Albany Housing Authority to create youth program with $1M grant

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - The Albany Housing Authority wants to give young people in the Good Life City a good start to their futures.

With a new $1.3 million in funding, the Housing Authority will work to create a youth program, help young people earn job certifications and qualify them for well-paying trade jobs.

The grant is provided by the Department of Labor, and it’s designed for people between the ages of 16 and 24. It will last for three years.

“It’s literally for residents of both of Dougherty and Lee to actually gain some much-needed skills in the trades in regard to electrical plumbing, carpentry, things of that nature,” CEO William Myles said. “And so, it’s a three-year program. Three-year grant in which they’re going to learn a lot in the classroom as well as get hands-on experience.”

Students will also have to complete a special project to finish the program.

“Within those three years, they’re supposed to build a duplex from the ground up. And we’re going to allow it to be affordable for homeless vets. And so we’re really excited about that opportunity,” Myles said.

Deneshia Taylor-Nance is the interim chief operating officer of the Housing Authority.

“This gives a lot of opportunity for those that don’t have any work experience to come right in and get that experience,” Taylor-Nance said. “And then actually get some certifications and on-the-job training to really help open up the doors for some much-needed employment or possibly their own businesses.”

And if students want to become certified in other fields besides things like plumbing and carpentry, they have that option as well.

“It also has another part to it because it’s called Construction Plus,” Myles said. “And that plus is for the medical industry as well. So, individuals that want to learn anything about EKG, CNA certification, things and such of that nature. This grant will cover that as well.”

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