School’s Out! Work’s In?
You’ve cleaned out your locker, signed more yearbooks than you can count, and maybe even burned your notebooks. That’s right, school’s out. Could you be any happier? Now you can swim, bike, hang out with friends, and just RELAX.
For today’s urban youth, some worry that a lack of structure and guidance will increase the likelihood of engaging in criminal activities. Enter the good old American staple: the summer job. For Marc Morial, Mayor of New Orleans and President/CEO of the National Urban League, promoting summer employment is crucial in improving both the economy and the teen unemployment rate, while keeping kids off the streets and promoting a greater sense of well-being to their communities. While general teen unemployment is at 21.6%, African-American and low-income urban teen unemployment is almost double that, at 39.4%, which reiterates that promoting summer employment is even more crucial in urban areas.
But what if you don’t exactly have a stellar resume and applicable job experience? Don’t give up just yet.
As stated by Morial, “Summer youth programs receiving stimulus funds must give first priority to teens and young adults who come from low-income backgrounds, are high school drop-outs, have a disability or have no work experience or training.”
“From office work to day care to cleaning parks and highways, teens can play a crucial role in providing workers for many of the infrastructure and ‘Green’ jobs that are essential to the nation’s economic recovery.”
Translation: summer jobs don’t necessarily involve flipping burgers or washing dishes, even for the inexperienced. Enjoy working with children? Try being a camp counselor. Passionate about the environment, hunger, or human rights? Consider doing field work for organizations such as Grassroots Campaigns. Or maybe you’re a good swimmer. Learn more about how to be a lifeguard in your area.
There you have it. While everyone is entitled to a vacation, the time has come to turn off the television, put your spare time to good use, make some extra money, and maybe even make a difference while you’re at it.
