Science, Technology, engineering, arts & Math

LAND

Oakland Youth First provides training through digital and media arts. Our State-of-the-Art production studios develop skills in music and streaming video broadcast. In addition, our OYF Land Program trains our participants to use renewable energy options as keys self-sustaining futures. OYF partners with the East Bay Regional Parks OYF students engage conservation and park research and services. Our program teaches financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills through our Small Business Development Program.

Oakland is the 5th busiest port in the United States. The Serendipity, OYF's 32’ cabin cruiser, explores the Bay Area marine environment, estuaries and shorelines. Certified Coast Guard instructors and retired service personnel train OYF participants for marine related careers. 

OYF's interwoven career alternatives allow our participants opportunities to gain knowledge in STEM and life skills related areas of learning. Our Linked Learning approach ensure our young students are better prepared in life and are more positive contributors to their communities. 

Financial literacy is a process through which an individual (or a family) gains a basic understanding of banking, savings, and the importance of good credit. It increases the likelihood that low- or moderate-income individuals or families will be able to buy a home or start a small business — and encourages economic stability in a given community. When developing a financial literacy training, the topics covered will necessarily reflect the unique needs of the audience as determined by a needs assessment. This practice lists many topics commonly included in money management or financial literacy curricula.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, emotional intelligence will be one of the top 10 job skills in 2020.

The awareness that emotional intelligence is an important job skill, in some cases even surpassing technical ability, has been growing in recent years. In a 2011 Career Builder Survey of more than 2,600 hiring managers and human resource professionals, 71% stated they valued emotional intelligence in an employee over IQ; 75% said they were more likely to promote a highly emotionally intelligent worker; and 59% claimed they’d pass up a candidate with a high IQ but low emotional intelligence.

 Certain skills may be more or less relevant to you  depending on your life circumstances, your culture, beliefs, age,  geographic location, etc. However, in 1999, the World Health  Organization identified six key areas of life skills:

• Communication and interpersonal skills.  
• Decision-making and problem-solving. 
• Creative thinking and critical thinking.  
• Self-awareness and empathy, which are two key parts of emotional intelligence. 
• Assertiveness and equanimity, or self-control.  
• Resilience and ability to cope with problems