CalWORKs Youth Employment Program (CYEP)

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

The San Bernardino County Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) and Workforce Development Department (WDD) partnered to provide subsidized employment to Transitional Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) youth, ages 16 to 24, through a CalWORKs (California’s TANF program) Youth Employment Program (CYEP). The goal of CYEP is to provide 1,500 youth with work readiness training and up to 485 hours, or six months, of successful work experience to assist them with learning workplace skills. CYEP is operated year-round and worksites are available with both private and public employers, paying wages of $9.00 per hour. CYEP gives youth who are mandatory Welfare-to-Work (WTW) participants the opportunity to meet federal Work Participation Rates (WPR). CYEP provides the foundation for youth to be competitive in the labor market to attain unsubsidized employment to move themselves and their families to economic self-sufficiency. Outcomes for the program are very positive: Since January 2015, of the 848 youth served, 128 have successfully transitioned to unsubsidized employment, of which 22 have transitioned off aid due to earnings from employment, and an additional 43 are enrolled in further workforce training. By assisting youth with their transition from dependency to unsubsidized employment, CYEP contributes to San Bernardino County’s economic stability.