Each year as summer approaches, there is always too much debate about whether or not providing jobs for teens during the summer months helps curtail the neighborhood street violence that, this year, is spiraling out of control in what is turning into a tragic "long hot spring." The violence that took on epic proportions last year pales in comparison to the climbing body count in recent weeks.
If the situation sounds grim, that's because it is. Clearly, it is time for less talk and more action. The sense of urgency to get the violence under control is palpable. Thankfully, some folks are focused on getting to the root causes and doing something about them. The city's minority leadership, among them councillors Turner, Yoon, Yancey, Arroyo and representatives Fox, Dorcena Forry, St. Fleur, Sanchez and Rushing. Owens-Hicks and Senator Wilkerson are out there on the ground where it counts, asking young people to tell them what they need instead of preaching to them about what they think they should have. At a recent town meeting held by minority elected leaders at Roxbury Community College, area teens presented a list of their needs. High on the list: more jobs for the summer.
It is always a waiting game to see just how much money will be available to put deprived and disadvantaged inner-city youngsters to work during the summer months. The ABCD's SummerWorks program has worked with the city's most at-risk youth in all of the neighborhoods of the city for more than 40 years, providing jobs, education, tutoring and mentoring. Ours is the only summer jobs program in the city that serves only youths from low-income, inner-city families - many contribute their summer salaries to their families to help pay for rent and food. Teenagers and their parents call our program all winter hoping to be first on the list for that summer job. Last year more than 4,000 youngsters applied for the 1,100 jobs ABCD could provide. Years ago, with federal funding, we regularly placed 5,000 to 6,000 youths in jobs each summer, and one year served 10,000 youngsters.
It is clear that summer jobs prevent problems and produce positive outcomes. With responsibility for child care or answering phones in a busy office, with the chance to develop work-place skills and explore careers, there is little time for these young people to fulfill the old adage of "idle hands are the devil's workshop." Instead, they gain valuable experience, build self-esteem and remember always, with great pride, the joy of receiving their first paycheck as a result of good hard work. It is a valuable life lesson.
We believe a fully funded summer jobs program is a critical tool in the fight against crime, and for some young people, having a summer job has served as a life-changing intervention. The ABCD SummerWorks program has been involved, for the past 40 years as funding allows, in connecting all at-risk teens who have non-violent CORI records with summer job opportunities at appropriate job sites. In addition, ABCD has successfully worked every year with the Department of Youth Services to place young people in jobs from the criminal justice system who have trouble getting summer jobs and, later on, landing decent jobs and building careers. We commend Mayor Menino's proposal this year to target an additional 150 young people with CORI issues for summer job opportunities. Reaching out to these youths sends important messages: you still have a chance to turn your life around, people believe in you and having a CORI doesn't have to signal the end of hope for the future.
What better investment can we as a society make than in our youth? An expanded summer jobs program supported by state and city governments and private donors will offer hope and opportunity to at-risk, inner-city youngsters and contribute greatly to peace on our streets this summer.
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[Sidebar]
We believe a fully funded summer jobs program is a critical tool in the fight against crime, and for some young people, having a summer job has served as a life-changing intervention.
[Author Affiliation]
Robert M. Coard is President/CEO of Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. (ABCD), which has provided the SummerWorks jobs program for low-income, at-risk youths since 1965.
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