Where young hands build bright futures.
About us
About The Junior Job Project
JJP gives young people ages 10 to 14 a safe, supervised place to work, earn, and grow. Here is who we are, what we are for, and who started it.
Who we are
Real work, with the right adults around it
The Junior Job Project puts young people ages 10 to 14 into real, paid work in their own community, with adults beside them the whole way. Someone books a crew for a job that needs doing. We review it. A crew leader takes a team of 4 to 6 out to do it.
Three people meet in the middle of every project: someone with work that needs doing, a young person ready to do it, and a crew leader who guides them. Each one wants something different from us, so each one gets their own way in.
The work itself is ordinary. Yards, community spaces, clean-ups. What it builds is: confidence, lifelong skills, and the habit of finishing something you started.
At a glance
- Ages
- 10 to 14
- Crew size
- 4 to 6 young people
- Adults on every crew
- Two or more, at all times
- Where
- Arkansas
Every project is reviewed and approved before it goes live.
Why we exist
Our mission
The Junior Job Project exists to empower the next generation by creating safe, meaningful opportunities for young people to work, serve, lead, and grow. Through hands-on experiences, community partnerships, mentorship, and teamwork, we help youth build confidence, develop lifelong skills, strengthen their neighborhoods, and discover that even the smallest job can create a brighter future.
- Work
- Serve
- Lead
- Grow
Where we're headed
We're starting with community projects in Arkansas, but we're building a model designed to grow — connecting more young people with safe opportunities to serve, work, lead, and learn in the communities they call home.
Meet the founder
Ash'le Hankton
Founder & CEO, The Junior Job Project
Ash'le Hankton is the Founder of The Junior Job Project, a youth development organization created to give young people meaningful opportunities to learn, contribute, and discover what they're capable of.
She created JJP from a simple belief: every child deserves the opportunity to discover who they can become. Through safe, supervised community projects, Ash'le is building a space where young people can develop confidence, responsibility, teamwork, leadership, and real-world skills while making a difference in the communities around them.
For Ash'le, every project is about more than completing a task. It's a chance for a young person to build character, form connections, learn something new, and walk away proud of what they accomplished.
Her vision for JJP extends far beyond a single project or community. She is building a model designed to grow, creating more opportunities for young people to serve, work, lead, and learn wherever they call home.
Because The Junior Job Project isn't just about building stronger communities. It's about building stronger kids.
Why JJP
Four things that are true every time
The things a parent needs to know before they say yes.
Every project is vetted and approved.
Every crew leader is background checked.
Every child is supervised by two or more adults at all times.
Every kid earns real money for real work.
Let's get to work
Book a crew, join one, or help JJP put the next one in the field.
Want to lead a crew? Apply here.