About YES

Founded in 1970, Youth Employment Service (YES) is a locally chartered, community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to helping young people pave roads to economic independence. Our mission is to support the community by enabling Orange County youth and young adults to secure and maintain meaningful employment. YES is dedicated to offering programs that help 16-24 year-olds improve their self-esteem, employability, career choices, financial/personal self-sufficiency, and quality of life.

Here at Youth Employment Service, we seek to inspire our community’s youth to achieve their dreams.

We accomplish this by helping youth gain economic independence and personal self-sufficiency through training and meaningful employment opportunities.

Approximately 50,000 young people have been served by our teen-friendly programs, which includes structured pre-employment skills training, individualized job and life skills counseling, job referrals, mentoring and follow-up services.

In 2008, YES began offering advanced employment skills training for older youth, and we implemented a financial education component that helps youth learn what to do with a paycheck once they have a job, including opening a bank account, budgeting, and the importance of good credit. More recently we established a mock interview program where volunteers from the business community give youth a first hand experience of going through an actual job interview, complete with feedback, tips for success, and videotaping so that each youth can be the best job candidate possible.

Helping youth get a job and keep a job is what YES is all about. We provide a friendly environment where each youth is treated with dignity and respect. We address employment needs on an individualized basis. Youth learn the employment process through life skills building, as well as pre-employment and job retention skills training. Youth are referred to good and meaningful jobs here in their own community where they learn the value and satisfaction of a good days work, grow their skills, and contribute to a thriving economy.Our offices and walk-in resource center are located in a cozy house on the corner of East 19th and Church Streets in Costa Mesa, California directly across from the Mother’s Market parking lot. Stop by and pay us a visit!

We believe:

• Young people’s personal growth, quality of life, and ability to be self-reliant are enhanced through successful employment experiences.
• Young people are unique and have great personal worth.
• Young people deserve to be treated with respect.
• Young people need to understand their strengths and recognize their options in order to reach their full potential.
• Young people who apply these values will gain increased self-esteem and a greater ability to understand what it takes to live a significant life that makes a meaningful contribution to society.