LAUNCH is a program designed to increase the number of prepared people in the workforce. We help young people 16-21 who are out of school and/or unemployed or underemployed. Clients may have dropped out of school, or may have completed high school, but have limited financial means by which to further their education. Our primary objectives are education and employment.

 Where are the offices located?

The LAUNCH program operates in three counties: Madison, Marshall, and Jackson counties. The offices are located in the Employment Services offices in Huntsville, Albertville, and Scottsboro, respectively.

Who funds this program?

The program is funded by a federal Workforce Investment Act grant through the Alabama Department of Workforce Development and is administered by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

How does the program work?

The uniqueness of the LAUNCH program is the pairing of participants with a coordinator and a licensed professional counselor. Upon enrollment, clients meet with the coordinator and counselor to determine educational and employment goals. Often the first goal is the completion of the GED. Participants who are interested in furthering their education may be eligible for financial assistance through our partnership with the Career-Link system or through Pell grants. A high percentage of those who obtain a GED go on to post-secondary training and degree programs. Participants have received 4-year Degrees, Associate degrees, LPN degrees, and certification in a variety of career areas.

During their enrollment in the program, participants also attend programs designed to enhance their employability: leadership skills, career awareness, (such as resume-writing, interviewing skills, workplace etiquette), diversity, practical life skills (such as budgeting), as well as ROPES courses, college tours, and business and industry visits.

Clients may also participate in work experiences or job shadowing, which give them insights into their chosen career, or exposure to the workplace, as well as on-the-job training opportunities to support and mentor them during the "learning period" of a new job.

Upon completion of training or certification programs, the coordinator will assist the participants with obtaining employment.

What will this cost me?

The application process, career assessments, counseling, programs, field trips, college tours, GED tests (if applicable) are all paid for by the grant. There is no cost to the participant.

Why is this program important to our community?

In addition to being a great program for helping young people succeed in life, the program helps develop a diversified, prepared and skilled workforce for the communities we serve. From an economical position, the program assists young people in obtaining unsubsidized employment, and therefore contributes to the economy, decreases unemployment, generates a higher per capita income, and creates a larger tax base.

How can someone obtain more information about the LAUNCH program?

For more information, please contact us at:

Madison County

Kennard Randolph, Coordinator 851-6411, krandolph@launchprogram.org

Donnie Towle, Counselor 851-6414, dtowle@launchprogram.org

Marshall County

Sandra Davis, Coordinator 894-4725, sdavis@launchprogram.org

Nannette Amodeo, Counselor - 894-4725, namodeo@launchprogram.org

Jackson County

Sadie Bias, Coordinator - 259-9199, sbias@launchprogram.org

Brent Davis, Counselor - 259-9191, bdavis@launchprogram.org

L-R: Sadie Bias, Nannette Amodeo, Sandra Davis, Lisa Post (in front), Donnie Towle, Kennard Randolph

How can the community help?

The LAUNCH program has partnered with many organizations in order to provide resources for our clients. Many businesses have donated their time by being speakers at some of our events, as well as providing meeting rooms or sponsoring lunches for our programs. Other businesses have been quick to serve as work-experience sites, or to offer the use of community meeting rooms.