StepUp Durham

The mission of StepUp Durham is to empower job seekers in the Durham community who face challenges to employment. We do this by providing them opportunity and access to essential resources and holistic support to enhance lives and build sustainable employment, thereby fostering personal and community growth.

StepUp Durham offers FREE employment readiness training, personalized job coaching, employer referrals, and supportive services to job seekers, including those with barriers like a criminal background or gaps in work history.

Our core programs are Step1, Step2, and Step3:

Step1: Work (Getting the Job)

This intake process starts with a one hour conversation focused on the job seeker’s goals and skills. This is the first step in the job seeker’s relationship with StepUp. The relationship is 50/50. StepUp uses its resources to connect job seekers to employers who trust StepUp, while participants execute the skills they have learned to further their own independent job search.

Step2: Grow (Personal & Career Growth)

Step2 is StepUp Durham's next step program for working adults and their children who would like to develop stronger community relationships, have referral access to material resources, and the opportunities to receive trainings focused on personal and career growth. Step2 offers four phases of programming that occur in eight-week blocks. The four phases are: Personal Development, Financial Education, Career Development, and Leadership Development. StepUp Durham provides participants with a 50% savings match. These savings have assisted Step2 participants over the past year in purchasing affordable vehicles through Wheels4Hope.

Step3: Thrive (Stronger Community Assets)

Step3 is a 12-month program that provides a programmatic opportunity for participants to become stronger community assets through receiving mentorship, accomplishing a life goal, and completing a community service project. We aspire to see people THRIVE in their careers, as community advocates and ambassadors, and in the fulfillment of goals and plans.