At least 4,000 youth and young adults to participate in YouthWorks 2020 using remote tools in a safe and virtual environment.

Today, Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young announced a 2020 virtual YouthWorks summer jobs program.

The program will begin on July 13 and run for five weeks. About 4,000 previously registered youth and young adults, ages 14-21, will have the opportunity to participate in a virtual work and educational experience gaining job readiness, career exploration, academic enrichment, and essential skills training. Participants will work four hours per day, five days a week.

YouthWorks participants will be able to earn up to $1,100 in gross wages by working a total of 100 hours. They will be paid $11 per hour.

“Our young people have had their worlds turned upside down due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," Mayor Young said. "Providing as many young people as possible with an opportunity to earn valuable experience, along with a paycheck, is very important for the thousands of households across our City that depend on YouthWorks. We are responding, despite the challenges the COVID-19 virus has presented, because we understand the importance of helping our students learn, grow, and advance this summer.”

Jason Perkins-Cohen, Director of the Mayor's Office of Employment Development, said that a number of cities across the country have eliminated their summer jobs programs in the face of declining revenues due to COVID-19.

“While we are pleased to have secured enough funding for 4,000 YouthWorks participants, we can offer more opportunities with additional dollars,” Perkins-Cohen  said. “We want to offer as many summer jobs as possible and it’s not too late to make contributions through the Baltimore Civic Fund.”

The Mayor’s Office of Employment Development partnered with workforce and educational partners to develop a virtual program where up to 100 employers will provide remote work experiences using their established platforms.

YouthWorks participants will learn job readiness skills, career exploration, and educational enrichment through an established web-based platform providing workforce skills, assessments and assignments geared toward their age group. Job coaches will be hired to guide these YouthWorkers through their summer experience and support them to properly navigate the online tools and complete the work that is required.

With funding provided by the Maryland State Department of Human Resources and the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, at least 1,000 of the participants will be foster youth and those in households receiving SNAP or Temporary Cash Assistance.

YouthWorks is established as one of the biggest and best summer jobs programs in the nation, largely due to its vital public-private partnerships. The following private organizations have each committed at least $100,000 – Annie E. Casey Foundation, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

There is still time to support YouthWorks. Tax-deductible donations can be made online through the Baltimore Civic Fund or by sending checks made payable to Baltimore Civic Fund/YouthWorks to MOED, 101 W. 24th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218.

Employers who can provide a virtual work experience using their established platform, can apply here.