What Youth Solutions, Inc. does

Youth Solutions, Inc. is a Michigan-based 501(c)-style nonprofit (founded 2017, headquartered in Benton Harbor) that delivers career-connected learning programs for youth ages 14-24 across all 10 of Michigan's prosperity regions. The organization's flagship offering is Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (JMG), a JAG-affiliated program providing mentoring, skill-building, job-shadowing, resume and LinkedIn support, and employer connections, delivered through 173 program locations reaching 14,155 youth in the 2024-2025 school year and 46,000+ youth cumulatively. Beyond JMG, the portfolio includes YS Foundations (a strategic partnership for school and district leaders building sustainable career-readiness systems), Connecting Careers to the Core (CCC, a professional development training for educators), STEP Curriculum (a turnkey career exploration curriculum), the regional Berrien/Cass/Van Buren (BCVB) JMG program, the annual Career Development Conference, and an Employer Partnership/Mentorship program connecting Michigan businesses with career-ready youth.

Youth Solutions operates as a subsidiary of Kinexus Group, a parent nonprofit recognized as one of The Nonprofit Times' Best Nonprofits to Work For for six consecutive years (2017-2022). Programs are delivered through partnerships with 90+ local organizations — including Michigan Works! agencies (GST, West Michigan Works!, Capital Area, DESC, Networks Northwest, SEMCA, Michigan Works! Southeast), Intermediate School Districts (ISDs), Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs), and youth-serving organizations such as Escape Ministries, Integrity Educational Services, Peckham Inc., and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Southwest Michigan. The technology stack is non-proprietary (Wix-hosted website, standard social channels, no APIs, no mobile app), and service delivery is human-mediated through partner organizations rather than platform-based.

Revenue derives from individual and corporate donations (with employer matching programs), partnerships, and likely government workforce-development funding channeled through Michigan Works! agencies and the Kinexus Group parent. Programs are free to youth; the customer base comprises four segments — educators/educational institutions (primary), employers (primary), youth ages 14-24 (primary persona), and parents/guardians (secondary) — with no pricing model applied. Go-to-market is community-led, driven by institutional relationships rather than direct sales, and growth has been driven by geographic expansion (full 10-region Michigan coverage), product diversification, and partner-network scaling.

Name

Youth Solutions, Inc.

Legal name

Youth Solutions, Inc.

Website

https://ouryouthsolutions.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Youth Solutions, Inc. is a Michigan-based nonprofit subsidiary of Kinexus Group that delivers career-connected learning programs — primarily Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (JMG) — to youth ages 14-24 across all 10 of Michigan's prosperity regions, serving 14,155 youth annually through 173 program locations and 90+ local partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Workforce Development

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Transition Programs (Reentry, Workforce Readiness & Life Skills for At-Risk Youth) (EDAJAEAF)

Keywords

• Youth workforce development
• Career education programs
• Mentorship services
• Employer partnerships
• Nonprofit education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Benton Harbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Youth Solutions accepts donations from individuals and corporations to support career-focused education programming for Michigan youth. Many companies match employee donations, amplifying impact.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Youth Solutions, Inc. is a Michigan-based nonprofit that delivers career-focused education programs and workforce development services for youth. Its offerings include in-school and out-of-school programming, mentorship, employer partnerships, and structured curricula such as JMG (Jobs for Michigan's Graduates), YS Foundations, CCC (College and Career Connections), STEP Curriculum, BCVB JMG, and CDC (Career Development Course), aimed at preparing young people for career pathways and post-secondary success.

Product overview

Youth Solutions, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that operates a multi-program portfolio focused on career-connected learning for Michigan youth. The core offerings include: (1) Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (JMG), the primary program providing mentoring, skill-building, and career exploration for youth ages 14-24; (2) YS Foundations, a strategic partnership service for school and district leaders to build sustainable career-connected learning systems; (3) Connecting Careers to the Core (CCC), a professional development training for educators; (4) STEP Curriculum, a turnkey career exploration curriculum; and (5) the regional Berrien, Cass, Van Buren (BCVB) JMG Program for youth in those counties. Additional offerings include the annual Career Development Conference (CDC), Employer Partnership Program, and Mentorship Program. The organization delivers these programs in partnership with over 90 local organizations across Michigan's 10 prosperity regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (JMG): Primary program brand providing career development and job placement services for Michigan youth

Products and services

• JMG (Jobs for Michigan's Graduates)
• YS Foundations
• CCC (College and Career Connections)
• STEP Curriculum
• BCVB JMG A variant of the JMG (Jobs for Michigan's Graduates) program adapted for the Berrien County/Visual and Performing Arts (BCVB) context, providing career-preparation services to youth.
• CDC (Career Development Course)
• Employer Partnership Program
• Mentorship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 14,155 youth impacted in 2024-2025 school year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kinexus GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization of Youth Solutions. Kinexus Group invests resources into inspiring positive economic change through individual, business, and community solutions. Recognized as one of 2022's 'Best Nonprofits to Work For' by The Nonprofit Times for six consecutive years. Provides operational infrastructure for Youth Solutions family of organizations.
• Michigan Works! AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Michigan Works! agencies partner to deliver JMG programs and youth services. Includes GST Michigan Works!, West Michigan Works!, Capital Area Michigan Works!, Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation, Michigan Works! Southeast, SEMCA Michigan Works!, and others across 10 prosperity regions.
• Networks NorthwestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner operating JMG programs in northern Michigan including Alanson, Boyne City, Cadillac, Charlevoix, East Jordan, Harbor Springs, Lakeview, Pellston, Petoskey schools and Northwest Michigan College.
• Michigan Works! Northeast ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional consortium partner providing JMG programs in Alpena, Grayling, Mio, Atlanta and surrounding areas through Alpena High School, Grayling High School, and multiple county service centers.
• GST Michigan Works!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner providing JMG programs across Genesee, Shiawassee, Tuscola, Lapeer, and Huron counties. Operates programs at Genesee ISD, Mott Community College, Quest High School, and multiple service centers.
• Capital Area Michigan Works!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner operating JMG programs in Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties. Programs include Clinton County Youth Services, Eaton County Youth Services, Everett High School, Sexton High School, Waverly High School, and Lansing American Job Center.
• West Michigan Works!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner providing JMG programs across Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, and Ottawa counties through county service centers and partner schools.
• Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDetroit-based partner operating JMG programs at Chandler Park Academy, Cody High School, Osborn High School, Pershing High School, and Youth at Work programs (3 locations).
• Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional educational partner operating JMG programs in Michigan's Upper Peninsula at Marquette-Alger Technical Middle College, Marquette-Alger RESA Work-Based Learning, and multiple service centers.
• Integrity Educational ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization operating alternative education JMG programs including Hope Academy of West Michigan, Lighthouse Academy campuses (Barry County, Eagle Village, Juvenile Justice Institute, Muskegon Community Campus, South Campus).
• Escape MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth-serving organization in Region 4 providing alternative education JMG programming for at-risk youth.
• Peckham Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability and workforce services organization operating Ingham Youth Career Academy as part of JMG programming.
• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Southwest MichiganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development organization partnered to provide JMG programming and career development services in southwest Michigan.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG): National umbrella organization for the Jobs for America's Graduates network, of which Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (Youth Solutions' flagship program) is the state affiliate. JAG operates the same dropout prevention / career readiness model across 38+ states, providing direct comparability on program structure and outcomes.
• Genesys Works: National nonprofit providing high school youth with technical skills training, corporate internships, and college/career coaching. Comparable target demographic (youth ages 14-24), comparable employer-talent-pipeline model, and comparable career-connected learning approach.
• Year Up: National nonprofit providing young adults ages 18-30 with workforce training, professional skills development, and corporate internships. Directly comparable as a youth-focused career-connected learning organization, though operating at significantly larger scale and with a paid apprenticeship model.
• Junior Achievement USA: National youth-serving organization delivering work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy programs in K-12 schools nationwide. Comparable mission around preparing youth for careers and economic participation, with comparable school-based delivery model and educator engagement.

Others

• Kinexus Group: Parent organization of Youth Solutions and a Southwest Michigan-focused economic and workforce development nonprofit. Kinexus operates overlapping workforce programs, employer partnerships, and youth-serving initiatives in the same region, with shared infrastructure and leadership.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit with a major Michigan footprint (Boys & Girls Club of Greater Southwest Michigan is an active Youth Solutions partner). Comparable in serving at-risk youth ages 14-24 with career exploration and life skills programming, though with a broader youth development remit.

Regional players

• Michigan Works! Association: Statewide association representing the 16 regional Michigan Works! Agencies that deliver publicly funded workforce development services. Directly comparable as a Michigan-focused workforce development infrastructure, and Youth Solutions' JMG program operates through these agencies as core delivery partners.
• Peckham Inc. Michigan-based nonprofit providing workforce development services for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment, including operating the Ingham Youth Career Academy as part of Youth Solutions' JMG network. Directly comparable mission and Michigan geographic focus.

Direct peers

• NAF (National Academy Foundation): National nonprofit bringing career-connected learning into K-12 schools through industry-themed academies (finance, IT, health sciences). Directly comparable as a school-embedded career readiness program serving the same youth demographic, with an educator professional development layer similar to Youth Solutions' CCC program.
• CareerWise USA: Nonprofit building modern youth apprenticeship systems connecting high school students to paid, multi-year apprenticeships with employers. Directly comparable in employer partnership model, youth career pipeline focus, and Michigan-relevant presence.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/JobsforMIGrads
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCK3a_IB0iUW3iDSm0ZwjzlA/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/JobsforMichigansGraduates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ouryouthsolutions
• Instagraminstagram.com/jobsformigrads

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Youth Solutions, Inc.