Program Details

Camaiya is a powerful example of what can happen when we invest in the professional growth of young people in our community. She originally applied to our summer employability internship program simply hoping to earn a little money and gain her first work experience. However, when we met her, it was clear that she lacked the confidence and basic employability skills necessary to apply for and interview for jobs independently.
She was extremely shy, avoided eye contact, spoke barely above a whisper, and felt so unsure of herself that she brought a parent to her interview for support. She also had no prior knowledge about the job market. As staff, we quickly recognized that Camaiya was precisely the kind of young person our program exists to serve—someone with genuine motivation and potential who just needed guidance, skill-building, and encouragement.
Once hired as a summer intern, Camaiya made the most of every opportunity. Though initially uncomfortable stepping outside her comfort zone, she grew tremendously throughout our interpersonal and interview skills curriculum. She progressed from struggling with simple conversation to confidently advocating for herself and clearly communicating her strengths to potential employers.
Even without previous work experience, she embraced the Illinois workNet Employability modules and our “Professionalism 101” curriculum. By the end of the internship, she had completed the program with perfect attendance and no concerns regarding professionalism or punctuality.
To continue strengthening her confidence, we placed her at the Harvey Park District, where she interacted daily with youth campers, parents, and visitors—giving her invaluable real-world practice engaging with others.
Thirty days after the program ended, we learned that Camaiya had successfully applied the knowledge she gained from her internship to secure permanent employment at Crumbl Cookie. In just a few months, she transformed from a young woman who struggled to make eye contact to someone who now interacts with hundreds of customers each week.
She went from having no work experience to independently landing a job using the skills our program helped her develop. Camaiya is incredibly grateful for her time in our internship program—and today, she continues to thrive at Crumbl Cookie.