Senator Nozzolio Announces Over $1.5 Million In Funding For Summer Youth Employment In Finger Lakes Region
Albany- New York State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio (R-Fayette) today announced that state funding has been released for the 2005 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).
“This program will help our young people stay active during the summer months while also giving them valuable work experience,” said Senator Nozzolio. “Because of this important funding, teenagers in our region will have fulfilling jobs all summer and have a positive working experience.”
Funding for the program, which employs approximately 15,000 youth across New York State, comes through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and has been allocated to counties through the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).
Funding is available to support summer youth employment programs from May 1 to September 30, 2005, with most programs operating during July and August.
Program funds can be used as payment to an employer or third party as a work subsidy for eligible youth, education and training, support services, transportation to and from work or training and counseling and other employment related services. No more than 15 percent of the funds can be used for administration.
Eligible participants include youth aged 14-20 who are members of families in receipt of public assistance, or members of non-public assistance families with an income below 200 % of the federal poverty level. As an example, a 3-person family could have an income of as much as $32,180 and be eligible for the program.
Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Robert Doar said, “This program is designed to give localities the flexibility to design a program that best meets the summer youth employment goals for their particular area. For example, localities can target certain age groups or focus on youth residing in a particularly disadvantaged area.”
Programs must include an assessment of the employment related needs of each youth, placement in an appropriate job setting and ongoing monitoring; identification of job opportunities in the public, non-profit and for-profit sector that are suitable, and the development of educational opportunities relating to career and higher education exploration as well as workplace readiness.
The funding is being made available to the following counties in the Finger Lakes region:
COUNTIES ALLOCATION
CAYUGA/CORTLAND $208,100
ONTARIO/SENECA/WAYNE/YATES $278,600
MONROE COUNTY $936,525
TOMPKINS COUNTY $172,700
