YouthBuild Hazard, a project of Young Adult Development in Action and the Housing Development Alliance, gives young adults the opportunity to obtain a GED, learn important job skills, and develop construction expertise while helping to build and repair affordable homes in their community.

YouthBuild targets the affordable housing needs of Breathitt County while investing in the youth involved in the program. Participants rotate from each of the two major components of the YouthBuild curriculum, spending half of their YouthBuild training on the GED and life skills classes, and half on on-the-job construction training. “YouthBuild started out as just something for me to do, but turned out to be so much more. They gave me hope and faith in myself. I never would have made it this far if it wasn’t for YouthBuild,” states Elizabeth DeHart Quillen, graduate of the program.