More Than 5,200 Baltimore Youth Offered Summer Employment Through City’s YouthWorks Program
Monday Jun 30th, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 30, 2014
CONTACTS:
Brice Freeman, Communications
410-396-1910
Ernest Dorsey, Youth Services
410-396-6722
More Than 5,200 Baltimore Youth Offered Summer Employment Through City’s YouthWorks Program
Total includes hundreds of older teens and young adults offered jobs through Hire One Youth campaign, involvement of private employers
Baltimore, Maryland (June 30, 2014) – Today marks the start of week two of Baltimore City’s 2014 YouthWorks summer jobs program, through which more than 5,200 young people ages of 14-21 have been offered opportunities to gain real-world work experience through six-week positions at public- and private-sector worksites throughout Baltimore. "I still clearly remember my very first job," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who worked as a Conservation Corps member for her first summer job experience in the mid-80s. "While it was a very hot summer, this rewarding experience taught me that I could use my skills and talents to responsibly contribute to making my environment better. The thousands of young Baltimore City residents who are working this summer through YouthWorks are learning many of these same vital and basic skills. They are the future of our city, state and country, and providing them with work opportunities is one of the best investments we can make."
In partnership with Greater Baltimore Committee President and CEO Donald Fry and a team of local business leaders, the Mayor started Hire One Youth – YouthWorks’ private-sector component – three years ago. The goal of Hire One Youth is to actively engage businesses in YouthWorks by giving them the opportunity to interview and hire older (ages 16-21), job-ready participants. To date, more than 460 youth have been hired by 100 employers through Hire One Youth 2014, including the Johns Hopkins Hospital & Health System and The Johns Hopkins University, which are continuing their tradition of strong support for YouthWorks by hiring 200 Baltimore City youth for summer jobs.
This is the second year that the law office of Schlachman, Belsky & Weiner – based in downtown Baltimore with offices in Prince George's County, Salisbury and Frederick – is participating in Hire One Youth. This summer, the firm hired Marquise Bell, 17, a recent graduate of Carver Vocational Technical High School who wants to be a police officer. "Marquise's interest in a law enforcement career makes him a good fit for our firm since we frequently represent police officers," said Herbert R. Weiner, managing partner of Schlachman, Belsky & Weiner. "And, it didn't hurt that he came to his interview wearing a tie with the scales of justice on it." Mr. Weiner added that Marquise will be supervised by associate trial attorney Shaun F. Owens, who will be introducing him to several different career areas within the law firm as well as the courtroom, since Marquise will be accompanying Mr. Owens to several trials this summer.
In addition to law, YouthWorks participants are working in a wide variety of industries this summer, including health care and social assistance, hospitality/tourism, finance, construction, the arts, and environmental or green jobs. Many YouthWorks assignments in high-growth industries are offered to older youth who are matched to jobs that reflect their career interests. Approximately half of the YouthWorks participants are 14 or 15 years old and employed for the first time. Many are gaining business and office skills, while others are helping keep Baltimore's parks, playgrounds and open spaces clean. They are beautifying city neighborhoods by participating in community recycling activities and graffiti removal, and supporting the operations of community libraries, recreation centers, summer camps and senior centers. YouthWorks costs $1,300 per participant for the six-week, 25-hour-per-week positions, and is supported by a variety of public and private funding sources – including consistent and strong support from both the city and state.
Mayor Rawlings-Blake and the Baltimore City Council invested more than $1.5 million in the program this year. This city funding, combined with more than $1.38 million in state funds allocated by Governor Martin O’Malley, created more than 2,200 YouthWorks jobs. In addition, the Maryland State Department of Human Resources and the Baltimore City Department of Social Services provided their annual $1 million grant to YouthWorks, creating jobs for 769 teens who receive Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), live in homes that receive TCA, and/or live in foster care. Augmenting the strong public support it receives, YouthWorks relies upon generous contributions to the Baltimore City Foundation from private foundations, businesses, and individual donors to fund the positions of thousands of additional participants. Among YouthWorks’ major 2014 donors are American Trading & Production Corporation (Atapco); AT&T; Constellation; Domino Foods/American Sugar Refining. Inc.; Grant Capital Management; Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA); The Bank of America Charitable Foundation; The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation; and The Starbucks Foundation.
In addition to the basic workforce readiness and career-specific skills that participants gain through their summer work experiences, the YouthWorks program is enriched through partnerships with various local organizations and agencies. All YouthWorks participants receive basic money management training through volunteers from Wells Fargo Bank and Operation HOPE/Banking on Our Future. Many participants also receive free lunches through the Baltimore Housing Office of Community Services’ Summer Food Service Program for Children. The Maryland Transit Administration offers YouthWorks participants the opportunity to purchase an MTA standard full-fare monthly pass for the month of July at a reduced rate.
YouthWorks is operated by the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, in partnership with the Baltimore Workforce Investment Board, and runs through August 1. ### In fiscal year 2013, the Mayor's Office of Employment Development hosted more than 119,000 visits from city residents at our one-stop career centers, provided computer literacy and occupational skills training to more than 1600 people, and placed nearly 2,500 individuals in jobs.
We offered summer employment to more than 5,200 young people through YouthWorks and assisted more than 425 businesses through our Employ Baltimore strategy. MOED is committed to building a strong workforce for our city by developing meaningful partnerships with the local business community and connecting Baltimore citizens of all ages and backgrounds with jobs and pathways to careers. www.oedworks.com.