About Econ Dev
The Economic Development Program works to create community-led, anti-displacement, and anti-racist strategies and policies to create a more equitable economy in White Center. Cultivating and amplifying Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) voices of small business owners, residents and youth are central to resisting displacement. We’re committed to holding institutions, including King County, accountable to the community. We are guided by our place-based equitable economy work with youth.
Community E$$-cents Financial Literacy Internship
This is a paid, six-week youth internship and will explore the concept of financial wellness, its significance across our diverse communities, the ways finances impact our lives, and the framework of Community Cultural Wealth. Participants will also learn how to navigate different financial systems through a structured curriculum. The program will prioritize collaboration with and stories from inspiring local leaders, elders, business owners, educators, and entrepreneurs of White Center.
We are looking for:
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15 young adults ages 16–20 living in unincorporated King County (Those under 16 do not qualify)
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Individuals committed to learning about financial wellness in relation to community well-being
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Participants available every Tuesday and Thursday for 90–120 minutes over 6 weeks
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Full attendance is mandatory
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Applicants must submit original responses based on their own experiences (An AI identifier will be used when reviewing essay responses)
Please note: If a participant is under 18, parental consent is required.
Next Cohort: Oct
Create@HUB Workshops
Create@HUB is a space where entrepreneurship and skill building workshops will be hosted. This space anticipates workshops surrounding different art mediums, fabric work, and even the 3D printer industry.
Our most recent workshop included linocutting. A form of relief printmaking where a design is carved into a sheet of linoleum.
Youth Art Committee
Join our Youth Arts Committee!
Are you ages 14-18 and interested in art, creativity, and community? Join us for a 5-week program where you’ll meet local creatives, explore the arts and humanities, build new skills, and connect with other young people.
Together, participants will bring their ideas to life by creating an art experience for WCCDA’s Fall Gala inspired by Hope, Unity, and Belonging, with opportunities to highlight youth voices, creative expression, and the White Center community.
For ages 14-18 yo
Program Dates: Oct. 26-Nov. 25
Weekly Schedule Meetings: Mondays & Wednesdays, 3-5 PM
You will have the opportunity to showcase your art at local events (so these dates are required attendance): The Rat City Art Walk on Thursday, Nov. 19, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM AND WCCDA's Fall Gala on Saturday, Nov. 21, 5:30 PM
DEADLINE OT APPLY: OCT 22, 2026 at 11:59pm
Barista Training Program - Our Youth Workforce Development Program
Site 3’s Barista Training Program is a hands-on workforce development initiative designed to equip opportunity youth and young adults (ages 16–24) in White Center with the skills and experience needed to thrive in the food service industry. Through a 6.5-week cohort-based program, participants receive:
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Barista and food service training, including espresso preparation, customer service, and food safety.
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Soft skills development, such as teamwork and worker rights.
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Real-world experience in a fully operational café environment.
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Certification and resume-building to support entry into the workforce.
The program prioritizes BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, low-income, and justice-involved youth, offering a pathway to job readiness and long-term career opportunities. Revenue from the café supports the program’s sustainability and broader mission initiatives.
See our BTP FAQ Below!
Program Details
What is the Barista Training Program? The Barista Training Program is a youth workforce development program that focuses on barista and food service training. This program introduces food safety, customer service, the fundamentals of creating espresso drinks, teamwork, worker rights, and covers the overall expectations of a food service worker. The intention of this program is to provide our youth the hands-on experience and help build the skillsets expected of a barista and café worker. This allows program our youth graduates to enter the food service industry with confidence, barista knowledge, and an updated resume to reflect their experience in the program.
What kinds of drinks are baristas learning to make? Barista trainees are taught to make a wide variety of commonly known coffee and tea drinks. Students must first master their ability to pull proper espresso shots, steam all types of milks, and memorize different recipes. Once they have honed in on these skills, trainees repeatedly practice a classic café menu. Our main drinks of focus include the classics: Latte, Cappuccino, Cortado, and Café Mocha. By the final week of programming, students will make these four classic drinks, to be graded by a panel of coffee professionals.
How does the café support the Barista Training Program? The café offers a real-world learning environment where students from the program can complete apprenticeships and gain on-the-job training, developing skills in drink preparation, customer service, and café operations.
Who will be staffing the café? As the program evolves, barista students will have the opportunity to undertake apprenticeships and gain hands-on learning experience at the café. However, café staff will likely be separate from programming. Once the café is officially open, we will have a better sense of the symbiotic relationship.
Target Audience and Eligibility
Who is the Barista Training Program for? This program is designed for opportunity youth and young adults, ages 16 through 24, in the White Center area. Our programming is funded through King County’s Best Start for Kids, under the Stop the School to Prison Pipeline (SSPP) grant. We serve BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, low-income, and justice-involved youth who are thinking about job readiness and/or are interested in hands-on training, specifically in food service and café environments.
Logistics and Timing
How long is the Barista Training Program? How do I register? The Barista Training Program is a 6.5-week commitment. Classes are Monday through Thursday, between 9 AM and 11 AM daily. Full attendance is required to be certified. Due to capacity, class size is limited to four students per cohort. Applications for the upcoming cohort are open through Sunday, October 4th. If you are not accepted into the upcoming cohort, you can sign up for our one-day café workshops and reapply for the next cohort in January.
Can I come and order coffee during the Barista Training Program? Programming is closed to the public. Our trainees are hard at work, strengthening their drink-making skills. In an effort to prioritize their learning, we are not open for orders from the public.
Read About Our Work
Previous Departmental Projects
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White Center/ North Highline Subarea Work and Community Needs List
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White Center Business Alliance
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Unity Village
Our Department Team
Aaliyah C
Economic Development Youth Coordinator
Rebecca S
Economic Development Youth Coordinator
Thearina L
Economic Development Manager
