From resume building to interview practice and teaching customer service basics, Starbucks partners (employees) are helping young people around the world in their quest for employment.

As part of Starbucks Global Month of Service that takes place each year in April, partners are participating in mentoring activities to support young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not in school and are not employed. There are an estimated 300 million young adults in that situation who are often called "Opportunity Youth." Starbucks is making an effort to support their future success through mentoring projects in cities around the world.

An estimated 40,000 Starbucks partners – half of them outside the U.S. – are taking part in community service projects this month. Here are a few global highlights:

Canada

On April 20, Starbucks partners in Montreal coordinated Youth Awareness Day to discuss coffee passion, customer service skills, and how to find a job. This was followed by a project in Toronto on April 23, where young people had an opportunity to apply for barista positions at Starbucks and practice with partners before interviewing for jobs. In addition, youth participated in interactive sessions to learn about handcrafting beverages and Starbucks commitment to coffee origin countries. A similar event will be held in Vancouver on April 28. To close out the month, partners in Calgary will collaborate with the Calgary Youth Employment Centre to provide knowledge about employer expectations and assist youth with job search skills on April 29.

China

Earlier this month, Starbucks convened its 10th annual Supplier Summit in Shenzhen, China. As part of this event, 320 partners and suppliers worked together on service projects at the Youth Dream Center in the Dalang community and the neighboring Shi’ao community. The volunteers provided a two-hour interactive session focused on communication skills and interview preparation for 350 young migrant workers. At the end of the event, participants received a free, one-year account to a game-style mobile app that delivers training and personal skill building courses to continue their learning. Shenzhen partners also donated books to the Youth Dream Center to provide youth with supplemental educational resources.

Mexico

An estimated 3,000 partners in Mexico are collaborating with Fundación Pro Ninos de la Calle on more than 80 projects supporting 70 non-profit organizations in 52 cities this month. In addition to partners, more than 1,700 customers registered as volunteers. The projects, which began April 25 and continue through April 29, include workshops to address life skills, interviewing and resume writing. Prior to the workshops, partners volunteered their time to clean, repair walls and floors and paint Fundación Pro Ninos de la Calle’s offices.

Middle East and North Africa

In collaboration with M.H. Alshaya, Bayt.com and Education for Employment, Starbucks organized the Opportunity Café, a series of resume writing workshops that took place at 29 stores across 10 countries in the Middle East and North Africa on April 18. The event included nearly 200 Starbucks partners who joined specialized instructors to offer 174 hours of training to 480 youth. Participants received strategic career advice from key experts in the local community in addition to resume guidance.

UK

Starbucks UK partners along with their charity partner, The Challenge, organized the second annual “Open Starbucks” for 90 young people April 22 in London. The project name symbolizes Starbucks opening its doors and providing a behind-the-scenes look at the company’s business to help educate young people and build their confidence. The young people in attendance learned about the work world as well as the personal career journeys of Starbucks partners. They also participated in interview skills training.