New York Governor Paterson Announces Nearly $100 Million in Federal Funding for Youth Employment

Funding Will Stimulate Local Economies Across New York; Will Create 50,000 Summer Youth Jobs – more than 27,000 in New York City

May 9, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today was joined byNew York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Congressman Charles Rangel, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Congressman Gregory Meeks and State and City officials in announcing nearly $100 million in federal funding for job creation, a portion of which will be used to assist New York’s lower-income youth in finding summer employment.

This funding is expected to create 50,000 jobs statewide, including more than 27,000 jobs in New York City, which will stimulate local economies across New York. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will provide $61 million in funding, and an additional $35 million will be provided through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program, creating jobs for New York’s lower-income youth statewide.

These initiatives are critical in light of the soaring youth unemployment rate across the State. Over the past 12 months, the unemployment rate among 16-19 year-olds in New York City averaged 22.1 percent – nearly four times higher among the rest of the city’s residents. That estimate includes only young adults actively seeking employment.

“Unemployment among youth has far reaching consequences across society – from substance abuse to teen pregnancy to increased crime in our communities, making finding employment for youth all the more critical,” said Governor Paterson. “With this federal funding, tens of thousands of youth will have their lives changed for the better by gaining substantive work experience and necessary life skills to succeed. I would like to thank President Obama, New York’s congressional delegation and Mayor Bloomberg for being champions for our youth, and the future of our State and country.”

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said: “None of us forget our first job, and these federal funds represent employment opportunities for our youth to set them on the way toward a lifetime of working. These funds will create more summer jobs that give young people who want to work a chance to learn and develop employable skills while they earn so that they can contribute to the economy, and encourages post-secondary work. I want to thank President Obama and our congressional delegation for their hard work in making sure that New York City received this much-needed funding to help preserve solid futures for our youth.”

New York’s low-income youth are slated to receive $61 million in Workforce Investment Act (WIA) employment and training funds under ARRA. Administered by the New York State Department of Labor (DOL), WIA funding will provide paid work experience, education, skills training, and support services for at-risk youth. The maximum age of eligibility has been raised from 21 to 24 so that young adults 14 to 24 are eligible to participate. Some of these jobs will continue after the summer via career ladder programs.

ARRA funding for youth summer jobs in regions outside New York City include:

o Capital Region, $2.2 million
o Central NY, $2.4 million
o Finger Lakes, $3.8 million
o Hudson Valley, $4.3 million
o Long Island, $4.2 million
o Mohawk Valley, $1.8 million
o North Country, $2.1 million
o Southern Tier, $2.1 million
o Western NY, $5.2 million

In addition to the ARRA funding, $35 million in TANF funding will support the State’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) for all 57 counties and New York City. Administered by the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), this funding will include approximately $19.5 million for New York City youth. SYEP is designed to not only help teenagers find a summer job, but also to instill skills and work ethic necessary for youth to advance and prepare for life after high school. For many participants, the program provides their first exposure to the workforce. Last year, these funds were used to employ nearly 26,000 young people.

TANF requires that youth must be between the ages of 14 and 20 to qualify for SYEP. Participating families must be recipients of public assistance, or have a family income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $36,620 for a family of three.

TANF funding for youth summer jobs in counties outside of New York City include:

o Albany, $466,485
o Allegany, $170,948
o Broome, $396,199
o Cattaraugus, $213,176
o Cayuga, $133,367
o Chautauqua, $304,501
o Chemung, $185,116
o Chenango, $116,267
o Clinton, $203,707
o Columbia, $53,817
o Cortland, $141,195
o Delaware, $90,868
o Dutchess, $342,815
o Erie, $1,590,979
o Essex, $67,249
o Franklin, $124,897
o Fulton, $103,493
o Genesee, $101,683
o Greene, $90,192
o Hamilton, $9,906
o Herkimer, $112,036
o Jefferson, $315,456
o Lewis, $77,918
o Livingston, $163,290
o Madison, $156,460
o Monroe, $1,259,198
o Montgomery, $95,558
o Nassau, $819,147
o Niagara, $412,949
o Oneida, $364,623
o Onondaga, $789,861
o Ontario, $150,297
o Orange, $444,195
o Orleans, $80,884
o Oswego, $345,023
o Otsego, $149,472
o Putnam, $34,727
o Rensselaer, $246,202
o Rockland, $251,001
o St Lawrence, $390,075
o Saratoga, $163,531
o Schenectady, $187,511
o Schoharie, $75,477
o Schuyler, $44,304
o Seneca, $83,770
o Steuben, $216,644
o Suffolk, $1,100,683
o Sullivan, $134,225
o Tioga, $85,815
o Tompkins, $371,871
o Ulster, $239,433
o Warren, $95,396
o Washington, $67,878
o Wayne, $134,395
o Westchester, $846,315
o Wyoming, $83,133
o Yates, $48,367

Additionally, Governor Paterson encouraged businesses to take advantage of the Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC), which can provide up to $2,400 in federal tax credits for employers who hire youth ages 16 to 24 and reside in designated Federal Renewal Communities and/or Empowerment Zones. Approximately 100,000 youth live in these designated zones statewide. Funding for WOTC was expanded, as part of the ARRA, to include tax credits for employers who hire “disconnected youth,” which include youth who have not been employed or attended school in the past six months. Information on these tax credits can be obtained at the 81 One-Stop Career Centers across the State.

Governor Paterson also urged youth across the State to take advantage of DOL’s revamped www.nycareerzone.org, which offers direct access to in-depth career and education information for more than 900 occupations, including job descriptions, estimated wages and the job outlook for each occupation. More importantly, CareerZone can help youth develop a ‘worker identity’ early on and focus their studies on the subjects they need in order to succeed in the job market when they leave school.

For more information on the State’s youth summer jobs programs, visit www.labor.ny.gov or www.otda.state.ny.us.

Source: New York Governor