Juma Ventures is an innovative nonprofit organization that has developed a unique and highly effective approach to youth development: Juma develops and operates businesses – known as “social enterprises” – for the purpose of providing job opportunities to economically disadvantaged teens.

In addition to the employment opportunities provided in these social enterprises, Juma empowers youth with financial education and savings programs, college & career exploration, and essential life skills. Together, these jobs and support services, in conjunction with the supportive peer and adult relationships that youth form in Juma’s program, combine to create a model that provides the foundation for youth to transcend challenging circumstances and make successful transitions to college and careers in early adulthood.

Each year, Juma Ventures works with approximately 250 youth between the ages of 16 to 19 year old. Juma’s youth are recruited through schools and community programs in San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego and Washington DC’s most impoverished neighborhoods.

Juma has received many awards for its work, including:

• The 2004 Social Enterprise Alliance Community Achievement Award

• Multiple “PEPNet” awards for program innovation and excellence from the National Youth Employment Coalition

• Commendation from the City of San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Their Families

In an article in the February 2005 issue of Harvard Business Review entitled “Should Nonprofits Seek Profits?” Juma was recognized as one of two nonprofit “success stories” that use business ventures as a vehicle for their social mission.

If you are a high-school aged youth, Juma Ventures offers you a great opportunity to get a job and build some skills, get connected to some positive activities and people, and develop your vision and plans for the future. Juma offers you much more than just a regular job!

Juma’s program revolves around the youth participants – in fact, of our 150 total employees, 90% are teenagers that are participating in Juma’s program! Juma’s youth-centered community values diversity, fosters mutual respect, promotes responsibility, and places high expectations on everyone for participating in a way that their potential. For more information about youth opportunities, please see the other areas in this section of the website.