NYC Gazette

Speaker Carl Heastie, Labor Committee Chair Harry Bronson, and Human Services Committee Chair Maritza Davila announced today that the Enacted State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024-25 Budget includes $55 million for the Summer Youth Employment Program. Speaker Heastie emphasized the importance of the program, stating, "The Summer Youth Employment Program gives young people across New York the opportunity to earn a real income and gain vital skills that will serve them well in their education and in the workforce."

Assemblymember Bronson highlighted the significance of the program in providing foundational experience to young individuals, stating, "It connects them with the community while teaching them real-world experience and skills that will serve them as they embark upon their future education and careers." He also emphasized the importance of the program in setting youth on the pathway to success by allowing them to earn money while learning valuable skills.

Assemblymember Davila underscored the impact of increasing funding for the program, noting that it will provide more young people with the opportunity to earn a real wage and gain on-the-job experience. She stated, "This program provides thousands of New Yorkers every summer with the chance to get important experience and skills that will serve them both academically and as they get older and enter the workforce."

The Assembly Majority secured an additional $5 million for the Summer Youth Employment Program in the enacted budget, bringing the total allocation for the program to $55 million. The program aims to connect youth between the ages of 14 and 20 from low-income families with summer employment and educational experiences. These opportunities typically entail entry-level positions where participants earn at least the minimum wage for their region. Between 2016 and 2021, the program served approximately 100,000 youth across the state.

In addition to the funding for the Summer Youth Employment Program, the budget includes $38.8 million for additional youth employment programming in localities involved in the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) Initiative.