The following press release was sent to the Fenway News by Councilor Arroyo’s office:
Boston City Councilor At-Large Felix G. Arroyo, Chair of the Boston City Council Committee for Labor, Youth Affairs, and Human Rights, has brought together leading youth organizations from throughout the city to discuss and create a Youth Agenda. The Youth Agenda will help ensure priorities of leading youth organizations, leaders, and youth themselves are implemented by key government, non-profit, and for-profit entities.
The first of the Advisory Committee meetings took place on January 26th at Boston City Hall and a follow-up working group meeting took place at Boston City Hall on Monday, February 22nd in order to develop strategic vision for addressing the concerns or issues faced by Bostonian youth.
As part of the work, the Councilor filed an Order for Hearing focusing on a key component of the Youth Agenda—full funding and support for youth summer jobs.
Councilor Arroyo stated, “The youth of our city must receive the support and encouragement that they deserve. A key component of that is full funding and support for youth summer jobs. A summer job promotes the well-being of our youth which we should always strive for. The qualifications for these jobs should be as expansive as possible so no youth is left out of an opportunity to work this summer.”
Melanie Santos, a youth participant with Maverick Landing Community Services, explained the importance of youth summer jobs. “To me, summer jobs give you the chance to learn great skills to help better your future. I plan on majoring in early education. The last two summers, I have been working with young kids. It has been an invaluable experience.”
Funding for youth summer jobs, between direct state and municipal aid, has shrunk by 1/3 since Fiscal Year 2002, and state aid for summer jobs throughout the Commonwealth is expected to decrease even further in this year’s proposed state budget.
The City of Boston’s contribution to summer youth jobs increased each year between Fiscal Year 2006 and Fiscal Year 2009, and, despite significant budgetary pressures, the city of Boston was able to level-fund summer jobs in Fiscal Year 2010.
