Today, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Finance Committee Chair Julissa-Ferreras-Copeland, and Youth Services Committee Chair Mathieu Eugene visited Wings Academy in the Bronx to meet with young people who will be participating in New York City’s Summer Youth Employment Program.

The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) gives teenagers and young adults between the ages of 14 and 24 a chance to enter the workforce and start their careers. As part of a remarkable $100 million investment by the Council and the Administration in our City’s youth, 60,000 young people will be able to gain employment experience through the Summer Youth Employment Program. One thousand of these jobs will be targeted for vulnerable and at-risk youth.

The FY17 budget baselined $38.5 million in funding for the Summer Youth Employment Program. The 2016 SYEP will begin on Tuesday, July 5th and continue through Saturday, August 13th.

“The Summer Youth Employment Program will provide 60,000 New York City youth with the tools and opportunities to succeed,” said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “By connecting young people with job training and their first paid employment, SYEP forges a path toward career –readiness and teaches the value of responsibility and accountability. Many SYEP jobs are also neighborhood-based and provide young people the opportunity to work in and give back to their community. The New York City Council is proud to invest in our youth and I look forward to the start of SYEP in the weeks ahead.”

“Phipps Neighborhoods works to break the cycle of poverty in our South Bronx communities through access to education, career development and community resources. We have been serving teens through the Summer Youth Employment Program for over 20 years, coordinating and managing over 4,500 placements through the DYCD program. Phipps Neighborhoods’ Learning and Career Development programs focus on fostering independent thinking and building foundational skills that are marketable and transferable across a variety of workplace settings. The increased funding in the SYEP budget will allow an additional 10,000 young people to access robust and diverse work opportunities across New York City. These young people will be engaged in structured placements that contribute positively to their development, provide a safe introduction to the workplace, and expose them to the possibilities of long-term financial independence. Phipps Neighborhoods is very proud to be an ongoing partner with DYCD in supporting youth through the SYEP program,” said Dianne Morales, Executive Director of Phipps Neighborhoods.

“SYEP helped launch my career and the careers of so many others across the City, which is why I am so pleased we were able to guarantee 60,000 young people the opportunity to have a summer job in this budget. Having a job through the program can set you on a career path, give you critical skills, and expose you to new environments. For young people across the City, there is no better way to spend the summer, and no better investment the City can make,” said Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, Chair of the Committee on Finance.

“I am delighted to be touring Wings Academy with the Speaker and my colleagues in the City Council to kick off the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). As the Chair of the Youth Services Committee, I am so pleased that more than 60,000 of our city’s young people will be enrolled in the SYEP. Our youth are the future of this great city and nation, and the SYEP has been proven to keep our young people on a positive path that leads them to a life of success and achievement in the workforce,” Council Member Mathieu Eugene, Chair of the Committee on Youth Services.

“The adopted FY17 budget will give young people across the city an opportunity to enhance job skills through the inclusion of 60,000 SYEP slots. The increase in SYEP slots ensure that more youth can have access to summer jobs that can provide a necessary stepping step for future employment opportunities. This is a real win for young New Yorkers, and I commend the Speaker and the City Council for making it a priority throughout the budget negotiation process,” said Council Member Ritchie Torres.

“I’m excited for the thousands of teenagers and young adults who will have an opportunity to gain valuable work skills this summer. The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is an important resource for our City’s youth. With this historic increase to 60,000 jobs –the amount of slots that can be accommodated this year — more young people will have the opportunity to take part in constructive work this summer. I thank the Mayor for his commitment to include additional funding based on the results of the joint taskforce, which will be reviewing the efficiency and expansion of the program,” said Council Member Jumaane D. Williams.

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