Area youth employment advocates decry job cuts

By: Racheida Lewis, Takiah Jones/NovelTeenInk

Posted: 6/29/08

Area youth employment advocates are appalled that Congress is slashing the National Urban League's Urban Youth Empowerment Program from the budget of the Department of Labor next week.

"We have a situation where African Americans and low-income families are primarily where kids in this and other youth employment programs come from," said Lakeem Winborne, assistant director and program manager for NovelteenInk, a youth employment program that is employing 75 high school students this summer. "I am appalled. Cutting such programs will throw the youth into a cycle of poverty and criminal activity."

The Congressional Black Caucus has appealed to President Bush to continue funding the program.

"It is our understanding that the funding, which enables the program to provide much-needed services to young people to reduce recidivism, complete high school education and find jobs is to be terminated on June 30, 2008. We urge you not to end this vital program," states a letter to Bush, signed by 37 members of the CBC and released exclusively to the NNPA News Service. "Now is not the time for the Department of Labor to turn its back on young people who are trying to turn their lives around. These young people will be kicked out of the program unless you intervene."

The letter asks that the federal government at least allocate $4 million to allow 800 youth enrollees to complete the training through 2008.

"At a time when incarceration rates are at an all-time high in the nation, and unemployment among young people is steadily increasing, the program serves as a valuable resource to underserved communities around the country," the letter states. "The program has a demonstrated record of effectiveness in assisting at-risk youth in educational opportunities, job training and placement, and the support needed to make a successful transition into the workplace." Bush has so far not responded.

This is a prescription to make youth fail, groused Talib Madyun, special projects coordinator for Youth Organization United to Rise (YOUR) in Northwest DC. "They don't want them to be successful," Madyun said. "They are going to make them go out and make money the fast and loose way instead of making money the right way. I am outraged and concerned. What will youth who want to earn an honest income fall back on?"

Ragasten Paul, director of Mentorship, Leadership and Learning Group, a community organization devoted to developing youth into productive members of society, is equally concerned about what will happen to the youth if opportunities to develop job skills are slashed.

"Any federally funded programs facing financial crisis, when it comes to picking the choice of who to cut out, it's usually programs that benefit minorities," Paul said. "Cancellation of these programs cuts the opportunities out for many young African Americans to get exposure and potentially succeed on a global level."

Paul said that if something of the same caliber were to happen to the Summer Youth Employment Program, DC would be thrown into chaos. SYEP employs about 17,000 teens over the summer and without that enrichment, there would be 17,000 teens with nothing to do.

Seventeen-year-old Aminata Jalloh, a Wilson Senior High School student, knows first hand the value of youth employment programs. She is working at the District Chronicles this summer covering news and events under NovelTeenInk sponsorship. "It should not be cancelled because it gives youth a better chance to get off the streets," Jalloh said. "I know that if the program was not available, I would most likely be outside on the street."

Sameerah Stocks, 18, shares Jalloh's sentiments. "If the program is what everyone says it is, they shouldn't cut it . That really doesn't make any sense," said Sameerah who is also working this summer as a journalist at the District Chronicles.

NUL President/CEO Marc Morial also laments that the cut comes at a time when no substantial federal funding exists for general summer jobs for youth across the nation.

"You have a lot of idle teenagers who are out of school and who want to work, opportunities, careers, and a chance to earn a living," said Morial. "It's a tragedy that Congress has not moved on summer jobs because the teen unemployment rate is as high as it's been in 50 years."