TeenWorks Summer Skills Training Camp

A Partnership for Purpose and Progress

Each summer, People for Urban Progress (PUP) and TeenWorks come together to host a 6-week, paid learning experience for 20–25 high school students (ages 15–18) from underrepresented communities in Indianapolis.

This powerful partnership blends sustainability, design, and youth empowerment, offering students hands-on opportunities to explore STEAM fields while developing real-world skills that prepare them for future careers.

What Students Gain:

• STEAM and sustainability education

• Workforce readiness and career exposure

• Industrial sewing and product design training

• Soft skills in communication, leadership, and teamwork

Participants work directly with PUP designers and project leaders to repurpose salvaged materials—like stadium roofing, Amtrak leather, and event banners—into custom-designed bags. Each teen creates a unique product they can take pride in, transforming discarded materials into something useful, creative, and personal.

This program combines practical skill-building with creative expression, giving students not only tangible outcomes but also the confidence to see themselves as makers, thinkers, and changemakers.

Why This Partnership Matters

The TeenWorks × PUP Summer Skills Training Camp is more than just a summer job—it’s a launchpad for young people to become:

• Problem solvers

• Creative thinkers

• Leaders in sustainability and urban innovation

By bridging the gap between education and opportunity, this partnership helps build a stronger, more equitable, and more resilient Indianapolis—one student at a time.

When we invest in people and the planet, we create lasting change.

Thank You to Our Program Sponsors

This program would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors:
Lilly Endowment, Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), and an Anonymous donor.

Your investment in youth and sustainability is helping shape a better future for our city.