Hope Builders

Hope Builders

Hope Builders serves young adults ages 18–28 in Orange County who face significant barriers to self-sufficiency, including lack of childcare, transportation, unstable housing, food insecurity, family instability, mental health challenges, legal issues, and limited digital or financial literacy. With an average household income of just $30,639, all 282 participants enrolled in the previous fiscal year met HUD’s low-income threshold for Orange County. Of those, 89% were classified as extremely low-income, and 55% lived at or below the Federal Poverty Level guidelines. Of those served, 14% were parents, 15% had been involved in the justice system (limited to the construction pathway, as healthcare roles require clean backgrounds), 30% had experienced trauma specifically related to domestic violence or foster care emancipation, 60% were women, and 96% identified as Hispanic/Latino. Hope Builders prepares participants for in-demand industries and place them into the workforce. The program consists of: A. Job Skills Training: Hope Builders provides industry-specific training that includes contextualized basic skills instruction and financial incentives including a monthly stipend and assistance with childcare and transportation expenses. Trainees are expected to attend daily, arrive on time, and dress professionally. Training are offered in the following two fields: 1. Construction (12 weeks): Hope Builder’s Construction Training Program covers construction fundamentals, daily applied math, leadership development, OSHA-10 safety standards, and introduction to various trades including carpentry, electrical, and plumbing. 2. Healthcare: Hope Builders supports workforce development in the healthcare industry through its Clinical Medical Assisting and Child Development Careers programs: a. Clinical Medical Assisting (20 weeks ): Prepares trainees to measure vital signs, assist physicians with procedures, administer medications and injections, record electrocardiograms, draw blood, and manage patient records. Training also includes a 160-hour practicum in a healthcare setting such as a clinic or physician lead medical practice. b. Child Development (6 weeks): Prepares trainees for roles as Behavioral Technicians, Para-educators, Instructional Aides, or Early Childhood Assistant Teachers in schools and clinical settings. Trainees employed by behavioral therapy providers may take the Competency Assessment and RBT Exam to become Registered Behavioral Therapists (RBTs). B. Mentoring/Life Skills: Throughout training, participants work with their employment readiness coordinator to address barriers to employment and develop key professional skills including accountability, initiative, productivity, grit, and leadership. C. Links to Career and Education Pathways: Hope Builders partners with Rancho Santiago Canyon Community College District to offer post-secondary credentials. Guest speakers from employers across the County broaden trainees’ career awareness. D. Employment Services: Hope Builders supports job placement and retention via its staffing agency, Hope Builders Career Connections (HBCC). HBCC places graduates in full-time, living-wage positions with advancement potential and provides six months of post-placement support to ensure sustained employment success.