The Charleston Job Corps Center (CJCC) operating under Horizons Youth Services (HYS) attended the first #YoungWV Conference at Marshall University, August 27 & 28th, 2016. #YoungWV is a power building conference. The slogan, A conference for young people changing the world, led by young people changing the world captured the overall experience. WV Youth 14-25 came from counties across the state to attend and participate in workshops and team building activities. In addition, a campus tour of Marshall University was provided.

The goals of the Young WV conference include:
• Youth awareness as an integral part of their community and state.
• To create an interactive and judgement-free space where their energy, talent and knowledge towards creating concrete goals and strategies for change could be expressed.
• Developing skills and knowledge about how community change happens and to think analytically about current realities of the effects of poverty, addiction and oppression.
• To build relationships, network and have FUN!

The conference builds on the success of the Our Children Our Future campaign led by Stephen Smith. Several community forums, meet the candidate nights, and political advocacy has been spearheaded by youth impacting their community and state. Sponsors for the conference included HSTA, Kanawha Communities that Care (KCTC), Wayne Co. SADD, Wyoming Co. SADD, Putnam County Wellness, Healthy Kids and Families Coalition, American Friends Service Committee, Campus Compact, WV FREE, Fairness WV, High Rocks, Step by Step, WV Citizen Action Group, Marshall TRIO and Kanawha Communities that Care. A special thanks to KCTC for their sponsorship of CJCC staff and students. CJCC student attendees included Ikea Graves and Cyrus Dunbar accompanied by Tia Welch, Business Community Liaison and Rudolph Trigg, Counselor.

Job Corps is a no-cost education and career technical training program by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16-24 improve the quality of their lives through career technical and academic training. The Charleston Job Corps Center is overseen by the Philadelphia Regional Office of Job Corps and is operated by Horizons Youth Services.