Through a curated educational pathway that starts in middle school, continues into high school and concludes with professional training, Wide Angle Youth Media equips participants with the media arts skills to capture, document, and write the stories of their time. Current core programs include media arts education for middle and high school youth; summer employment and college/career readiness programming; and paid skilled media internships and apprenticeships for youth up to age 24. Young people who participate in Wide Angle’s programming are majority youth of color (with an annual average of over 90%), and an average of over 80% from low- to middle- income backgrounds.

Wide Angle’s programs have served over 7,000 youth since its founding in 2000. The desire to expand programming even further prompted Wide Angle to move to a new, much larger space, which will enable to them to develop a pre-apprenticeship framework to fill the current gap between high school programming and full apprenticeships. The pre-apprenticeship for youth ages 18-24 will equip youth who demonstrate interest and aptitude for media-making, but do not yet have the skills necessary to produce professional-level media content, with foundational skills to increase their employability in the media communications sector. Grant funds will be used for a team of consultants to help them clarify the pre-apprenticeship model in terms of format, curriculum, staffing and operational considerations, and establishing employer partnerships.