The federal government is investing $20 million to create jobs for young people

America’s youth will soon have greater access to better-paying jobs and opportunities. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is investing $20 million to create jobs and job opportunities for young people after school and throughout the summer.

Workforce Pathways for Youth demonstration grants will enable organizations to expand local opportunities for work-based learning, job training and profession pathways for national after-school time organizations, DOL announced in a press release.

To receive a DOL grant for youth ages 14 to 21, organizations have to be affiliated organizations on the state or local level.

“Through partnerships with the workforce system, after-school organizations offer youth career services, including work-based learning experiences and job skills training,” the DOL states. “They also provide paid employment opportunities that help young people gain the skills they need to succeed in post-secondary education and employment.”

The program goes a step further by recognizing the barriers that some working youth may face, corresponding to moving backwards and forwards between jobs, which is why this system also encourages its partners to provide support services, including transport and emergency services.

This latest round of grants is authorized under the Job Innovation and Opportunity Act, which is consistent with the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to creating opportunities that connect people with good jobs, all while supporting the department’s initiative to support young adults entering the workforce work.

Why does this matter?

Recent evaluation from the National Center for Health Statistics The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that suicides and homicides amongst young adults ages 10 to 24 have increased over the past decade.

According to According to the World Health Organization (WHO), youth homicide rates vary widely between and inside countries, but homicide is the third leading reason for death amongst young people aged 15 to 29.

WHO says developing life skills, interventions to reduce concentrated poverty and modernizing urban environments are a number of the ways to prevent youth homicide and suicide.