Diakonia

Background Statement

Diakonia was founded in 2010 to provide affordable, early childhood education to preschool-aged children. In early 2021, Diakonia chose to pivot away from its founding mission due to shifting government priorities around early education and closures from the COVID-19 pandemic, and our mission now is to empower underserved youth through vocational training and education, paving the way for them to transform their lives. Diakonia shifted to focus on youth exiting the foster system, those involved in the justice system, and those at risk of system involvement in response to the disproportionate challenges these youth consistently face such as poor academic performance, low behavioral inhibitions, and low levels of positive parental involvement. Diakonia learned that what these youth need most to transition well into adulthood is access to the skills and training necessary to succeed in the workplace. Conversations with individuals and agencies across the community caring for at-risk and underserved young adults, including the Department of Human Services, the Colorado Youth Detention Continuum, the Division of Youth Services, Pikes Peak Workforce Center, and professionals throughout local school districts, revealed a substantial and growing need for employment services tailored to the needs, challenges, and barriers these youth face.