For young adults, Catholic Charities provides a second chance to keep youth off the streets and give them real purpose for the future, through such programs as the YAIP (Young Adult Internship) Program. Here we would like to highlight one of our success stories, Jamal Jones, who is a recent graduate of the YAIP Program.
Jamal’s motivation to make the most of his experience with Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens started as soon as he interviewed for YAIP. During the application process he expressed a strong interest in working in film and production. Through mutual dialogue, Washington Koen Media was identified as his employer of choice to gain work experience in the entertainment industry.
Jamal was successful in his internship placement earning a “4.5/5” on his end-of-cycle evaluation and eventually earning a part time position with the employer. His positive work performance secured the employer as a continued worksite partner for future interns.
Jamal took a group assignment and raised the bar on the quality and expectations while he showcased his expertise and passion for this career field. Jamal’s legacy is left in the final product of the video, “Journey to YAIP,” which he edited, directed, and produced. This was a highlight at Jones’ graduation and continues to serve as a marketing tool for the overall program.
Post-internship, Jamal not only earned a part-time job at Washington Koen Media, he was also given an opportunity to produce, direct and edit the video for a new startup company Appigi -a social service referral smartphone application. The video was entered into the NYC Big Apps competition that helped Appigi win the “Big Ideas” category. To recognize his contribution to their overall success, an invitation was extended to Jamal to attend a luncheon with New York City’s First Lady Chirlane McCray to discuss the application and how it will benefit NYC social service agencies.
