Federal Government Invests $20 Million To Create Youth Jobs

Organizations have to be either a state or locally operated affiliate organization to receive the grant money from the U.S. Department of Labor to serve youth ages between 14 and 21.

Youth in America will soon have more access to better-paying jobs and opportunities. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is investing $20 million to create jobs and work opportunities for youth after school and during the summer.

The Workforce Pathways for Youth demonstration grants will allow organizations to expand local work-based learning opportunities, job training, and career pathways for national out-of-school time organizations, the DOL announced in a news release.

Organizations have to be either state- or locally-operated affiliate organizations to receive the grant money from the DOL to serve youth ages between 14 and 21.

“Through partnerships with the workforce system, out-of-school time organizations introduce youth to career-related services, including work-based learning experiences and occupational skills training,” the DOL states. “They also provide paid employment opportunities that help youth gain foundational skills for success in post-secondary education and employment.”

The program goes a step further by acknowledging the barriers some working youth may have, such as getting back and forth between work, so the program also encourages its partners to provide supportive services, including transportation and emergency services.

This latest round of grant money is authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to creating opportunities that connect people with good jobs, all while supporting the department’s initiative of supporting young adults entering the workforce.

Why This Matters?

A recent analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics confirmed that the youth suicide and homicide rates among young adults between 10 and 24 have increased over the last decade.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), while youth homicide rates vary dramatically between and within countries, homicides are the third leading cause of death for youth between the ages of 15 and 29.

WHO says developing life skills, interventions to reduce concentrated poverty, and upgrading urban environments are some ways to help prevent homicides and suicides in youth.