Youth Worry About Budget Cuts for Summer Jobs

BOSTON, U.S. — With a budget cut of about two million dollars for summer youth jobs in Boston between 2009 and 2010, many prospective youth employees fear a bigger potential budget cut for the summer youth jobs of 2011. "Summer youth employment is vital to our city," said Rosy Gonzalez, who works with City Council Felix Arroyo. Without summer jobs this year, thousands of youths will be left jobless and with nothing to do in the summer to prepare them for future jobs.

Research shows that when there are more youths with a summer job, the crime rates are lower. It is also said that students who have summer jobs in high school are more likely to get employed after high school. Also, for every year they have worked in high school, their income in their 20’s would increase 14-16 percent.

A sophomore from Boston Latin School (BLS), Fanney Zhu, expressed her feelings about her summer job by saying that her summer job helped her "develop more responsibility and leadership skills." Summer jobs supply youths with the basic skills needed to be successful in future jobs after high school and even college.

Not only are youths fearing the probable summer youth job budget cut, but also parents. Dzung Ngo, a mailman and a father of a teen, thinks summer jobs give children "something to do in the summer" and "keep them from becoming lazy." With more youths having commitments in the summer by working at a job that benefits others and themselves, there will be fewer youths on the streets. Not only does Mr. Ngo think summer jobs will keep more youths off the streets, they also provide a source of "money for college and a car."

Van Pham, a sophomore from BLS, had a job last year for the Boys and Girls Club where she worked with younger kids on art activities. Through this job, she "learned how to deal with various people" because of the wide range of kids she worked with. Having worked with 10 year-olds and younger, she also gained patience.

Although the budget cut for summer 2011 youth jobs have not yet been announced, many youths and government workers are taking steps to prevent the cut. Rosy Gonzalez is working with many youths to voice their opinions to the funders of the summer youth jobs budget and "to prevent future cuts." The reason for this budget cut, according to Ms. Gonzalez, is because "in a year where we are facing a large decrease of funds, any youth programs are usually the first to be cut from the budget." This budget will be announced in mid-April and the youths working with Ms. Gonzalez hope they will be able to make a positive effect through the rally and hearing.

The main funders of the summer youth job budget are the City of Boston, the State, and the Federal Government, but the City of Boston is the only one who didn’t cut their share of funding the 2010 summer youth jobs. The State and Federal Government need to see that the future of the youths of this generation depend on these summer jobs and without their financial help, their future will not be as bright.