Summer Youth Training Program Enhancement

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

Leon County’s Summer Youth Program was created in 2000 when the Federal Job Training Partnership Act was discontinued. Leon County realized an opportunity to continue providing professional skills training and a summer income to area youth. Through the Summer Youth Program, Leon County introduces residents age 14-21 to the workplace in an effort to prepare them to enter the workforce with valuable employment skills. Since the creation of the program, Leon County has received an average of 1,600 applications for a total of 56 positions each year. In 2015, Leon County recognized the need to re-evaluate the program to find opportunities to accommodate a higher number of eligible applicants. Additionally, the County sought to increase citizen engagement and promote volunteerism among the participating students. This led to the creation of a new and improved Summer Youth Training and Engagement Program, which led to a 50% increase in the number of young individuals participating in the program.