Nonprofit Partners With The Nation’s Largest Driving School To Help Prepare Youth Experiencing Homelessness For Job Market

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES, January 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- California currently leads the U.S. in rates of youth homelessness, with over 7,000 youth living outside. In San Diego alone, there are around 1,500 young people struggling with homelessness. These youth are at a critical point in their lives: nearly half of California’s current unhoused population first experienced homelessness between the ages of 18-25. Intervention during this period has proven to be essential in preventing young people from longer-term homelessness.

Since 2012, the San Diego-based nonprofit Urban Street Angels has been at the forefront of supporting youth experiencing homelessness in the San Diego area. Urban Street Angels makes a powerful intervention at a critical juncture in young people’s lives, providing education and skills training to help prepare them for the job market. Urban Street Angels provides these youth with a safe, welcoming space in which they can develop the skills and confidence they need to take the next step in their lives.

One aspect of readying homeless youth for the job market that often goes overlooked is the ability to drive. Having a driver’s license opens a myriad of doors for young people: even if they do not own a car themselves, possessing a license allows them to use car-sharing services or borrow vehicles, empowering them to reach meetings and job interviews, as well as housing or work opportunities that require a license.

To support this critical need, Urban Street Angels has partnered with Coastline Academy, the nation’s largest driving school, to help homeless youth pass their road tests and gain access to potentially life-changing opportunities.

“A driver’s license represents a lot more than just the ability to drive: it represents all of the myriad opportunities that the ability to drive grants access to,” says Lauren Gutierrez, Director of Career Development for Urban Street Angels. “Work can make a profound difference in the lives of youth experiencing homelessness, and a license can make a difference in their ability to access stable, well-paying jobs. We are thrilled to be able to offer this program to youth in our community.”

Coastline Academy has donated a number of drivers license scholarships to Urban Street Angels, including driver’s ed and behind-the-wheel driving lessons. In combination with Urban Street Angels’ other robust programming, the partnership has made a profound impact on the participants’ ability to gain independence and stability.

“Urban Street Angels is the rare kind of organization that has a direct, transformative impact on people’s lives,” says Nigel Tunnacliffe, CEO and cofounder of Coastline Academy. “We are deeply honored to have the opportunity to participate in the incredible work that they do. This driver’s ed partnership is a unique and powerful program, and we are excited to see how the partnership develops.”

Urban Street Angels provides a variety of resources, including supportive housing, peer support, mentorship programs, mental health counseling, and job training initiatives. By integrating high-quality driving instruction into this suite of programming, Urban Street Angels and Coastline Academy are empowering unhoused young people to acquire stable and fulfilling careers.

Beginning by sponsoring two students, the program is expected to expand in the future. As the Coastline partnership grows, the two organizations hope to leave a truly transformative impact on the local community.


About Urban Street Angels

Urban Street Angels is a San Diego-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ending youth homelessness in the area. Since 2012, the organization has provided over 7000 homeless youth with shelter, mental health support, and robust job training programs to help them transition into the workforce. Urban Street Angels’ passionate team works closely with youth to provide them with comprehensive support during this critical time in their lives.

About Coastline Academy

Coastline Academy is the largest driving school in the country and the 6th fastest-growing education company in America according to Inc.com. Coastline was founded with the mission of eradicating car crashes and has provided top-quality education to over 250,000 driving students across 500+ cities, receiving 5-star ratings from 98% of reviewers.

Darryl Brisebois
MackaseyHoward Communications
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