Summer Youth Employment Program is back with 100,000 Slots
New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced New York City will, this summer, support a record 100,000 summer job opportunities annually for young people ages 14-24, with 90,000 of the opportunities stemming from the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) and 10,000 opportunities coming from other city programs. The 90,000 opportunities through SYEP is the largest number of jobs ever made available in the program’s 60-year history. The record number of opportunities — an increase from the previous record of nearly 75,000 — is possible in part due to a $79 million investment that will be made in the mayor’s upcoming Fiscal Year 2023 Preliminary Budget. This expansion is a key part of an overall strategy to keep the city’s youth engaged and active over the summer months when crime spikes — and is a preventive action outlined in Mayor Adams’ Blueprint to End Gun Violence.
“Young people in this city should have the opportunity to work or learn this summer, and this historic investment will help secure a better future for tens of thousands while helping to make our city safer,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “We owe it to our children to give them every opportunity to thrive, and this expansion will do just that.”
The city’s SYEP program, which is the largest in the country, typically runs for six weeks in July and August. SYEP provides participants with paid opportunities to explore potential career interests and pathways, allowing participants to engage in learning experiences that help develop their professional, social, civic, and leadership skills. Research shows summer jobs save lives, cut crime, and strengthen communities. A 2021 study found that SYEP participation lowers participants’ chances of being arrested that summer by 17 percent and by 23 percent for felony arrests. Other research has found that SYEP youth are significantly less likely to be incarcerated in New York State more than five years after their participation in the program.
Beyond the public safety implications, summer jobs can offer life-changing experiences for participants who discover a passion, connect with a mentor, and gain the confidence that comes from successfully navigating the world of work. As the program has evolved over its six-decade history, the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) has put greater emphasis on youth development. City officials are also working with private sector partners, non-profit organizations, and others to help place participants.
