Mayor Michelle Wu W Youth Employment and Opportunity Office (YEO) Today I’m announcing the expansion of the 2023 SuccessLink Summer Youth Employment Program. The program is now accepting applications. Boston youth ages 14-18 can apply for in-person and blended summer job opportunities at nonprofits, community organizations, and city agencies. This year, the city invested an unprecedented $18.7 million in youth jobs, the largest investment in Boston history. This funding will support 5,000 youth jobs in partnership with local nonprofits and community organizations and 2,000 youth jobs in the city, making the city the largest employer of summer youth jobs in Boston. The program expansion is part of a larger effort to spur the commitment of nonprofit employers and businesses to reach pre-COVID summer job levels.
“Ensuring that every young person in our city has access to employment is critical to our work to lay a foundation for Boston’s youth to grow and thrive,” he said. Mayor Michael Wu. The City Youth Summer Jobs Program is critical in empowering our youth and connecting them to opportunities. This year, we are increasing the number of youth jobs available and deepening our partnerships that will allow our youth to explore careers and develop their skills. I am grateful to all of our partners and employers for their commitment to our youth and encourage every teen and young adult to apply for a summer job.”
“As a city, choosing to invest in young people will always be the right decision. Youth jobs are essential to give young people the space to develop themselves into young professionals; exposure to various industries and professions; exploring where their interests might intersect with the impact they wish to have in the world; To build relationships with trusted advisors and develop skills to prepare for future professional and educational opportunities,” said Rashad Cobb, vice president of the Office of Worker Empowerment and the Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity. “We know how important it is to ensure that every young person has access to employment, and we are collectively committed to doing so, along with our incredible partners and employers who make these employment experiences possible for Boston youth.”
Led by the Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity, SuccessLink is designed not only to recruit and employ young people, but also to ensure that their employment experience is engaging, meaningful and enhances their professional and personal development. Last fall, Mayor Wu established Cabinet empowerment of workers To promote the welfare of Boston workers, led by Chief Trinh Nguyen. Expanding economic opportunities for youth through access to quality jobs, skills training and vocational pipelines is a key priority of the Cabinet. The Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity, formerly the Department for Youth Engagement and Employment (DYEE), has been transferred to the Workers Empowerment Council to lead this work.
“Having a summer job can be life-changing for young people in terms of gaining work readiness skills, identifying career interests, getting a mentor, and in many cases, getting that memorable first paycheck.” Trin Nguyen, President, Worker Empowerment. “The City of Boston is grateful for the many community partners who have come together to provide these opportunities for our youth. We look forward to working with all of them to help build for the future.”
Each year, YEO partners with a wide range of nonprofit organizations, city agencies, and leading youth employment providers, including Working for Boston Community Development, Boston Private Industry Council, Artists for HumanityAnd John Hancock MLK Scholarsand the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston To create summer jobs for young people. Young people have the opportunity to connect with various industries that provide inspiration for long-term careers such as the arts, healthcare, mathematics, sports and entertainment, education, and public administration.
SuccessLink is the foundation for the entire Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program. It is the only source of summer youth employment available to all Boston teens, regardless of neighborhood or high school. Neil Sullivan, executive director of the Boston Private Industry Council. “Young people who connect with private sector opportunities through PIC often credit their previous job at SuccessLink as preparing them for a summer internship in healthcare, finance, life sciences, architecture, or any other career.”
“ABCD is pleased to partner with the City of Boston to ensure Boston youth have an abundance of summer employment options,” Sharon Scott Chandler, President and CEO, ABCD, Inc. “As a longstanding provider of access to youth employment and career development services through SummerWorks (and other programs), ABCD is well aware that these initiatives build a foundation to support academic achievement and future employment successes.”
“Artists For Humanity is excited to grow our partnership with Boston’s Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity this summer by providing hundreds of jobs for teens with beneficial summer educational experiences for our city’s youth.” said Anna Yu, Executive Director of Artists for Humanity. “With the ambitious vision of YEO, and hundreds of amazing partner organizations, summer 2023 is on track to be the best and biggest year ever for creative employment for teens in Boston! We are honored to play a role in helping make this happen.”
This year, YEO expanded its youth job grants effort to bring more funding directly to nonprofits to design job experiences, remove barriers to enrolment and transfer administrative responsibilities to allow for a more streamlined process. These expanded efforts will encourage more collaboration, alliance building, learning and modeling between higher education institutions and job providers in the field of youth employment.
To ensure that all youth have equal opportunity to access these opportunities, the City will continue to support organizations that focus on at-risk youth groups (such as Youth Concerned for Justice, Alternative Care, Youth Experiencing Homelessness, etc.) YEO will work to ensure that disadvantaged youth They get employment through Massachusetts Commonwealth Youth Foundation partnership. In addition, the department will again work with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement (MOIA) to provide immigrant youth Hands-on leadership skillsregardless of immigration status.
“People don’t realize how quickly your condition can change and how much it can limit your chances. As a former dreamer, I know how frustrated it feels because I have so much to offer the world.” Monique Tu Nguyen, executive director of the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement. “With opportunities like this, we can ensure that this generation of young people gets opportunities that I didn’t have, and that the world can tap into their full potential.”
the SuccessLink website It has been updated to make it easier for young people to navigate the application process. Young people can view job vacancies, see a list of required documents, and apply directly to organizations. The Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity also provides assistance with applications. Youth can visit the office in person, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1483 Tremont Street in Roxbury, or call 617-635-4202 for assistance.
The Bureau of Youth Employment and Opportunity will also host a youth jobs fair and resources at the Reggie Lewis Center on Saturday, April 22, 11am-3pm Youth will have the opportunity to connect with over 100 summer employers, access youth resources, get help with a job application , and win prizes. Refreshments will be provided. Parents and/or guardians are welcome to attend with their youth.
Applying for a summer job with SuccessLink does not guarantee a job but the goal is to provide as many young people as possible. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Young people are encouraged to get their applications in early. For more information about the 2023 SuccessLink Summer Youth Employment Program, visit boston.gov/summer-jobs.