Lyon County will share in $1.3 million for youth Jobs, worker training
Special to the Gazette
Friday, April 17, 2009
Southeast KansasWorks has received notice that it will receive more than $1.3 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for the 17-county local area, which includes Lyon County.
According to a news release, the money is to provide summer work experience for young people and to provide additional training for job seekers.
The money will be dispersed through Lyon, Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Elk, Greenwood, Labette, Linn, Miami, Montgomery, Neosho, Woodson and Wilson counties.
“We are grateful for this additional funding to aid in supporting our young people this summer to become ‘Work Ready,’” said Renea Cavaness, executive director of Southeast KansasWorks. “These summer jobs will help teach our young people the value of work and the skills that employers require.”
Eligible youth are being recruited and additional worksites are being developed now. Eligible youth are defined as ages 14 to 21, low income and meeting one or more of the following categories: deficient in basic literacy skills, school dropout, homeless, runaway, foster child, pregnant or parenting, an offender, or a youth who requires additional assistance to complete an education program or to secure or retain employment (included youth with disabilities).
The money will also help older out-of-school youth ages 22 to 24.
Doug Ewing, project director for KansasWorks said the availability of the money was encouraging.
“This presents a great opportunity for private-sector business, non-profits, local government and community-based organizations to work in partnership to provide today’s youth with the work readiness skills they will need for their future. This opportunity is a win-win situation for all involved.” “I think that there are few things more positive that a business could do than to participate in this program,” said Jerry Atkinson, assistant plant manager for Spears Manufacturing and chairman of the Southeast KansasWorks LAV board. “I urge all businesses themselves to make a positive choice and support the KansasWorks initiative. It will benefit our young people to learn first-hand the soft skills and work ethic it takes to go with a secondary education to succeed in the real world. This type of preparation is what it takes to ensure our community’s future.”
The news release said there is still time to help close the gap between the number of young people eager to work and available job opportunities. Employers who are interested in providing worksites for summer youth should call (877) 509-6757 or e-mail summerworksite@southeastkansasworks.com. In addition to increased youth programming, interested people may contact a KansasWorks office in their area to receive information on a full array of services available to the business community and job seekers of all ages. Southeast KansasWorks location and contact information is available at www.southeastkansasworks.com.