Synchrony Bank has been a major donor and partner for Youthlinc and it’s flagship after-school peer mentoring program, Real Life. Because of a landmark grant from Synchrony Bank in 2014 and through a wonderful partnership agreement with Promise South Salt Lake, Real Life made a leap from two sites to five during the 2014-2015 year. With the continued support of Synchrony Bank throughout the years, Real Life now influences 400+ students, 12 Real Life interns, 120 peer mentors at twelve Real Life locations. The growth of Real Life would not be possible without the support of Synchrony Bank.
In addition to their generous financial support of the Real Life program, Synchrony Bank has also taken an interest in assisting with curriculum development. Just this month, Andrew Wong, who is over the Business Leadership Program at Synchrony, developed a Career and College Readiness curriculum. He has structured the curriculum to be taught in person or virtually as needed. The breakdown of courses are as follows:
Section 1: Sparking Career Interest and Inspiring Hope
- What’s out there and how can I achieve my goals?
- Figuring out your Passion
- Important Skills and Traits
Section 2: Pathways and the Importance of Education
- Importance of Education
- Applying to College
- What do I study and how do I be successful in school?
Section 3: Financing your Future and Career
- The Importance of Budgeting
- Scholarships and Financial Aid
In addition, Alan Urie, the Senior Vice President and CRA Officer, has been an incredible mentor of the Real Life Program. He has given us expertise counsel as our program has grown and developed over the years. Synchrony Bank, our flagship Real Life donor, has generously contributed $350,000 in total contributions throughout the years. Youthlinc would like to give a big THANK YOU to Synchrony Bank for their continuous support of the Real Life program. Their support has provided profound opportunities to refugee and immigrant youth.