>> CHICAGO'S TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF COLOR ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND CONSISTENT WORK.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY FROM UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, CHICAGO.

IT FOUND 4 BLACK CHICAGOANS AGES 20 TO 24.

THE JOBLESS RATE IS AROUND 15%, FOR LATINO RESIDENTS AND 8% FOR WHITE CHICAGOANS.

THOSE BEHIND THE STUDY.

ARE YOU THESE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR TARGETED PROGRAMS TO CREATE MORE EQUITABLE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE OUR JACK WEST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS NETWORK WHO COMMISSIONED THE REPORT, JOE AND OREL BIGGEST A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH THE SOUTHWEST OR GOING ORGANIZING PROJECT AND BRANDY CAN OZZY, THE COMMISSIONER OF CHICAGO'S DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING JACK, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

YOUR WORK FOCUSES ON GETTING YOUTH INTO THE WORKFORCE.

WHAT REPORT TELL YOU ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO BE EMPLOYED?

>> THE KIDS WANT JOBS ARE WAY TOO MANY KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE JUST IN THE CITY THERE ARE OVER 25,016 TO 24 YEAR-OLDS WHO ARE NOT ONLY IN SCHOOL BUT ARE OUT OF WORK.

THAT'S A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

THEY WOULD HAVE JOBS, BUT THERE AREN'T ENOUGH JOBS FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY IN THE WEST AND SOUTH SIDES.

HISTORICALLY, THAT USED TO BE A LARGE FEDERAL COMMITMENT UP TO UNTIL 2000 WHEN BILL CLINTON DID IT AND THEY WERE EMPLOYED UP TO 4,400 1000 YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW-INCOME ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SINCE THEN THEY'VE ALL UNEMPLOYED.

THERE'S NO FEDERAL COMMITMENT.

THE CITY DONE WHAT THEY CAN WITH ONE SUMMER, CHICAGO ABOUT 24,000.

PLUS, KIDS.

BUT THE KIDS WANT A JOB.

THEY WANT TO HAND OUT THERE WANT TO WORK.

THEY WANT TO GET TO SOME WORK HOW TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE, HOW TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS.

AND AND I WANT TO BRING COMMISSIONER IN HERE.

YOU MENTIONED ONE SUMMER, CHICAGO AND >> YOUR OFFICE AND THE MAYOR HAVE BEEN HAVE MADE THE ONE SUMMER TO CALL PROGRAM A PRIORITY.

CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE CITY'S APPROACH TO CREATING MORE JOBS FOR DEFINITELY SO FROM 2022.

2023.

>> MAYOR JOHNSON REALLY DOUBLED DOWN ON WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH ONE SUMMER, CHICAGO.

SO WE SEEN A 20% INCREASE LAST YEAR BRINGING THAT TO THE 24,000 JOBS THIS SUMMER.

WE WANT TO BRING ON ANOTHER 4,000 JOBS SUPPORTING ALMOST 28,000 YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY BETWEEN AT ONLY DFS S BUT ALSO OUR PARTNERS AT THE CTA PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE PARK DISTRICT SO REALLY BRINGING THE FULL FORCE OF GOVERNMENT.

PART OF THAT, YOU KNOW, IS REALLY THINKING ABOUT WHO AND HOW WE OUTREACH WITH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND SO WE WORK WITH ABOUT 51 PARTNERS ACROSS THE INCLUDING THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SCHOOL NETWORK AND SWAP.

AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS REALLY DOUBLE DOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT 50% OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED THESE JOBS ARE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE JUSTICE INVOLVED, WHO MAY HOMELESS OR ON HOUSE AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE DISABILITIES.

AND SO REALLY MAKING SURE THAT UPPER TUNA TEAS ARE GOING TO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM THE MOST.

>> AND YOU WILL WANT TO GO TO YOU ALSO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY'S YOUNG PEOPLE.

WOULD DO YOU THINK HASN'T WORKED IN THE PAST THAT COULD BE DRIVING THIS?

YEAH.

AND IT COME DOWN INVESTMENT RIGHT?

>> WHEN WHEN THERE IS INVESTMENT, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT WE NEED MORE INVESTMENT FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

WE ARE CONSISTENTLY ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE CANNOT DISCOUNT THE PARENTS ENGAGING THE FAMILY AS A WHOLE LISTENING TO THEM AND WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US IS SIMPLY THERE IS A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.

NUMBER ONE.

AND THEN NUMBER 2, THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE JUST NOT THERE ENOUGH THERE.

THEY'RE ONLY THERE FOR THE SUMMIT IS NOT LONG-TERM EMPLOYMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE CAN WORSHIP THESE OPPORTUNITIES.

START FROM WHERE SHOULD THEY START TALKING ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES?

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT, I THINK ABOUT THE SCHOOL'S RIGHT THAT THE SCHOOL SHOULD BE THE ONE PLACE WHERE >> PARENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CLEAR ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM.

AND THEN ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE THEIR BOOTS ON THE GROUND LIKE SWAP THAT THAT ARE DOING THE WORK THAT I'M DOING, THE HARD WORK OF CONNECTING WITH WITH WITH PARENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE AND ENSURING THAT THEY NOT ONLY KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT THEY'RE BEING CLEVER THERE'S DISCONNECT BETWEEN CPS, SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

I MEAN, MY BROTHER GOES TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND HE'S TAKES AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLASS.

>> I NEVER TOOK ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLASS WHEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, IN HIGH SCHOOL.

DO YOU SEE THAT?

WELL, IT AT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT, THERE'S A DISCONNECT WHEN THERE'S A LACK OF RESOURCES, RIGHT?

SO WE'RE SEEING SCHOOLS THAT.

>> HAVE ONE COUNSELOR FOR FOR THE WHOLE SCHOOL.

SO HOW HOW CAN THERE NOT BE A DISCONNECT RIGHT?

WHEN YOU CANNOT MEET THE BASIC NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES.

THERE'S A DISCONNECT.

SO IT'S THERE'S THERE'S A NECESSITY TO ENSURE THAT THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE PROPERLY FUNDED, THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT STAFF THAT THAT UNDERSTAND THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE NEEDS.

AND, JACK, YOU'RE CALLING FOR 3RD 300 MILLION TO GO DIRECTLY TOWARDS YOUTH EMPLOYMENT EFFORTS.

>> WHICH COULD CREATE 80,000 JOBS.

HOW WOULD HOW WOULD YOU DO THIS?

>> THEY WOULD GO THROUGH DIFFERENT CITY AND STATE AGENCIES PROBABLY DO.

THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND STATE MAKING SOME CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF COOK COUNTY AND OTHER GROUPS, OTHER GOVERNMENT GROUPS WHO IN TURN WOULD CONTRACT WITH SMALL COMMUNITY GROUPS.

CHURCH IS IN THAT WHO HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH THE YOUTH AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP THEY HAVE THEY CAN SUPPORT THE STUDENTS FOR THEIR FIRST JOBS AND THEY LEARN WHAT IT IS.

THE SHOW UP ON TIME.

GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE AND THEN THEY CAN GO OUT INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND GET THE JOBS THAT ARE THERE.

SO IT HELPS THEM DEPARTMENT HUMAN SERVICES 2017 UNIVERSITY, CHICAGO DID A STUDY ABOUT 1700 YOUNG PEOPLE WERE WERE SUPPORTED WITH OF MENTORING AND OTHER SUPPORT.

AND A 7 WEEK SUMMER THEY FOLLOW THOSE KIDS FOR 17 MONTHS.

THE VIOLENT CRIME WENT DOWN ALMOST HALF 43%.

SO GETTING THE KIDS A JOB HELPS THEM MOVE FORWARD.

MAKES THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER AND IT HELPS BUILD WORKERS THAT WE NEED FOR THE WORKER SHORTAGE.

>> COMMISSIONER, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT HE'S SAYING?

SO SAY A COUPLE THINGS.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR IMPACT REPORT FROM LAST YEAR, HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW.

86% OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE SAID THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY LEARNED A NEW SKILL, RIGHT?

THEY LEARNED SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

93% OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THOUGHT SAID THEY FELT SAFE WHEN THEY WERE IN OUR PROGRAMS.

95% SAID THEY WOULD RECOMMEND THAT PROGRAMS TO OTHERS.

AND SO THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE CREATING SAFE SPACES AS PART OF OUR PROGRAMS.

WE'RE NOT JUST FOCUSING A JOB FOR TODAY FOR THE SUMMER.

WE'RE THINKING ABOUT CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT THAT MEANS.

AND SO TEACHING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT THEIR CAREERS.

SO THEY DO AN ASSESSMENT AND THEY'RE PAIRED WITH TO WHAT ARE 3 CAREERS THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY GOING TO.

AND FROM THERE THEIR TASK WITH ACTUALLY GOING OUT AND MEETING PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THOSE JOBS SO THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE THE SUMMER, IT'S NOT JUST A JOB, BUT THEY HAVE A PLAN FOR 3 MONTHS, 6 MONTHS AND HEAR.

HOW ARE THEY GOING TO PUT THAT PLAN INTO ACTION?

THE OTHER LIKE GUIDING THEM IN TRYING TO CHANGE HER MIND.

THIS IS REALLY ABOUT CAREERS EXPLORATION.

THIS IS ABOUT CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN CREATING PATHWAY AS A TEACHING YOUNG PEOPLE.

WHAT IS POSSIBLE THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE THE OTHER PIECE IS ABOUT FINANCIAL LITERACY OF MAKING SURE THAT WHEN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVE, THEY UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF A DOLLAR.

HOW TO SAY RATHER THEY ARE SAVING FOR COLLEGE.

MAYBE THEY'RE SAVING FOR AN APARTMENT OR WHATEVER TAKING CARE OF THEIR FAMILY.

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE YOU CAN SPEND ALL OF YOUR DOLLARS.

YOU ALSO HAVE TO SAVE YOUR DOLLARS AND INTO WELL, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

HOW DOES THE SOUTHWEST ORGANIZING PROJECT WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE TO HELP FIND THEIR PATH FORWARD?

YES, THE FIRST THING IS JUST LISTENING, LISTENING TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES.

WHAT IS IT THAT THEY DESIRE?

WE HAVE A GOAL OF CONNECTING 100 YOUNG PEOPLE EVERY YEAR TO FREE CLEAR PATHWAY TRAINING PROGRAMS.

>> AND ENSURING THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES?

WHAT DOES IT TAKE, RIGHT?

WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS IN THAT CLEAR?

CAN THAT COME INTO THE TRAINING PROVIDERS AND ENSURING THAT THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL ALONG THE WAY, GIVING THEM WRAP AROUND SERVICES BUT ALSO BE A TRAITOR, A SKILL WITHOUT A DOUBT, WITHOUT A DOUBT MANY AND THERE'S MANY YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE TRADES.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN THERE VERY MUCH IN SCHOOL, SAID THE 4 YEAR UNIVERSITY IS IS THE ROUTE TO GO RIGHT.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE TRADES AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE AND AT A VERY LOW COST, ALMOST NO CALLS OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE FOR AND, JACK, I KNOW WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS WAS WHY CHICAGO IN THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES AND PARTICULARLY FALLING BEHIND.

>> WHAT'S HAPPENED IN SINCE THE EARLY 70'S IS THAT THERE'S BEEN A HUGE TRANSFER INDUSTRIAL JOBS TO THE FAR EAST AND WHAT'S LEFT LOWERED A PAIN, JOBS SERVICES.

AND THAT WAS A BIG TRANSITION.

A STUDY WE DID SHOWED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS GREAT SPENT MAN WITH NO DIPLOMA IN THE 60'S COULD MAKE ENOUGH MONEY KEEP, KNOW, HELP THEIR FAMILY BY HOME.

THAT'S NOT THE CASE ANYMORE.

AS A SORT OF THE OLD JOKE IS THAT THEY HEAR THAT.

WELL, THERE ARE 200,000 JOBS LAST YEAR OR LAST MONTH THAN THE GUY SAYS, YEAH, I GOT 3 HOME BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY IN SUMMER JOB IN SERVICE JOBS.

IT'S A LACK OF OPPORTUNITY THAT AND THE OTHER STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, I GOT MY JOBS OR MY DAD AND RELATIVES AND ALL THAT LOWER INCOME KIDS.

THERE AREN'T AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE CONNECTION TO THE LABOR MARKET MAY HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT.

ESPECIALLY FIRST GENERATION THAT WILL.

THAT'S WHY HAVING THESE JOBS TO THE COMMUNITY RIGHT THERE.

>> HELPS THEM GET THE EXPERIENCE OF HAVING A JOB.

AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY I'M NOT WORKING FOR NOTHING AND THE KIDS GET PAID.

AND THAT'S A BIG EXPERIENCE SOLAR FROM.