Recovery Act/Stimulus

Summer Jobs for Youth

In summer 2009, almost 900 low-income young people in King County gained job skills, learned about career pathways, and earned cash to stimulate the economy.

One of the key pieces of the Recovery Act was a $1 billion summer-jobs program for low-income young people aged 16 to 24. Washington state Senator Patty Murray was instrumental in making sure that summer jobs were included in the stimulus package.

In just two short months, the small existing programs expanded eightfold in time for summer.

Young people worked at 373 job sites for 260 different employers—a wide variety of private companies, government agencies, and nonprofits.

From the trades to computers and customer service, young people worked hard, had fun and gained context for their classroom earning. Learn more about the summer 2009 Youth@Work program and read the stories of a participating young people.

Two final trades-focused projects are underway now using the last of the ARRA youth funds.

 

What about next summer?

Recovery Act funds for summer jobs were only for summer 2009. In 2010, only a tiny fraction of young people will have the same opportunity. We can and should invest in summer jobs now.
Visit the WDC’s Youth@Work page to find out more about how you can help us keep summer jobs alive in 2010 and beyond.