Whenever I hear about high-crime areas, I never think the answer is tougher policing. Don’t get me wrong–policing is important. After I was mugged in Harlem years ago, I called the police.
But there’s so much else lacking in these communities–like steady employment, good schools, community development and investment–that good policing cannot begin to address.
That’s why I was heartened to hear that the White House and the Department of Labor plan to announce today their investment of $21 million to develop summer and year-round jobs in underserved communities. Also to be announced: 16 Summer Impact Hubs will benefit from targeted support from the federal government.
Summer opportunities have been shown to divert youth from criminal involvement and reduce overall violence in communities.
That is why in February the White House launched the Summer Opportunity Project to increase the number of young Americans participating in evidence-based summer opportunity programs, decrease the percentage of youth experiencing violence over the summer, and–more broadly–make sure that young Americans have the support they need to get their first job.
This work builds on the President’s My Brother’s Keeper Task Force recommendation, strengthening the case for summer youth employment and launching a cross-sector campaign to reduce summer learning loss and increase the number of job and internship opportunities for all young people.
Summer Jobs and Beyond
Today, the White House and the Department of Labor are announcing new steps to advance that effort, including the release of $21 million in Summer Jobs and Beyond grants to 11 communities to connect disadvantaged young people with jobs this summer and year-round.
The White House is also launching 16 Summer Impact Hubs–communities that will receive robust, coordinated support from 16 federal agencies to expand and refine their summer jobs and learning, including exposure to local innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities, meals, and violence reduction programs.
These announcements are aimed at supporting a range of state and local leaders, community-based organizations, private sector leaders, philanthropic leaders, schools, other youth-serving agencies, and young people that are all coming together at the local level to ensure that our youth have productive, healthy summers that enhance their educational and career prospects.
The winning grant projects:
- Utica, NY: The New Americans Career Pathways
- Portland, OR: The Pathways to Sector Employment for Youth
- Tribal counties in California, Illinois, and Iowa: The Summer Youth Career Pathways Project
- Milwaukee, WI: The Milwaukee Career Plus
- Hartford, CT: The Promise Zone YES!
- Chicago, IL: Beyond Summer Jobs
- Santa Maria, CA: Santa Maria Summer Jobs & Beyond
- Detroit, MI: Grow Detroit’s Young Talent
- Franklin Hampshire Region, MA: Franklin Hampshire Summer Jobs and Beyond
- Indianapolis, IN: Youth Works Indy
- Philadelphia, PA: PA CareerLink® Philadelphia: Youth & Young Adult Opportunity Hub (YOH/theHub)