WASHINGTON D.C. – June 12, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation of Jamestown will receive a YouthBuild grant in the amount of $402,532 from the United States Department of Labor. The funding will be used for job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth while constructing or rehabilitating affordable housing in the community. The youth range in age from 16-24. Youth participants split time between the classroom and construction sites. They earn their GED or high school diplomas, leadership skills and prepare for college and other postsecondary training opportunities.
“This is a great investment in the Jamestown community,” Schumer said. “It is critical that we support programs that focus on our youth, promote education and develop affordable housing. The programs will help ensure that our youth have the resources they need to succeed.”
A key feature of this specific program is all students passing their GED exam will be rewarded with a $250 bonus with, half paid out immediately and half deposited in their program completion accounts. Additionally, all students interested in construction related employment are placed in paid work experience for three weeks with contractors. The goal is to help them transition into life beyond secondary school. Hopefully, the students after three weeks will be hired permanently.
YouthBuild Grants are used to provide disadvantaged youth with a variety of things, including the education and employment skills necessary to achieve economic self-sufficiency in occupations in high demand and postsecondary education and training opportunities; opportunities for meaningful work and service to their communities; and, opportunities to develop employment and leadership skills and a commitment to community development among youth in low-income communities. YouthBuild grantees will tap the energies and talents of disadvantaged youth to increase the supply of permanent affordable housing for homeless individuals and low-income families and to help youth develop the leadership, learning, and high-demand occupational skills needed to succeed in today’s global economy.
The YouthBuild grants provide approximately $114 million to 183 community groups to provide education and training to young people across the United States. This amount is an initial increment for two years of grant operations. A remaining increment may be awarded pending the availability of additional funding. Among the awardees, 62 are current Department of Labor YouthBuild grantees, and 121 are new to the Department. The award amount includes approximately $47 million allocated to the YouthBuild program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
