In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, STRIVE president & CEO Philip Weinberg and STRIVE board co-chair Roy Castro join me to discuss how the nonprofit has been connecting historically-excluded populations to life-changing careers and skills for the past 40 years.

“We believe in the principles of equity and justice and opportunity for all. There’s too many individuals, as we know, in our communities who are talented and looking for access to build a career, but often don’t know where to go. We believe at STRIVE in giving them a fair shot,” explains Weinberg.

The nonprofit was born in 1984 in the basement of an East Harlem New York public housing apartment building. Today, STRIVE is in about a dozen cities, including Baltimore, New Orleans, and San Diego, and has helped nearly 90,000 graduates gain access to the training and support needed to build a career.

Weinberg adds, “We show up in communities through partners that license with STRIVE to deliver our evidence-based workforce programming within their broader portfolio of services. STRIVE always shows up in concert with community, with public officials and mayors’ offices, and anchor institutions like community colleges, other nonprofit providers, and local philanthropy.”

Weinberg says most of their students come to STRIVE unemployed or in low-wage, low-quality jobs.

“Our average age is about 30. Most of our students come to us on public assistance looking to create a sense of financial independence and empowerment for themselves and their families. Over 40% of our students are parents to minors. 40% of our students do have experience with the criminal justice system.

“We’ve built a model that is comprehensive to support people who are often encountering significant hurdles in life through no fault of their own – injustices, racial injustices, injustices in systems,” he adds.

STRIVE offers 10 weeks of no-cost training that is customized to credentials local employers are looking for that can give the students access to high-quality, high-growth occupations. The program includes three to four weeks of intensive coaching and mentorship on team-building, managing conflict, and professional communications. After the training, the nonprofit’s employment team works with the students to connect them with employers.

Roy Castro is the co-chair of the STRIVE board and the founder and CEO of Castro Ventures, a multimillion dollar firm. He is also a STRIVE alum.

“22 years ago, I actually graduated from STRIVE. They took a Roy who was 28 years old, never had a job in his life, only knew the street life. After the street life, he only knew prison life. No job experience, no corporate America experience, never had a manager, didn’t like command and chain of command, didn’t understand that. And STRIVE was able to show this kid that there’s more out there,” Castro shares.

“I was one of the lucky ones that was able to go to STRIVE. STRIVE took me in and guided me at when I was literally at my most darkest moment in my life when I was most lost, and I needed more than just a job at that time, and STRIVE was there to pick me up,” he explains. “This is why I’m so passionate and why 22 years later I’m equally – if not more – as passionate and I give my time to STRIVE.”

Weinberg and Castro go into more detail on how the program connects students to those jobs and how the STRIVE program doesn’t end at graduation. STRIVE offers them lifetime support.

You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 331: STRIVE president & CEO Philip Weinberg and STRIVE board co-chair Roy Castro
Host & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNation
Producer: Larry Buhl
Theme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4
Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode here
Work in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here