Northbound Youth Collective
Sample website by Suspence Digital. Northbound Youth Collective is a fictional nonprofit; names and figures are illustrative.
Northbound
Youth Collective

Wren Valley's Northside · Since 2014

First jobs. Real mentors. A way forward.

Northbound connects young people ages 14 to 24 with paid internships, one-on-one mentors and job training that leads to a career.

Find a program Support a young person
Summer jobTrainingMentorCareer
312young people in programs
148paid summer internships with local employers
$412Kearned by participants in wages
91%of high school seniors graduated on time
From the 2025 annual report.
Programs

Four stops, one route

Most young people start with a summer job and keep going. You can join at any stop, and every program is free.

  1. Ages 14–18

    Summer Jobs

    A paid six-week internship at a local business, hospital or city office, with a weekly workshop on showing up and speaking up.

    When
    July–August, 20 hours a week
    Pay
    $15 an hour
    Apply
    January 15–March 31
    Get notified when applications open →
  2. Ages 18–24

    Pathways Training

    Twelve-week training cohorts that end in an industry certification and a job interview with a hiring partner.

    Tracks
    Nursing assistant, IT support, skilled trades
    Next cohort
    Starts January 11, 2027
    Apply for January →
  3. Ages 14–24

    Mentoring

    A trained adult mentor who meets with you twice a month for a year, matched by interests and career goals.

    Time
    4 hours a month
    Where
    Our center or anywhere in town
    Ask for a mentor →
  4. Ages 16–24

    Career Lab

    Drop-in help with résumés, job applications, FAFSA and college essays, plus free interview clothes from our closet.

    Hours
    Mon–Thu, 3:00–7:00 PM
    Where
    410 North Avenue
    See the Lab's schedule →
Volunteer

Give an evening, change a résumé

Short shifts at the Career Lab need no training. Mentors commit to a year and complete a background check.

    Become a mentor

    Thirty young people are waiting to be matched. If you can give four hours a month, you can be the steady adult in someone's corner.

    • Two-hour orientation
    • Background and reference check
    • Meet twice a month for one year
    Employers

    Hire with us

    Host a summer intern, interview a Pathways graduate or lead a workshop. Northbound handles recruiting, onboarding and paychecks for summer interns.

    • Wren Valley HealthNursing assistant track
    • Riverside Credit UnionSummer interns since 2016
    • Wren Valley City HallPublic service internships
    • Northside Builders GuildSkilled trades track
    • Valley IT CooperativeIT support track
    • Commons MarketRetail and customer service

    Friday, December 4, 2026 · 6:30 PM

    Northbound Night, our annual dinner

    Meet this year's graduates, hear what they've built and help fund next summer's jobs. Riverside Lodge, Wren Valley.