Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Youth Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County approves $650,000 in youth supports including CoLab internships and transitional housing
Summary
Franklin County authorized $150,000 for the Neighborhood Design Center’s Youth CoLab and $500,000 for Kaleidoscope Youth Center transitional housing services; youth participants and program staff described hands‑on design internships and community projects.
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved two youth‑focused funding items May 5: a $150,000 grant to the Neighborhood Design Center to support its Youth CoLab program and a $500,000 funding agreement with the Kaleidoscope Youth Center for transitional housing supportive services.
Andrina Austin of the county’s Economic Engagement and Community Development office outlined the CoLab program’s structure (spring introduction, seven‑week paid summer internship, and fall mentorship) and said the grant will support design‑based, career‑connected work along Cleveland Avenue and other neighborhood projects.
Caleb Duarte, program coordinator and Ohio State architecture student, described the program as a pathway into design careers and emphasized community‑led change: "The collab is not about propping up our youth as trophy stakeholders, but as the physical agents of change," he said. Former intern Rhianna Jackson, now a program coordinator and Ohio State undergraduate, said the experience reshaped how she views the South Side and prepared her for architecture school.
County leaders noted measurable local impacts — Youth CoLab has invested about $45,000 in small businesses and nonprofits through urban interventions, and several program graduates are pursuing architecture and internships with local firms.
Separately, staff presented a $500,000 agreement with the Kaleidoscope Youth Center to provide transitional housing supportive services for youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness; the term was set to cover Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2027. Both measures were adopted by the board.
