Jobs For Youth/Chicago - Press Release

Chicago's African-American Youth Shut Out by Tight Labor Market
Jobs For Youth/Chicago responds as Congress slashes $300 million in funding and new study reveals nearly 5.5 million youth nationwide are out of school & jobless

Chicago, IL (February, 2003) A recent study from Northeastern University's Center for Labor Market Studies revealed joblessness surged to nearly 5.5 million for the nation's 16 to 24 year-old-out-of-school youth during 2002. In January, however, Congress announced that more than $300 million will be cut from funding for youth employment and job training programs. Jobs for Youth/Chicago, Inc. (JYF), Chicago's leading non-profit devoted exclusively to helping inner-city youth successfully enter the workforce, believes the African American community may be hardest hit.

Robert Barnett, JFY Executive Director, is concerned argues the current economic downturn should not be the 'scapegoat' for cutbacks to much needed programs. "As an organization, we face daily the eroding supply of job opportunities for young people in this city, however the demand only increases. Cuts to program and services will only fuel the situation," said Barnett. "Employing African American teens introduces them to the adult world of work, and stimulates their interest in further education and gainful employment. Because a job is a learning ground for them, youth are the ones who will suffer most from high unemployment rates."

The study also revealed that during 2001, Chicago ranked only second to New York with nearly 100,000 out-of-school, jobless young adults. More than 70% of those young people unemployed were either African American or Hispanic. While it reported that the majority of the unemployed lacked a high school diploma or GED, 34% of black high school graduates in large urban cities were also jobless.

Felicia Bradley, a GED instructor at JFY says, "Our community has failed to prepare our young people to become actively engaged in the job market. We constantly work with clients in their early twenties who have never prepared a resume and need assistance completing basic information on a job application. Fortunately through our GED programs and employment services, 3 out of 4 youth do find work."

Jobs For Youth/ Chicago helps young men and women from low-income families become part of the economic mainstream; and, in the process, provides the business community with motivated job-ready workers. Established in 1979, JFY has made more than 15, 000 placements with over 400 Chicago- area employers. JFY offers training and job placement services to youth that are out of school and between the ages of 17 and 24. Last year, the average starting wage was $8.00. For more information call (312) 499-4778.

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