Mayors make summer employment for teens a priority.

Facing what is likely to be the bleakest summer employment picture for teens in recent history, and against a backdrop of the federal government's failure to respond to this looming crisis, mayors across the country are working to increase the number of young people they can place in summer jobs in their communities.

Cities have promoted youth employment through summer jobs programs for many years. Despite tight budgets and difficult economic conditions, many local leaders continue to place a priority on summer youth employment by investing city dollars in jobs programs and working with local businesses to secure additional placements and funding.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley recently announced that the city will spend an extra $1.5 million dollars this year to provide summer employment opportunities for an additional 1,000 young people in communities with high levels of youth violence and low economic opportunities.

Under the leadership of Mayor Sheila Dixon, the City of Baltimore has made summer jobs for youth a priority through the YouthWorks program. Working with employers, community groups, foundations, state agencies and the faith-based community, the city has secured enough job commitments to employ more than 6,700 youth this summer.

"These experiences will help develop the proper work ethic, instill a sense of pride that comes from a job well done, and spark vocational interests that lead to building a career," said Mayor Dixon, "and we know that all our citizens benefit when our teenagers are productively involved during the summer."

In Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has successfully worked with local businesses, government agencies and community groups to provide 10,000 youth with jobs during 2007-08 as part of the HIRE LA's Youth Campaign, which includes a Summer Youth Employment Program for youth ages 14-21 administered by the city's Community Development Department.

"Early work experience generates a number of strong positive impacts on short-term and long-term employment and earnings," said Mayor Villaraigosa.

Lower teen pregnancy and dropout rates among disadvantaged youth have also been linked to higher employment rates for teens. Many also see summer employment as a way to keep teens safe during the months they are not in school.

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Fewer Jobs for Youth Anticipated This Year

Summer employment provides teenagers with an opportunity to gain valuable work experience and develop their skills. Many also depend on summer jobs to save money for college and other expenses, and to help support their families by supplementing the household income. However, recent economic downturns and demographic trends have steadily eroded the job market for youth, and many teenagers are finding it increasingly difficult to secure employment for the summer months.

A new report from Northeastern University's Center for Labor Market Studies predicts that this year, the teen summer employment rate will drop to 34.2 percent. This rate would be slightly lower than the 2007 summer employment rate, which had been the lowest in post-World War II history.

The report suggests that the deterioration of national labor market conditions has accelerated the collapse of the youth job market across the country as teens face increased competition from college students and older adults for jobs. Younger teens (ages 16-17), males, black and Hispanic youth and low-income youth are most at risk of joblessness this coming summer.

Mayors Reach Out to Local Businesses

Some cities are finding ways to engage private sector employers in summer employment programs by asking them to provide additional job placements and funding. Mayor Mark Mallory of Cincinnati, who has made youth employment one of the signature issues of his administration, holds an Annual Mayor's Youth Jobs and Opportunities Fair to connect young people with local businesses and employment resources.

"Providing our youth with quality employment opportunities is one of the most important things that we can do for the future of our city," Mayor Mallory said.

Mayor James Harrington of Brockton, Mass., recently held a telethon to encourage local businesses to provide summer job opportunities for at-risk youth.

The telethon kicked off the 2008 Youth Employment Campaign, a collaborative of the Brockton Area Workforce Investment Board, Metro South Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Harrington's Office, local youth-serving agencies and private sector employers.

The City of St. Louis created a local summer jobs program after budget cuts reduced the number of federally-funded jobs.

This year, the city has regained some funding through a federal appropriation, and Mayor Francis Slay's administration has already lined up 150 new jobs for this summer to add to the 350 already in the program. The mayor has also reached out to the local business community to donate funds to support an additional 150 jobs.

Limited Federal Funding

In 2000, the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program lost its direct federal funding, and since then, summer jobs programs have been forced to compete for federal funding with several other programs that fall under the federal Workforce Investment Act.

Earlier this year, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) introduced legislation to stimulate the economy by providing one million jobs to low-income youth this summer.

These bills would authorize $1 billion for youth activities under the Workforce Investment Act. More than 140 mayors signed a letter to Congressional leaders in support of this legislation, but the bill has not reached the floor of the House or the Senate.

Details: To read the full report on "The Continued Collapse of the Nation's Teen Job Market" from the Center for Labor Market Studies, visit www.clms.neu.edu/publication. To learn more about the YEF Institute's efforts to assist cities seeking to provide jobs for youth in transition, visit www.nlc.org/iyef or contact Carlos Becerra at (202) 626-3160 or becerra@nlc.org.