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"Summer jobs mean earning
money. And it means learning how to work. In some ways, the jobs
that really taught me how to work were the jobs I had as a boy and
as a teenager -- jobs like delivering pizzas and shining shoes.
Programs like this mean a lot for communities like Englewood --
communities that need our help," Blagojevich said. For high school
and college kids, summer jobs can be a big part of preparing for
future success. "These jobs will teach kids to be responsible and
will help keep them out of trouble," the governor said. "This new
summer jobs program will help more than 1,000 kids in struggling
areas across the state have a chance to develop new skills and earn
some money. For Englewood, this means almost 200 kids working hard
to improve their community and help turn it around."
The governor's Summer Youth Works Project will provide summer
employment for 1,100 youth ages 16-22 from low-income families in
Chicago, Rockford, Peoria and other economically disadvantaged
communities.
For Chicago's Englewood community, the governor's program means
190 jobs that will allow high school and college-age students
improve their neighborhood by working on community green spaces,
building park benches, painting murals, mapping historical sites or
running a small business. These jobs will teach students
responsibility and will help keep them out of trouble and prevent
crimes like the shootings that killed Starkesia Reed and Seritha
White, two Englewood girls killed within a week of each other
earlier this year.
"Tragedy and pain brought us together to find short- and
long-term solutions to saving young lives and how to turn this
community around," said Rush. "The promise and hope of Englewood
challenges us to continue this work so that it becomes a model
community, not just in Illinois but across the nation."
Of the total 1,100 high school and college students hired by
Summer Youth Works Project, 200 college-aged students will work from
June 19 through Aug. 11. They will be paid $10 per hour and work 37
hours per week. These young men and women will serve as project
coordinators with service providers funded by the Department of
Human Services, will work on community development projects, and
will oversee and mentor small groups of two or three high school
students.
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 Also, 700 high school students will be employed by community
organizations to do administrative work, marketing development and
grass-roots community outreach, making $7 per hour and working 20
hours per week.
Another 200 high school students will be employed by museums and
will work on marketing and guest services.
All the students participating in the summer jobs programs were
recruited by the Department of Human Services and community-based
youth programs after meeting eligibility criteria based on family
income.
The students will work at over 30 community agencies, Department
of Human Services facilities and several Team Illinois sites in
economically disadvantaged communities in Chicago, Rockford,
Decatur, East St. Louis, Pembroke Township, East Aurora, Ford
Heights, Markham, Maywood, Round Lake, Alexander County, Cairo,
Venice and Freeport.
"Youth from disadvantaged communities have fewer employment
opportunities than those from more affluent communities," said
Department of Human Services Secretary Carol L. Adams, Ph.D. "The
Summer Youth Works Project and its related activities will enhance
the opportunities for young adults and help them build a vested
interest in their community."
The Department of Human Services and the Department of Natural
Resources are coordinating on the Museum Educational Demonstration
program, which will provide summer jobs at museums throughout the
state.
"The Museum Educational Demonstration program will provide
meaningful work experiences for high school students at museums,
park districts and other DNR sites with educational programs," said
Sam Flood, acting director of the Department of Natural Resources.
"The students will help with projects that will promote the museum's
mission while providing educational opportunities for the young
people."
To further enhance the educational component of the program, the
students will spend one day a week learning about life skills from
speakers selected by the local providers.
[News release from the governor's
office] |
