A 19-year-old caring for their brother’s children needed more than encouragement to finish school. They needed diapers.

When C-TEC Youth Services Career and Education Advisor Kimberly Graves learned the young person was caring for their nieces and nephews while their brother was in jail, she helped secure $800 in diapers through the Clackamas County Hub. It was a practical act of support, but it also helped build trust.

“We show up because they ask us to,” Graves said. “When I call to encourage them to take the GED, we have built trust and shown that we care. It’s all personal, showing up and meeting personal needs.”

For Clackamas Education Service District’s C-TEC Youth Services program, reengagement often starts there: with a young person’s most immediate need.

A Program Built for Reengagement

C-TEC Youth Services has supported youth and young adults since 2000. The program helps people ages 14 to 24 in Clackamas County reconnect with school, training, employment, and community resources.

The program grew out of the Clackamas Career & Technical Education Consortium and continues to focus on helping young people pursue education and employment goals. Fully grant-funded and supported by a strong network of community partners, C-TEC Youth Services provides flexible, individualized support for young people whose needs may not fit traditional school or workforce systems.

At its core, the program is built around a simple truth: stability often has to come before long-term planning.

Building Stability and Trust

Many youth served through reengagement programs are navigating housing instability, transportation challenges, family responsibilities, mental health needs, employment pressures, or other barriers. Traditional school models often assume students have reliable housing, consistent transportation, family support, and time to focus primarily on academics. For many young people, those assumptions do not match reality.

C-TEC Youth Services responds by looking at the whole student. Advisors help young people identify barriers, access services, receive mentoring, and build confidence. Sometimes that support means helping a student prepare for the GED. Other times, it means securing diapers, finding transportation, helping someone obtain vital documents, or simply showing up consistently.

For C-TEC staff, practical support is also relational support. Each act of follow-through helps young people know they are not navigating school, work, or life transitions alone.

Connecting Education and Employment

Academic support is one of the program’s core pillars. Youth may work toward a high school diploma, complete credit recovery, prepare for the GED, or explore alternative learning options.

Workforce readiness is another major focus. C-TEC Youth Services offers work readiness classes, career exploration, employer connections, training opportunities, and paid work experiences. These services help participants understand career options, develop professional skills, and begin building work history.

For young people who have experienced instability or disconnection, one successful class, training opportunity, or work experience can become a turning point.

Progress That Reflects Persistence

During 2024–25, more than 200 youth and young adults were enrolled in C-TEC Youth Services, including 130 working toward a diploma or GED. Participants earned 51 GEDs, and others completed work readiness training, Youth Financial Foundations training, and paid work experiences. Many were also employed, attending college, or both.

Behind those outcomes are individual stories of persistence. One student referred at age 16 after dropping out of high school went on to pass the GED, complete work readiness training, finish pre-apprenticeship training, earn certifications, and enroll at Clackamas Community College for a welding associate degree.

Another student who grew up unhoused and did not attend high school is now working toward her final GED test and has earned certifications as a Peer Wellness Specialist and Certified Recovery Mentor.

A Community Investment

Kimberly Graves, C-TEC Youth Education Advisor and local attorney, has seen what can happen when young people’s needs go unmet.

“I’ve seen the impacts of not doing anything; we know that when we don’t address lack of housing and basic needs, it can turn into a courtroom setting,” Graves said. “It’s hard to change things once an individual enters the criminal justice system. If we create successful adults, we can improve our whole community.”

For C-TEC Youth Services, reengagement is about more than helping a young person earn a credential or find a job. It is about helping youth feel seen, supported, and capable of building a future.

Through flexible academic pathways, workforce preparation, personal support, and strong community partnerships, C-TEC Youth Services offers a practical and hopeful example of what it means to show up when it matters most.