Genesis CDC
Prep for Success.
Five focus areas built around what youth and families in our community actually face. All workshops and programs are provided at no cost to participants.
"Genesis builds programming around what youth and families actually face. The workshops below represent what we are currently offering, and we are always looking for new opportunities to serve."
What is happening now.
Genesis hosts its own workshops and also shares opportunities from trusted community partners. Check back regularly, new events are added as they are confirmed.
College Readiness
Getting to college is not just about grades. It is about navigating a system that most families were never taught to understand. Between financial aid deadlines, essay requirements, scholarship searches, and application portals, the process is designed for people who already know how it works. Genesis breaks that down through workshops that meet students wherever they are, from freshman year through application season.
We cover the full path: financial aid and FAFSA completion, college essay writing, scholarship research strategies, community college transfer planning, Middle College pathways, Dual Enrollment options, and hands-on application support. Sessions are open to students at every stage, and new topics are added each cycle based on what participants tell us they need most.
Career Pathways
Most young people from underserved communities have never sat in a room with someone who works in cybersecurity, healthcare administration, or AI. They have not seen what those careers look like from the inside, what they pay, what credentials they require, or how someone like them could realistically get there. Genesis changes that by bringing industry professionals directly into the room.
Each session focuses on a specific field and includes real salary data, required credentials, and clear next steps for getting started. Topics rotate each cycle and include cybersecurity, healthcare, artificial intelligence, skilled trades, and small business ownership. New industries are added based on what is growing in the Bay Area labor market and what participants say they want to explore.
Mental Wellness
Anxiety and depression among youth and young adults are at an all-time high. Social media, isolation, trauma, and school pressure are real, and most young people are navigating these things without the language or tools to name what they are experiencing. When those challenges go unaddressed, they compound. Genesis workshops give young people and the adults in their lives both the vocabulary and practical strategies to respond.
Our mental wellness programming is grounded in current research and delivered by licensed clinicians and community practitioners with decades of experience. Topics are selected based on what is most needed in the communities we serve, including suicide prevention, trauma response, school avoidance, and the mental health impacts of social media. All sessions are culturally appropriate and designed to open honest conversations, not just present information from a distance.
Parent & Caregiver Support
Parents and guardians are the first line of support for young people, and often the most underserved. When a student is struggling, the adults closest to them are usually the first to notice and the least equipped with resources. Genesis workshops are designed specifically for the adults in the room, giving them practical tools to navigate school systems, manage their own stress, and show up more effectively for the youth they love.
Sessions cover school system navigation, financial literacy, parental stress and burnout, and how to support youth through major transitions including graduation, job entry, and mental health challenges. Workshops are designed for both primary guardians and mentors, and delivered in an interactive format led by experienced facilitators who understand what families in this community are actually carrying.
Transitional Age Youth
The gap between adolescence and adulthood is where too many young people get lost. Ages 18 to 24 bring new pressures around employment, housing, and independence, and for youth who have aged out of foster care or the justice system, those pressures arrive without a safety net. Genesis programming for Transitional Age Youth is built specifically for that window, meeting young adults at the exact moment when the stakes are highest and the support is thinnest.
Sessions focus on job readiness, professional communication, coping with isolation, and building the practical skills needed for independent living. Topics are informed directly by participants who have navigated the system themselves. Programming grows alongside community demand and is consistently updated to reflect what young adults in this age group actually need to move forward.
Ready to bring Genesis to your community?
Whether you are a school, district, faith-based organization, or individual looking to support this work, we want to hear from you. All programs are grant-funded and provided at no cost to participants.