This September, Connected Lane County, Ophelia’s Place, and A Family for Every Child are opening the Youth HUB, a collaborative space for young people in downtown Eugene. Located at 44 W. 7th Avenue, the Youth HUB brings education, career opportunities, mental health and wellness support, paid work experiences, basic-needs resources, and other services together in one location. The goal is to make it easier for young people to access support, build connections, explore opport

KEZI9 News Video Highlight Watch the video from KEZI9 News featuring Connected Lane County's new Ready, Set, Thrive Campaign which helps youth and young adults create a solid foundation and helps get them ready for their next steps.

MESA is an after school program which helps underserved and underrepresented middle and high school students excel in STEM learning education. Connected Lane County hosted one of four Oregon's MESA Demo Day's across the state at Spark at Booth-Kelly on Friday, March 14. Read the full article today! Shaping a Sustainable Future: Oregon MESA’s ‘Demo Day’ Student Showcase

Connected Lane County's Executive Director Jesse Nelson talks with Adam from KRVM radio about key programs in the organization like job shadows, internships, drop-ins, and community partners. Listen to the full interview here! Interview with Adam from KRVM

Image Credit: Siuslaw News Connected Lane County participated in the Bridge Lane Florence Event as one of 63 resource providers and hiring employers. The event had over 125 participants with many of them traveling across Lane County. Read more about the event here! Article: Bridge Lane connects people to jobs and resources

Image credit: Ashli Blow / Lookout Eugene-Springfield Connected Lane County's Navigate youth, Fredrick, helps measure and map multiple trees in Springfield's urban forests. He's been working with the Willamalane Park and Recreation District to help catalog and document multiple trees in various parks scattered around Springfield. He has helped count almost 300 trees including "the beast." Check out Lookout Eugene-Springfield's full article to learn more about how Fredrick is

When Willamalane sought a meaningful way to honor the legacy of Dorris Ranch, it turned to a trusted community partner: Connected Lane County’s Agency. The result? A unique collaboration that not only preserved history but also invested in the future of Springfield’s youth. Q: What made you want to work with the Agency? Eric Adams, Planning, Parks & Facilities Director at Willamalane: “Among Willamalane’s values are a commitment to fostering belonging and innovation through t

Connected Lane County provides CTE initiatives outside of public schools at its locations, Spark at Booth-Kelly in Springfield and Spark on 7th in Eugene. 3D printers, sewing machines, and laser engravers are just some of the tools used to provide hands-on learning opportunities. To learn more and hear directly from our program staff, check out the article linked below! The Chronicle: CTE – Education at Work, Part 4: The student experience

Connected Lane County received $15,250 as part of a grant from Lane County's Community & Economic Development Program. These funds will help fuel our industry tours. We partner with rural and metropolitan Lane County schools, educators, and businesses to offer 700 high school students opportunities to explore careers in technology, manufacturing, health, and natural resources. Through hands-on industry tours, students interact with professionals from diverse backgrounds and g

In 2024, we merged codeORcreate and marketingJAM into one exciting weekend competition, celebrating all things creative and innovative. This annual three-day event, open to teams of up to five youths, invites Lane County High School students and Lane Community College students to dive into the worlds of coding, website design, graphic design, game development, marketing, branding, and business. Participation is free, offering a unique opportunity to explore and showcase your

"Over 3,000 youth walk through Connected Lane County’s doors annually. Each youth has a unique goal, whether it’s finding career guidance, gaining hands-on STEM experience, or navigating housing and food assistance. Connected Lane County strives to meet youth where they are through various programs, events, and experiences," said Eva Camacho. Interested in a comprehensive overview of Connected Lane County? Check out this guest column in the Chronicle. The Chronicle: Guest col

Photo credit: Bridge Lane Connected Lane County was happy to participate in Bridge Lane in Junction City, a local event designed to share resources and make connections within our community. To learn more, check out the news coverage below! KMTR: Free Community Event Aims to Break Down Barrier, Promote Growth in Lane County Cottage Grove Sentinel: Bridge Lane Community Resource Event

When the Eugene Family YMCA moved to its new location, it faced a challenge: what to do with the materials left behind? Instead of sending them to the landfill, the Y embraced sustainability by salvaging thousands of pounds of materials—including old vinyl. Rather than letting those nondegradable banners go to waste, they found a creative way to give them new life while investing in the next generation of workers by partnering with Connected Lane County’s Agency. The Agency l

Last year's Agency youth pictured above! The Connected Lane County Agency teamed up with PIVOT Architecture and Bricks & Minifigs to create a student-built LEGO model of the new Camas Ridge Community School! The finished model was 3,500 pieces! See the news coverage below! Hands-on: See Camas Ridge fourth graders put together a LEGO model of their new school Students build scale model of school with LEGOs to inspire future architects

Connected Lane County will receive 2.5 million dollars over the next five years to help support youth with disabilities in the Excelerator programs. This grant is being funded by the US Department of Education and is a subcontract from the University of Oregon. Connected Lane County will receive about $500,000 each year for five years, allowing us to hire additional staff members to support youth with disabilities, help launch a Culinary Excelerator, and support youth with wa

Ryan found Connected Lane County during a rough time in his life. He was unhoused, couch surfing, and facing various barriers to education and employment. Hosea Youth Services shared Connected Lane County as a resource, and Ryan was able to receive support through our Direct Cash Transfers as Prevention Pilot before joining our other programs. Navigate provided Ryan with access to new resources and activities like Wonder Week, a week-long job and career readiness experience.

Fix-it Fair allows youth and young adults to bring in items that need repair. Local "fixers" provide guidance and teach participants how to fix items that might otherwise be thrown out. See it in the news below! KATU2 Reuse and repair: Learn repair skills at Springfield's Fix-It Fair this November by News Staff Kezi 9

BookFest was established seven years ago by Connected Lane County and United Way of Lane County. Each year, elementary school students are able to pick out five free books to keep! Check out the 2024 news coverage below. KEZI 9 News: Lane County’s BookFest 2024 provided books to more than 2,400 children By: Ryan Bonham

Connected Lane County was the nonprofit beneficiary of the 5th annual Market Fest event hosted by Obie Companies at 5th Street Public Market. WaFD bank contributed a $10,000 grant, and Connected Lane County will receive a portion of the proceeds from vendor sales, supporting youth in our community. See it in the news! KEZI 9 News Rain doesn't hamper kick off of annual 5th Street Market Fest in Eugene By: Jennifer Singh Fifth annual ‘Fifth Street Marketfest’ festivities now un

Connected Lane County will expand its Invention Club to middle schools across the County. Invention Club is a STEM-based learning program in collaboration with Oregon MESA that culminates in a MESA showcase. Check it out in the news! Portland State University: Oregon MESA Expands with Two New Regional Centers in Washington County and Lane County by University Communications Cottage Grove Sentential: $5,000 for local STEM program by Jeremy C. Ruark Cottage Grove Sentinel 16KMT