Mayor to businesses: put teens to work

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - It may not feel like it outside, but another summer is just around the corner and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is calling on businesses to put teens to work.

If you're between the ages of 14 and 21 and are available between July 6th and August 13th and are looking for summer employment, you may be able to find an opportunity through Mayor Brown's Summer Youth Employment Program.

Mayor Byron Brown is calling upon local businesses to help our youth acquire workplace skills by participating in the city's Summer Youth Employment Program.

Mayor Brown said, "We've learned with many of our youth, they use these employment opportunities to purchase their back-to-school clothing. They use these opportunities, in some cases, to actually contribute to their households."

Through this program, young people between the ages of 14 and 21 will be employed for an average of six weeks and make about $1,000. For Autumn Green, this experience was more than just summer employment, it was an opportunity that set her up for a future career.

Green said, "It's a great program that allowed me to experience things hands-on rather than going to college thinking I know what I want to do and going in empty handed. Now I actually have the experience to go forth and go do it."

The Summer Youth Employment Program reached its high last year, putting over 3,500 youths to work, but this year, with federal stimulus funding gone and the Tanaf Funding being proposed to be cut, the city of Buffalo will be about $6 million lighter than it was last year, resulting in fewer available jobs for our youth. Nonetheless there is some time to reallocate funding to the community, which would only add to the 1,076 summer jobs that are currently available.

"We are really looking for businesses in our community to step up and take the lead and look at sponsoring a young person to work within their business or organization," said Brown.

All summer job applications are due by Friday, May 28th. You can pick up an application at City Hall or by following the link below.

You can find more information about the Youth Employment Program here.