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Mayor Bowser Expands Summer Youth Employment Program to 22-24 Year Olds

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that her administration will reprogram an additional $5 million to expand the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP) to serve District youth ages 22 to 24. The added funding will also support an increase in wages and associated transportation costs for program participants.

“My administration is committed to investing in our young people to ensure they have the skills they need to transition from summer jobs to long-term sustainable employment,” said Mayor Bowser. “This investment builds on the success of the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program and reaches a core group of young people who need help finding pathways to good-paying jobs.” 

Mayor Bowser joined the Department of Employment Services (DOES) Acting Director Deborah Carroll at a DOES job training facility that provides young adults with the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. The Pathways for Young Adults Program, which is administered at the site of this morning’s announcement is designed to assist out of school and out of work District residents ages 18-24 by combining occupational training, life skills development and work readiness instruction to help young people develop careers. MBSYEP currently provides six weeks of summer employment and work-readiness training to District youth ages 14 to 21.

“DOES supports Mayor Bowser’s commitment to developing ways to serve our young people and provide them with the tools they need to secure meaningful employment,” said DOES Acting Director Carroll. “My agency will work diligently to ensure this funding is utilized strategically and provides job opportunities for the District’s young people.”