Sugary Stop (Youth-Led Social Enterprise)

A Program of the Wezesha Dada Center (WDC)

The Sugary Stop is a youth-led social enterprise that gives young people their first real job experience while teaching them the skills, discipline, and confidence needed to thrive in school, work, and life. Through hands-on learning, mentorship, and real customer interactions, youth learn how to operate a business, solve problems, and build the social-emotional strengths that help them succeed long after the program ends.

Building Confidence, Leadership, and Social-Emotional Skills

The Sugary Stop helps young people develop essential personal skills. Youth grow in:

Resiliency — learning to adapt and recover from challenges
Confidence — discovering their strengths through real experience
Leadership — taking initiative and responsibility
Communication — expressing themselves clearly with peers, adults, and customers
Conflict Navigation — managing disagreements in healthy, non-escalatory way

These experiences support young people in school, at home, and in future workplaces.

Healthy Conflict Navigation & Real-World Relationship Skills

Youth practice positive conflict resolution by:

Resolving disagreements without escalation
Communicating needs and boundaries respectfully
Collaborating with teammates under pressure
Navigating accountability and shared responsibility

These skills prepare youth for jobs, internships, and leadership roles.

Hands-On Business Skills Through Real Entrepreneurial Experience

Youth learn practical business skills such as:

Customer service
Teamwork
Time management
Money handling and budgeting
Problem-solving during busy days
Basic business planning and understanding revenue

Youth Earn Stipends — Real Pay for Real Work

Youth earn stipends at the Denver minimum-wage rate, which helps them:

Learn financial literacy
Build responsibility
Reduce financial barriers
Participate equally

This is often their first paid job experience.

A Pathway to Economic Mobility

The Sugary Stop helps youth:

Discover their strengths
Build economic awareness
Prepare for future jobs or business ideas
Envision long-term careers

The Sugary Stop is more than a business — it is a transformative learning experience that equips young people with the confidence, skills, and support they need to build stronger futures.

Want to support the next generation of entrepreneurs?

Join us as a volunteer and help us keep these youth-led events going strong.

Sign up to volunteer!

How the Program Works

1. Sign Up & Get Matched to Events

After applying, youth are scheduled for upcoming local events where we host The Sugary Stop. Each event offers a new opportunity to gain hands-on experience.

2. Orientation & Onboarding

After applying, youth are scheduled for upcoming local events where we host The Sugary Stop. Each event offers a new opportunity to gain hands-on experience.

3. Work the Stand & Earn a Stipend

At each event, youth take full responsibility—from setting up, preparing drinks, greeting customers, handling cash or digital payments, and cleaning up. Every shift includes a stipend as a thank-you for their hard work.

4. Learn. Earn. Repeat.

This program can be repeated throughout the year, with different community events offering new challenges and opportunities. Every time youth show up, their skills grow — and so does their confidence

Want the Full Scoop?

Visit the official Sugary Stop website to learn more about events, program details, and how to get involved:

👉Visit The Official Sugary Stop

Explore All Youth Development Programs

The Sugary Stop is just the beginning. Our youth development programs are designed to inspire leadership, spark creativity, and build real-world skills for future success. From entrepreneurship to mentorship, we provide a range of engaging opportunities that empower youth to dream big and go further.

Every program is crafted to be hands-on, culturally relevant, and rooted in community values. Whether you’re looking to launch a business, learn a trade, or explore new career paths, we’ve got something just for you.

Ready to discover more? Explore all the ways you can grow with us.

The Sugary Stop is just the beginning. Our youth development programs are designed to inspire leadership, spark creativity, and build real-world skills for future success. From entrepreneurship to mentorship, we provide a range of engaging opportunities that empower youth to dream big and go further.

Every program is crafted to be hands-on, culturally relevant, and rooted in community values. Whether you’re looking to launch a business, learn a trade, or explore new career paths, we’ve got something just for you.

Ready to discover more? Explore all the ways you can grow with us.