Stimulus plan means jobs for 600 youths
More than 600 young people in the Richmond area will go to work this summer because of a big boost in funding from the federal stimulus program.
The newly formed Capital Region Workforce Partnership is channeling about $1.1 million of stimulus money into youth summer work programs, beginning today in Hanover County.
The money represents about 80 percent of the $1.4 million that the stimulus program will provide for youth work programs in the region, and it more than doubles the federal funding normally available for year-round programs for youth job training.
Most of the money spent this summer will go to young people ages 14 to 24 as incentive payments for work and training at job sites in Richmond and seven regional counties.
President Barack Obama said last week that he wants the stimulus money to create 125,000 youth jobs this summer, and the local ones will count toward that.
"It's designed to move money into the hands of young people," said L. Robert Bolling, executive director of William Byrd Community House.
The Byrd House is administering the program for 170 young people in Richmond, as well as more than 130 who already participate in year-round job-training programs under the federal Workforce Investment Act.
Today, the first youths will go to work at parks and recreation facilities in Hanover, where they already have received two days of training for jobs that will pay $7 an hour for 25 to 40 hours a week, depending on their age.
By the beginning of July, hundreds of youths will be working at hospitals, nonprofit organizations, social-services agencies, state and local government operations, and YMCAs around the region.
"It's a wonderful opportunity," said Linda Botts, president and chief executive officer of Ashlin Management Group Inc., a Maryland-based company that is administering the program in Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent and Powhatan counties.
It's also a big opportunity for the regional Workforce Partnership, formed last fall to combine work-force training programs in the city and surrounding region for the first time. The partnership just named a 48-member community advisory board, as well as a policy group of elected officials led by Richmond City Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson.
"One of the challenges here is gearing up to put the money in place and bring the jobs in the short time we have," Robertson said Friday.
Obama made clear last week that he wants the stimulus money moving quickly to boost the economy this summer, with 10 initiatives aimed at creating more than 600,000 jobs in a little more than three months. The programs range from work at national parks and military bases to cleaning up hazardous waste sites and hiring teachers.
The money is a godsend for youth programs in the Richmond area, where just $225,000 was available from the Workforce Investment Act last year for year-round initiatives in the seven counties, and about $676,000 in Richmond, where the concentration of economically disadvantaged youths is much higher.
This year, the region is getting about $1.1 million from the Workforce Investment Act for its normal year-round programs, which include tutoring, occupational-skills training, and paid and unpaid work experience.
"First of all, there hasn't been a whole lot of money, period," said George T. Drumwright Jr., deputy county manager in Henrico. The Workforce Partnership is based in the county, which acts as its fiscal agent.
But the stimulus funding has come on a fast track for a short burst of investment. The government is requiring that 80 percent of the money be spent to create youth jobs this summer.
The partnership has been preparing since Congress adopted the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act in February. It used emergency procurement procedures to contract with Ashlin and the Byrd House, which already were administering the work-force training programs in the counties and city, respectively.
"If we don't get the money out quickly," said Rosalyn Key-Tiller, director of the partnership, "we would never get the program off the ground before kids go back to school."
Contact Michael Martz at (804) 649-6964 or
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Reader Reactions
Whoa, back up the economic stimulus train for just a second. Why in the name of all that is holy does Hanover County willingly hand out jobs to “low income kids” from Richmond when there are plenty in Hanover whos parents are paying a ton in taxes. There are adults who can’t get a job to pay for their kids to eat, yet we’re going to waste money on teens having jobs so we can dump it back into the economy? Does anyone really think if these jobs were offered to adults that they wouldnt grab them up and the money still wouldnt go back into the same spot?? If I offered a job that wouldnt hire any black people or people over 65 because they were too old, everyone would have a cow. Yet it is okay for the state to say we’re going to hire innercity kids and adults can’t apply? Can we all scream double standard?
Good point Opinion8d…
Giving money to young people is the quickest way to put money back into the economy.
I also believe we should be pushing for volunteers (young and old). Let’s create more non-profits and get people involved in helping others!
At least it is not welfare. The young folks put in the time and effort to get paid.
The will in turn spend much of what they earn. Back into the economy.
Sounds like the Grossdeutsche Jugendbewegung!!!Jungsturm Barack Obama!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qHg_yvuz3o&feature=player_embedded
These jobs are temporary as will be Obama’s economic recovery if he keeps spending at this pace.Anyone who does not see that already cannot have it explained to them.We can only hope that Obama fails to take over healthcare or else we’re done.At that point the debt will be so overwhelming, massive tax increases on EVERYONE will be the only solution.
And therein lies Obama’s ultimate plan.
600 summer jobs. 600 TEMPORARY jobs. In other words, zero full-time jobs, no economic growth.
The porkulus package is full of jobs like this. That’s why it will do as little for the economy as The New Deal did.
To 3rdgirl: I agree most programs do target low income youth but my daughter like yours did not fall into that category either. She got her job through keeping her ears open and making contacts through her volunteer work. I actually found the job posted on the internet and encouraged her to apply. She and 14 other youngsters beat out 150 other applicants so don’t get discouraged. Volunteer work is the best way for kids to get the jobs they want and skills to go far. Responsibility starts at home and the follow through is what gets these teens far. Sometimes they have to be willing to start out as volunteers and look at earning the skills as much as earning money.
There are many great kids out there and not all of them will end up in jail like some other posts have suggested. I know plenty who have jobs while in school so we can’t judge my the few bad apples we hear about.
3rdGirl: I call shenanigans.
Dee65, I’m glad your daughter was able to benefit from this program because when my daughter went to apply, not knowing that these jobs were targeted for underprivileged youths, she was told that her parents made too much money. Since the age when she was able to understand working for profit (dusting, sweeping, taking out the trash) we have instilled in her the value of hard work and earning money, only to have her crushed when she learned that she will not be able to work because of HER parents income.
Do the math - Obama is putting money into the pockets of a bunch of kids who will turn 18 in four years - just in time to vote to keep him in office.
Smart money is on 60% of these youth being incarcerated in four years. But…felons will have their voting rights restored by then, so you may be right!
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