However, most mental heath providers do not reflect the populations they serve. The BRL Academy is a career pipeline program that trains young adults between the ages of 18-26 to become helpers, healers and leaders in their community and beyond.

Our mental health system will become radically more effective when is stops taking a top-down approach and starts valuing youth and families as assets and partners rather than simply seeing them as consumers or clients of services.

The BRL Academy is a cornerstone social service pathway program designed to support Transitional Age Youth (TAY) in Alameda County. Focused on nurturing the next generation of helping professionals, the Academy employs a holistic approach to wrap-around services and development. Through a tailored curriculum, the Academy enriches and expands the social services workforce, with a primary emphasis on fostering leadership, promoting meaningful connections, and advancing professional development. The program is delivered through two key initiatives: the Work Initiative for Social Service Employment (WISE) and the Staff Transition Employment Pipeline (STEP), both of which are meticulously crafted to prepare TAY for impactful careers in social services. For more information contact Lasean Laday, Academy Dean Leasean@brl-inc.org