LGBTIQ Philadelphia youth project is a success
On February 28th, Philadelphia’s Foyer Project, a volunteer effort to assist homeless and “aging out” of foster care queer youth, graduated its first class of Pride Works, Inc., a job-readiness program exclusively for LGBTQ youth. The program, developed by University of Pennsylvania graduate student, and Out In Jersey writer, Noel Ramirez, saw 13 young people complete the program.
Ramirez, who assisted in developing the curriculum, obtained a grant to fund it and taught the course himself. He presented each certificate with brief but very personal speeches about what strengths each of the students had brought to the program. The graduation, held at the offices of the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund, ended with a buffet lunch for graduates, family and friends.
Developed by members of The Foyer of Philadelphia, in cooperation with The Attic Youth Center and The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, the program covered such areas as resumes, personal attitudes and dress and career counseling. Pride in being who and what you are was a big ingredient, reinforced by both the personal relationships students formed during the course and by such events as a field trip to see the hit movie Milk.
