Youth Workforce Development + Work-Based Learning
Youth Braid Clinics are an initiative of It's Bigger Than Braids that create supervised opportunities for young people to apply beauty, entrepreneurship, and workforce-readiness skills in real-world settings. Through community-based clinics and school-based programs, youth can strengthen technical skills while practicing customer service, communication, professionalism, sanitation, teamwork, time management, responsibility, and confidence.
Youth Braid Clinics are developed and delivered in partnership with Youth Braid and Business Academy, our education and implementation partner.
Choose the clinic pathway you want to explore.
Choose Your Pathway
Whether youth are preparing for a community clinic or building skills through a school partnership, every pathway pairs practical beauty education with supportive adult guidance and real-world practice.
Community clinic experiences give eligible Youth Braiders supervised opportunities to practice their skills while serving youth in the community. Clinic dates are offered based on program availability, partnerships, and community interest.
Richmond: March 2027
Newport News: May 2027
Additional clinic dates will be announced.
Bring the Youth Braid Clinic pathway to your school. Students complete an 8-week Braids, Beauty & Business learning experience focused on technical skills, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship, then eligible students apply what they learned during a supervised Saturday Youth Braid Clinic.
For middle schools and youth-serving school partners.
Explore the School-Based Program ↓Why the Clinics Matter
Youth Braid Clinics are more than braid appointments. They are supervised youth workforce-development experiences where young people practice technical skills and the transferable skills needed in school, work, entrepreneurship, and everyday life.
By creating a bridge between classroom learning and practical experience, the clinic helps youth see how their creativity and skills can connect to future education, employment, entrepreneurship, and additional learning.
Explore Youth Workforce Development Programs →Explore the Youth Entrepreneurship Program →Powered by Partnership
Youth Braid Clinics are an initiative of It's Bigger Than Braids, developed and delivered in partnership with Youth Braid and Business Academy.
It's Bigger Than Braids leads the nonprofit initiative, community partnerships, youth access, program development, and expansion of the Youth Braid Clinic model. Youth Braid and Business Academy serves as the education and implementation partner, providing experienced beauty educators, instructional support, curriculum expertise, and hands-on program delivery.
Partner With a Youth Braid Clinic
It's Bigger Than Braids works with schools, libraries, community centers, local governments, youth-serving organizations, workforce and transition programs, and community partners to expand access to youth development and career-connected learning.
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