Community Works is driven by a fundamental belief that leadership and creative practice pave the way for civic engagement. Though both skills are demonstrated in many ways and take many forms, at their core is problem-solving. Our programs are designed to help students discover the leader in each them and give them the tools to create solutions to challenges in their lives, their families and their communities. Community Works serves at-risk youth in inner city and urban schools delivering programs focusing on identity, empowerment, leadership and creative problem solving.

For the past three years, Community Works has collaborated with the CA Dept of Education’s AME sector to design and pilot a statewide CTE student organization called the Creative Careers Leadership Lab. This year, the CCLL enrolled over 30 middle and high schools throughout the state in the pilot, involving nearly 7000 students in our virtual and in-person programming. The CCLL has applied for state charter as a CTSO for California, paving the way for the first CTSO focused on careers in creative industries to be launched in the 2024-25 academic year.