Stimulus funds created thousands of youth “recovery” jobs - October 28, 2009
09-096
Media contact:
Sheryl Hutchison,
Communications Director,
360-902-9289
OLYMPIA – Deborah Gardner of Spokane and Britany Garner of Port Orchard were among more than 5,600 teens and young adults in Washington who had paying jobs last summer, thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Workforce area Youth jobs funding Total youth participants Paying jobs Olympic $890,834 220 220 Pacific Mountain $1,684,664 579 574 Northwest Washington $1,230,207 351 351 Snohomish County $1,503,086 246 243 Seattle-King County $3,456,187 895 889 Pierce County $2,558,130 1,032 978 Southwest Washington $2,172,965 705 705 North-Central Washington $1,164,985 322 314 South-Central Washington $1,691,296 515 515 Eastern Washington $949,534 272 267 Benton-Franklin counties $884,221 188 166 Spokane County $1,742,508 461 437 TOTAL $19,928,617 5,786 5,659 ###
The state’s Employment Security Department received nearly $20 million for the youth jobs program, which it funneled to local workforce development councils to create and run employment and training programs in communities throughout Washington.
Recovery funding paid for Gardner to work at Center Pointe, a facility that offers classes and activities for developmentally disabled adults in the Spokane area.
Gardner said the experience not only convinced her to make special education her career, but also taught her about her own limits -- or lack of them. Gardner was born without hands and lower arms, but she proved that she could be a capable member of the work force.
“This job taught me I could take on more responsibility,” said the 16-year-old, who’s a junior at Mead High School. “This job made me more ready for everything.”
Britany Garner, also 16, said that for as long as she can remember, no one in her immediate family has ever held a job. She was determined to break the public-assistance cycle.
Through the youth-employment program, she landed her first summer job, as a Head Start teacher’s assistant. The program not only paid her wages, but also bought her a bicycle that she rode nearly nine miles to the nearest bus stop each day to get to work.
Garner said she was pleased to see other teens with troubling backgrounds, including some high-school dropouts, participating in the summer jobs program. “I was really proud of them. They were being responsible,” she said.
A total of 5,786 youths were accepted into the summer program this year. About 130 were placed in GED-preparation courses, rather than paying jobs, to improve their chances of finding jobs in the future.
More than 1,500 different employers offered work experience in jobs such as construction and manufacturing work, stream cleanups, office work at colleges and other public facilities, and leading recreational and learning activities at Boys & Girls Clubs.
Employment Security Commissioner Karen Lee said she was impressed at how quickly the local councils ramped up the first youth jobs program in a decade.
“Our goal was 5,000 jobs, but the councils blew that number out of the water,” said Lee. “They were highly motivated to help these youths earn some money and gain valuable work experience.”
Participants had to be aged 16 to 24 and low-income, with an emphasis on those who had dropped out of school or were at risk of dropping out, youths who were in foster care, homeless, runaways, disabled, or whose parents were incarcerated. Military veterans and their spouses also received priority service.
Participation numbers and funding for all 39 counties are below
Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap
Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Thurston
Island, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom
Clark, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum
Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan
Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania, Yakima
Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman
Broadcast version
In this tough economy, many jobs traditionally held by teenagers are being filled by adults.
But thanks to the federal Recovery Act, more than 56-hundred teens and older youths across Washington were provided with summer jobs this year, doing everything from construction and manufacturing… to stream cleanups… to working with disabled citizens.
The state’s Employment Security Department funneled nearly 20-million dollars in federal funds to local workforce development councils to operate the summer jobs program.
Employment Security Commissioner Karen Lee credits the local councils for making Washington’s youth jobs program one of the most successful in the nation.
