LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky program is helping young adults transform their lives and reach their goals.
In the past, 23-year-old Jemara Brothers felt she was at a standstill in life, until she said she decided to take matters into her own hands and make sure her future was bright.
“Mentality-wise, I wasn’t there yet, but I’m there now," said Brothers, a participant at The Spot. "I just want better for myself in general, and I feel like The Spot has helped ... I’m just appreciative.”
In January, she joined the downtown Louisville location of The Spot Young Adult Opportunity Campus inside the Jefferson Community & Technical College building. It helps young adults, like Brothers, further their education, start a career and reach their goals.
Brothers said the program helped schedule her learner’s permit test, helped her find a job, made sure she had work attire and helped her find suitable housing. She's now in the process of finding a car and said the program has been a blessing.
“It’s not too good to be true; it is true," Brothers said. "I really like that about them ... it’s like they want better for me as well.”
Nicole McGill, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky director of Young Adult Services, said The Spot is a partnership between Goodwill Industries of Kentucky and Kentuckiana Works. It provides services to adults 16 through 24, with a focus on education and employment connections, and began in 2021.
"Some of our leaders at Kentuckiana Works and Goodwill saw that there was a need to get young adults connected to resources," McGill said. "COVID-19 had a big impact on this population, so we want to get them the skills and other opportunities they may have lost out on, being in that virtual world.”
It offers a host of resources, including job training, job and college tours, paid internships, homelessness support, an on-site therapist, money to help with education and employment needs. All services are free.
“We’re really trying to take that wholistic approach to service delivery ... we’re reducing barriers so that they can be successful,” McGill said.
Naja McKenzie, 21, rejoined the program about three months ago. She’s also working full-time while being a mother of one and said it has taught her about her own finances such as building and maintaining credit, along with choosing a good car. McKenzie added the program helped her learn how to navigate her own emotions.
“I’m blessed; that’s really all I can say," McKenzie said. "This program has really changed my life and helped me see things in a different light, if I’m going to be honest.”
Brothers starts school at JCTC soon. Both she and McKenzie said they have plans to become phlebotomists.
McGill said The Spot will soon open another location in Louisville's Southland Terrace. The program has three locations: two in Louisville and one in Eminence in Henry County.