With summer fast approaching, Forest Park is once again partnering with the Proviso Leyden Council for Community Action through a state program to fund the hiring of short-term help at the Howard Mohr Community Center and the village’s public works department.
The village approved an Illinois Youth Investment Program Linkage Agreement between Forest Park and the PLCCA at its April 13 meeting, which will help fund summer jobs. The agreement reimburses the village for the cost of hiring three to five young people for short-term employment from June 1 through Sept 1.
According to Village Administrator Rachell Entler, the community center is looking to hire a counselor or two, depending on how many kids register for the Summer Clubhouse program. The public works department is looking for two or three young people to help with landscaping tasks and trash pickup around the village.
While the village has participated in this summer jobs program in previous summers, last year they didn’t have any young people from the program assigned to work at the community center or public works department.
The state-funded summer jobs program aims to provide workforce development and youth engagement, specifically for 16-to-24-year-olds who are low-income or at-risk. For short-term employment, the program funds a minimum of 180 hours of entry-level work over 10 weeks. Workers will receive at least minimum wage and no more than $17 an hour.
Applicants will be interviewed and drug tested, just like those who have been hired at the community center or public works department outside of the annual summer jobs program. Entler said PLCCA will screen applicants before sending them to the village.
The village is responsible for training the new hires. PLCCA will provide professional development opportunities, additional support services, career planning and case management during the summer.
Learn more at https://www.plcca.org/what-we-do/plccanewsletter.