Cradle to Career Pipeline

College Saving and Literacy Account Program for 0-10 Year olds. Program participants are matched up to $10 in their college savings account through matches provided by grant funding. UNI serves as the fiduciary of the accounts and manages sub accounts held by a child.

UNI partners with local community schools: Harms, Bennet, and Earhart to facilitate afterschool programming for 300 students annually. The program provides supplemental academic enrichment activities and support:

• Tutoring 
• Reading Help
• Career Exposure Activities
• Hands-on STEM learning

Ninth grade counts is a unique High School preparation program for 8th grade students. The program ensures that middle school students are academically prepared for meaningful enrollment into 9th grade. Students are actively engaged and exposed to intrinsic motivation learning, career exploration, and academic readiness. 

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The Detroit AmeriCorps Youth Success programs achieves this mission by working to reduce chronic absenteeism in Detroit Schools. AmeriCorps members dedicate a full school year to service in our local Detroit Schools.

ELITE is an afterschool and Summer Youth Employment program where young people immerse themselves in local organizing efforts. Students actively participate in community leadership efforts in Springwells. By participating in the program young people gain the knowledge and skills to advocate for their neighborhood. 

Green Team engages youth ages 16-19 in neighborhood beautification. Participants are paid to care for parks and green spaces in Springwells and learn about community engagement, lot design, tool safety, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, etc. The Green Team has a focus on community development & beautification through lot development. The group of youth actively install a wide array of green projects throughout the neighborhood:

Rain Garden

Charging Station

Bird Bat & Butterfly Habitat

Pocket Forest

Large Group Tree plantings

Step into a future filled with opportunity and growth. Embark on a journey that fosters not only professional skills but personal development, preparing you to excel in all aspects of life. Let us help you pave the way to a successful and fulfilling future.

Join a group of passionate young people busting the stigma around Mental Health. Be an advocate for accessing resources and receiving support to improve community mental health & wellness. Learn more about Mental Health, ways to destress, and host workshops for your peers to improve community well-being. 

Southwest Food Cultivators gain career based skills with a focus on gardening and culinary industries. The program’s work involves attending workshops, caring for Viva La Garden (UNI’s Community Garden) where they plant foods for neighbors, harvest produce, and cook. 

Southwest Rides is a community enterprise that is a full service youth managed bike shop. Participants engage in community bike ridership, safety, mechanics, and entrepreneurship. Our new storefront ‘Bikes y Bebidas’ is slated to open in Q3 of 2026. 

SUAMP began as an alley graffiti prevention campaign in southwest Detroit in 2013. Young people are a creative conduit for community engagement and development, the program connects with  professional mentorship to create the city’s densest collection of public murals. SUAMP provides enhanced opportunities for leadership, artistic and educational development, and youth involvement in community revitalization.

14-24 year olds are employed for 6 weeks from July to August. Every participant gains hands-on job experience and career exposure through a variety of UNI programs and local job placement opportunities. Apply for the opportunity using the Grow Detroit’s Young Talent Application at https://gdyt.org/youth.

Learn the ins-and-outs of data and quality at UNI. The q-team is a year-round youth program that evaluates and informs the development and build out of internal UNI programs. The group receive a wide array of hands-on training in:

• Documentary photography
• Graphic Design
• Facilitation/leadership
• Research Protocol
• Evaluation

Meet for a monthly neighborhood cleanup with UNI. We gather with residents, neighbors and other partners to clean streets, alleys, and greenspaces throughout the neighborhood.

The Neighborhood Resilience Committee (NRC) develops community organizing leadership within the Springwells Neighborhood. The program equips residents with the training, knowledge, and skills to build a base within our community with a goal to address the issues in our neighborhood. The Neighborhood Resilience Committee informs UNI’s day to day advocacy efforts. Currently the group focuses on developing a policy agenda for newcomers' justice, education equity, affordable housing, public transportation enhancements, enviornmental protection, and economic & cultural development.

College Students can receive 1:1 support to access college resources:

• College Applications
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Scholarships
• College Course Enrollment
• Navigating Resources on Campus
• On-campus peer support

Join a group of Early to Mid-Career Professionals who support UNI’s mission & programs. Engage with our programs by hosting fundraisers, joining advocacy efforts, and building opportunities for young people to connect with you and your career.