Teen interns had an enlightening experience with The Coach De Foundation. Local teens were given the opportunity to engage with the community through an internship provided by the local nonprofit. The internship consisted of 4 volunteer positions for teens ages 13-17 years old. The program was piloted in 2022 by teenagers who previously volunteered with the organization. Throughout the year students assisted with the planning of events, marketing for events, and execution of events. The program provides local teens with easily accessible job-related programming. Natchitoches youth experience a lack of programming that helps them transition into the next phase of life. The program provided youth with exposure to job fields, a complete resume, and a letter of recommendation. While interning teens learned to better serve their community, and expectations of professional settings and experienced a workspace as an introduction to the workforce. Learning job skills in a setting that youth are familiar with allowed them to develop important skills in a comfortable environment. Providing an easily accessible opportunity also breaks the transportation barrier local teens face. All required activities were scheduled at public walkable locations such as Ben Johnson Park. This teen internship opportunity was funded in part by the Natchitoches Community Improvement Foundation.
