BOSTON
- Thursday, July 16, 2020 - Bolstered by increased
funding support, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced the Mayor's Summer
Youth Jobs program will add two new features this year to support long-term
workforce preparedness: a Learn & Earn Career Development Internship
that pays participants for college-level coursework, and an online resource
guide that includes a primer on workers' rights compiled by the
Massachusetts Attorney General's Office (AGO). Both projects are
collaborations of the Mayor's Office
of Workforce Development and the Department
of Youth Engagement & Employment.
"The
disruptions of COVID-19 have made this summer a critical one for Boston's
youth, who need our support now more than ever," said Mayor Walsh.
"But the Summer Youth Jobs program is never just about one summer. We
want young people to come away with a lasting impact - whether that's
coursework that unlocks new career paths, or the ability to protect
themselves long-term from potential abuses in the workplace."
"A
young worker's first job is critical in teaching them about workplace
rules, responsibility, and safety," said Massachusetts Attorney
General Maura Healey. "This online resource guide that we developed
with Mayor Walsh's Office will help our young people understand their
rights to earned wages and a safe, healthy workplace. We are pleased to provide
these resources to support young workers in Massachusetts."
The
online guide, Resources
for youth employees, connects Summer Youth Jobs participants with
valuable resources for young people who are new to the workforce. The guide
covers immediate needs, such as technology access and COVID-19 safety
protocols, as well as vital information for the years ahead, such as
financial empowerment services and job training and education
opportunities.
The
guide also includes a Know
your rights page devoted to familiarizing young people with their
rights and responsibilities as workers. The Massachusetts AGO's office
compiled the information for the City to ensure that Boston's young workers
have easy access to these legal guidelines, which range from workplace
safety to wage payment to anti-discrimination laws.
"During
these unprecedented times no population is less important - especially our
young people," said Rashad Cope, Director of the Department of Youth
Engagement & Employment. "The City of Boston Department of Youth
Engagement & Employment stands in the gap to ensure Boston remains a
city who values and prioritizes opportunities for its youth. We are proud
to be a partner among many strong youth serving organizations and
institutions that cares about responding to the interest, equitable access
and needs of Boston's youth and creating quality learning, employment and
engagement experiences."
The
Learn & Earn internship, which has enrolled over 500 participants, pays
young people for their engagement in college-level courses that lay the
foundation for a career pathway. The 26 available classes are offered by
four local colleges: Benjamin
Franklin Institute of Technology, Bunker
Hill Community College, Roxbury Community College, and Urban College of Boston. These
classes span the following subjects: business, communications, early
childhood education, human services, social sciences, and technology.
Most
of the classes confer 3-6 college credits, which provide a head start to a
college education for the program's high school juniors and seniors. For
the program's older participants who are high school graduates or HiSET/GED
completers up to age 24, the classes can serve as a gateway to college or a
continuation of their classwork toward a degree.
Like
other tracks of the Summer Youth Jobs Program, the Learn & Earn
internship pays participants an hourly wage of $12.75 for 25 hours per
week. This time is divided among class time and homework, group study
sessions, and a job readiness and financial education curriculum led by a
career coach, who also works with young people on their career plans. These
components will be held virtually for participant safety. The internship
runs from July 13 to August 21 for most participants.
The
Mayor's Summer Jobs Program works to empower youth by connecting them to
jobs that provide mentorship and guidance, and promote skill building and
networking opportunities that create lasting professional pathways to
success. In recognizing the importance of keeping Boston's youth active and
engaged through meaningful opportunities, the City of Boston partners with
a host of private and nonprofit partners, including Action for Boston
Community Development, the Boston Private Industry Council, John Hancock's
MLK Scholars, Youth Options Unlimited, and others to make these summer
opportunities available to Boston's youth.
Due
to the impact of COVID-19 on many private businesses, which has impacted
their ability to host a youth summer job program, Mayor Walsh has committed
to bolstering investments in the program by investing an additional $4.1
million, making the total funding for Youth Engagement and Employment $11.9
million. This additional funding comes at a time when other large cities
have scaled back their summer jobs program, and will allow the City of
Boston to have a more robust jobs program within city departments,
expanding to new opportunities that previously had not been part of the
program. As part of hiring and onboarding 8,000 youth in summer jobs, the
City of Boston will coordinate personal protective equipment for all youth
workers.
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