CONTACT:

Melody L. Baker                                                                                                           

(678) 895-5747

mlbaker@directmel.com

 

 

 

 

 

(Atlanta, GA, February 5, 2009) - With the adult job market affecting so many Atlanta families, Young People Matter (YPM) has created the Teen Employment Program (TEP) to help teenagers find jobs that will help contribute financially to their families.

 

Teens are being matched in employment opportunities, which respond to community needs. Jobs include babysitting, musicians, landscaping/lawn care, retail help, dog walking, graphic design and clerical assistance. Teen musicians are also available to be hired for corporate social events. YPM is need of assistance from the business community to hire our youth. 

 

“During these challenging economic times, we know parents need help and have teens who are ready, willing and able to work. YPM believes that there are many homeowners (who have no children) and small businesses that have menial tasks that would be perfect for a teenager after school or on the weekend. In addition, when teens are employed juvenile delinquency and crime is greatly reduced not only because the teens are busy, but because they have their own money so the desperation to obtain financial resources is greatly reduced,” states Raymond McNeil, YPM’s Director of Operations. 

 

Within a week of advertising the program on Craigslist and through the YPM database, nearly 200 students have signed up for help. The first hired teen, Martiza Adams graduated from DeKalb Technical High School last June and could not enroll in college because her mother could not afford to pay tuition and she did not qualify for financial aid. Although her mother is presently in bankruptcy, Maritza was told her mother’s income was too high for her to qualify for any financial aid. When interviewed by YPM staff, Maritza shared that she was “hurt” she could not attend college last year. She was thrilled at the prospect of employment through YPM and the fact that now she would be able to save her money to pay for classes, “credit by credit.”

 

Not only has Maritza began working at Advocares, a DeKalb based child service agency, but YPM will also offer her supportive services that will help her obtain scholarships and other resources to attend college in the Fall.

 

There are many other stories the teens shared during the interview as well as on their applications. Mr. McNeil discovered that many of the families are in need of money to help pay basic living expenses. A grandmother of three, who recently moved to Stone Mountain from Portland with four teens, explained during a recent interview session conducted in DeKalb County, “I have not been able to find a job in over a year, food is scare, clothes and shoes are scare and the kids see this and they want to help me. I was so proud of them because they came to me about the program and asked to join so they can help me keep the lights on.” 

 

YPM’s TEP program is a volunteer-led initiative and is free to teens and their families.   No fees are charged to employers at this time. YPM is seeking to engage the local Atlanta community, teachers, parents, workforce systems, and businesses to provide jobs for the program and believe this is an innovative way to offer self-empowerment to families instead of government dependency.  

 

The Atlanta Job Corps, the Georgia Partnership have inquired whether the TEP can help serve young people they serve. Even the City of Sacramento’s (CA) Workforce Development Department has inquired about copying the model.