Too many are overqualified!
Federal stimulus provides work for low income kids
WALKER, Louisiana - The Livingston Business & Career Solutions Center is holding its first Summer Youth Work Program.
The program was made possible by federal stimulus money to help 36 youths between ages 14-24 with low income obtain employment. Along with nine other parishes, Livingston is participating in this experiment.
“The goal of this program is to help children become self-sufficient,” said Case Manager Virginia Dauzat. “The students work a typical 40 hour week and are paid $7.25 per hour. The jobs they have been given are mainly with the schools and in the parish libraries where they do primarily general office or custodial jobs.”
Youths that wanted to enroll in the program had to meet one or more of the following requirements:
1. Deficient in basic education skills.
2. A school dropout.
3. Homeless, runaway, or a foster child.
4. Pregnant or parenting.
5. An offender.
6. Lack employability goals and/or skills.
All applicants needed to be able to show proof of family income (W-2 forms or check stubs), Dauzat said.
“This program is already off to a good start,” Dauzat said. “There were 36 job slots available for this program when we began, and 29 were filled when applications were closed. The children are supervised at their work sites and must fill out time sheets that are sent to the central office in Hammond.”
“We’re very confident that this program will be very successful,” Dauzat said. “Children who participate in these temporary summer jobs will build work experience and references. This will give them the chance to pursue other options when the program ends. We’re hoping to do this program again next year.”