsinyolo.org.

California Mentor Careers

It’s Easier Said Than Done

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The ALMS youth programs, which focus on empowering young adults ages 15-25 through job readiness, can provide retired and professional volunteers with an opportunity to engage with youth participants. The job readiness training is only as successful as the volunteers who participate in it. Where the student participants who attend ALMS are the target, the adult mentors are the arrows that provide the information and passion necessary to bring work ethic, character development, and communication skills needed when mentoring at-risk youth and young adults. The mentors who become youth mentors must be there with the right motive – to make a difference in a young person's life. And there are several reasons why attracting the right adults as mentors is easier said than done.

Having spent two decades recruiting volunteers for nonprofit organizations, I can attest to the challenges. Finding individuals who are available, understand the need, and possess the right skills and desire to perform the task is always a hurdle. This underscores the pressing need for more volunteers in our organizations.

Volunteering is an opportunity to set aside your own agenda and serve others in a small or big way. The act of volunteering can include simple acts of kindness by one person to a group that has a need within a community. I grew up when a new neighbor moving in, provided an opportunity for a family to bake a bundt cake or have a barbeque and invite them over for a cookout as a simple act of welcoming the new folks into the community. Young people were encouraged to show interest in the new neighbors and look for common interests as we shared a little about ourselves. Once the new neighbor came into the house, they were seated, if time permitted, and introduced. It wasn't uncommon for neighbors to become Uncle Joe and Aunt Jane if they visited frequently. Neighbors continued to greet each other, and not doing so was considered rude.

Those were the days when young people volunteered with their Boy or Girl Scout troop, club, or family members during special holidays. However, now background checks and reference calls are required. Dangerous people may live in your neighborhood; in fact, they might even be part of your family. Whatever the reason, many of our young people have not had a continued model of goodwill within and towards their community from community members. It's becoming increasingly popular that many young adults willing to trust someone recognize the need for a mentor if they plan to grow in their life or career. High school students who understand the purpose of a mentor will also admit that they desire help in this way. So, why doesn't every community have a teenage mentoring program?

Why isn't there a safe space for young people to be themselves, be heard, and feel accepted without judgment from adults? The answer is simple - it's easier said than done. But it's not impossible. First, we need to understand what a mentor is, what makes them successful, and how we can integrate mentoring into our daily lives. The ALMS youth programs started a Woodland mentorship program as a learning lab within the area, and it has proven to be very successful. This success is not just for the individuals involved, but for the entire community. ALMS aims to share many reasons, ways, and stories that make starting a teenage mentoring program not just a possibility, but a reality, and a source of pride for the community.

Adults have a habit of 'preaching' AT young people. I've noticed that when I take a certified course at a college or observe a high school classroom, the adult talks more than asks questions of the students. It's no wonder that students may drift off into their world, grab their phone, or keep their headphones on for their listening pleasure. When I've asked young people why they dislike school, they often share that it's boring. However, when they go through the ALMS training, we don't see phones, headphones, or participants drifting off, because we are always asking questions!

Becoming a mentor for youth is a journey to empower others. It means you are ready to engage with their interests, discuss topics that hold meaning, and guide them towards a better version of themselves. It's a testament to your belief in their potential, their dreams, and their future. Your role is to ignite their passion, to encourage them to explore beyond the ordinary, and to assure them that they have a significant role to play in the grand scheme of things.

Mentoring at-risk youth is one of the most significant opportunities anyone can experience; however, it is very misunderstood. As a mentor, we represent a great leader who is known for inspiring others to reach their goals for the benefit of everyone. That power comes from a relationship. Likewise, a mentor is not defined by control, but rather by the shared interest, respect, and memories they build together.

The essence and dynamics of the mentor-mentee relationship are crucial in shaping the quality and outcome of the mentorship. A mentor is dedicated to the personal growth of the young person, the mentee, not as a puppeteer who lives through their protégé. If a mentor spends more time imposing their thoughts, goals, beliefs, and opinions than listening to the mentee, they are not fulfilling the role of a mentor. A mentor's goal is to understand the mentee, encourage them on their journey, and guide them, not control them.

As a mentor, you can enrich your mentee's life by sharing your life experiences through engaging and relatable stories that turn into valuable lessons. You can also provide resources, such as places to visit and people to connect with, that can help young people seek assistance. Moreover, you can impart life skills that the mentee should pursue, learn, or adapt to, and help them make sound decisions independently. Often, what young people need is guidance on the next step, not judgment or someone to fix their problems for them. A mentor's goal is to empower the mentee to make their own decisions and find their own solutions.

It's easier to fix a problem for someone rather than to show them how to avoid, remove, or find their own answers. That doesn't teach our young people what they need to know to make it. A mentor teaches how to fish so our young people can fish again, when and where they need it. Eventually, they will become the mentors of the next generation, welcoming the neighbor who has moved in, and hopefully meeting the kids with a big smile and kind words. The old can become new again, the community can become a safe place, and we will begin to learn from each other as a much larger family that mends what is torn, as mentors.

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If mentoring is not for you, your financial support is always needed so others can do the work as

adult mentors. Donate to youth mentorship program with All Leaders Must Serve/Job Readiness as

a monthly giver of $25, $50 or $100 a month, the Big Day of Giving campaign in April/May or during

the school year. Click on the website at www.AllLeadersMustServe.org/donate. If you’re interested

in volunteering or mentoring contact Jayne Williams, Executive Director at jayne@almsinyolo.org or

go to our webpage at www.AllLeadersMustServe.org/contact.

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Woodland CA Youth Program

That Includes Everyone

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Among the many challenges schools have today is orchestrating a learning environment with

children on the spectrum, also known as Autism, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),

or Dyslexia. These are a few of the disorders considered Neurodivergent, which refers to a different

way the brain works. In the case of Autism, it seems like more and more children are falling into this

category because the definition has changed dramatically over the years, and so have our

perceptions of what it means to be autistic.

Lisa Jo Rudy, author of “A New Understanding” from “Verywell Magazine,” which is a website

providing health and wellness information by health professionals, confirmed to me that the

methods embedded into the All Leaders Must Serve (ALMS) program can motivate youth on the

spectrum and with learning disabilities. Regardless of the challenge, whether diagnosed or not, All

Leaders Must Serve (ALMS) in Woodland, CA has been amazed and encouraged to see how well

youth ages 15-25 who have struggled in traditional school transform and even thrive after

completing the Job Readiness or Trust series offered by adult mentors when mentoring at risk

youth.

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The article shares that “young people on the spectrum may be chatty or nonverbal, brilliant or

cognitively disabled, hypersensitive to sound and light, or comfortable playing percussion in a

band. The behavior of Autistic children and their issues may be unusually quiet and unresponsive,

or they may have extraordinary abilities while others struggle to complete basic activities of daily

living.” I can’t imagine how challenging it must be for teachers with even a few Autistic children

springled among the 30 or more students in the classroom, serving the vast needs of how the brain

is processing, learning, and the behavior differences at the same time.

Throw in a pandemic when children are forced to deal with the requirements of restricting social

activity, and you have the makings of a mixed-up, fearful, and anxious teenager. No wonder our

high schools are brimming with students who do not trust and are fearful of the transition into

adulthood. As a society, we have been focused on the outcome of the pandemic and the confusion

of these young people, and we are still trying different ways to help them.

In response to these challenges, ALMS meets in person to provide face-to-face mentor support

that continues from high school to age 25, when the brain is more developed and able to cope with

difficult decisions with more confidence. But it is also the perfect developmental stage for

comprehension and lasting change.

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The ALMS mentor programs for young adults has been very successful with students in all social,

emotional, ethnic, and economic differences. One of the reasons for this is that the founder,

herself, was challenged with Dyslexia – another form of neurodivergent before anyone understood

her needs. She left home at 18, moved to California on her own, and learned to accept her

challenge. With the help of her first mentor’s belief in her, she learned to thrive with her disability.

Her journey and the challenges she faced along the way inspired her to create a program that

would provide the same kind of support and guidance to other young people facing similar

struggles. That’s why she wrote and founded ALMS – to encourage and inspire every student at a

point when they are the most vulnerable to paralyzing fears, anxiety, and depression to have

access to a teenage mentoring opportunity with a topic focus of interested.

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With ALMS, an anxious high school student preparing for graduation can find a sense of purpose

and confidence – armed with communication skills and an understanding of what’s ahead This

information can change the trajectory of their life - and ALMS has the track record to prove it!

ALMS recognizes that ‘all brains and all minds matter,’ quoting Barry M. Prizant, PhD, author of

Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism. Because so many young people fit into the vast

description of being neurodivergent, on the spectrum, or autistic – many undiagnosed, ALMS has

discovered that treating all students that come to their program between the ages of 15-25 with

respect and celebrating their unique differences connects individuals to their strengths while

supporting them to overcome many of their challenges. ALMS provides a positive community

where students are seen and accepted, which helps them prosper socially and emotionally. When

communication skills are taught, practiced, and celebrated over time, the growth substantially

prepares them for employment, relationships, and life.

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The ALMS youth program has learned that rather than seeing the students for their flaws, ALMS

sees every participant, regardless of their challenges, as a necessary and needed part of the

community. The key is to help students understand what they need to know and celebrate what

makes them unique while removing shame and guilt for who they are. If the students don’t see the

direction of their uniqueness, ALMS opens doors and keeps them moving until we find it. We do this

through mentor participated community service, helping individuals people in need, and Industry

Tours. Whether students are at-risk, neurodivergent, or high achievers, everyone has insecurities,

fears, or questions about how things work. Everyone needs to be seen and valued; if they don’t,

they don’t come to ALMS.

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Now, more than ever, schools and parents need the grass-roots support of ALMS youth programs

and mentoring programs for young adults to offer training, career development, and partnership

throughout the community. As funding for education becomes scarce and government agencies

like Health and Human Services (HHSA) and CalWORKS deal with restrictions, ALMS will remain

steady with the support of the community as a nonprofit that does not receive government funding.

Donate to youth mentorship and support ALMS as we discover the unique brains available and put

them into the workforce to serve their community and grow their skills. Become a part of our family

as a monthly giver. Go to the website AllLeadersMustServe.org/donate.

Written by Jayne Williams

ALMS Founder and Executive Director

May 25, 2025

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