INITIATIVE FOR REDUCING VIOLENCE IN CHICAGO.

>> SUMMER MEANS TAKING A BREAK FROM SCHOOL THAT IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THROUGH A SUMMER JOB.

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON SAYS TEENAGE EMPLOYMENT IS MORE THAN A PAYCHECK, BUT ALSO A PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITY.

HE PLEDGED TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF JOBS IN ONE SUMMER CHICAGO.

HERE TO CHECK ON THAT GOAL AND DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF TEENAGE SUMMER EMPLOYMENT IS JENNIFER JOHNSON AND THE DEPUTY MAYOR FOR EDUCATION, YOUTH, AND HUMAN SERVICES.

WE SHOULD SAY THEY'RE NOT RELATED TO MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON.

WE ALSO HAVE THE CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER AT A NONPROFIT PROVIDING PAID OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHICAGO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND COLEMAN, WHO IS PARTICIPATING IN THE PEACEMAKERS PROGRAM WITH AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS THIS SUMMER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

LET'S START WITH YOU.

THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THEIR TOP PRIORITIES ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

HE PLEDGED TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF YOUTHS EMPLOYED WITH SUMMER JOBS.

HOW FAR ARE WE?

>> IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU'RE COUNTING FROM.

WHAT WE ARE TENDING TO DO IS TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OVER THE COURSE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION.

WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS ON THAT.

THE SUMMER, WE EXPECT TO SEE SEVERAL THOUSAND ADDITIONAL YOUTH JOBS FULFILLED.

WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YEAR-ROUND EMPLOYMENT.

WE WANT TO MAKE MORE ROBUST PROGRAMS , WHICH ARE NEWER AND RELATIVELY SMALL, AND WE ARE CALLING ON ALL EMPLOYERS, ALL DEPARTMENTS, ALL AGENCIES OF THE CITY TO THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU COULD HAVE GREAT EXPERIENCES.

THAT IS THE OTHER PIECE.

WE DO NOT JUST WANT A TOKEN OFFICE POSITION.

WE WANT EXPERIENCES THAT WILL LEAD TO STUDENTS FEELING FULFILLED AND FINDING PASSION AND GETTING SKILLS THAT WILL TAKE THEM FURTHER IN THEIR LIFE.

WE WANT QUALITY, NOT JUST QUANTITY.

>> IN 2019, THEY WERE ABLE TO EMPLOY NEARLY EVERY TEENAGER WHO APPLIED.

LAST SUMMER, AND THE SUMMER, WE HAVE THE NUMBERS ON THE SCREEN.

THE PROGRAM HAS HAD JOBS FOR FEWER THAN HALF OF THOSE WHO HAVE APPLIED.

WHY DO YOU THINK YOUTH EMPLOYMENT HAS NOT REBOUNDED FROM THE PANDEMIC?

>> THERE ARE TWO THINGS GOING ON.

THE NEED IS GREAT.

EVEN APPLICATION NUMBERS DO NOT REALLY SPEAK TO THE FULL BREADTH OF NEED FOR THOSE ARE THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO GOT ASSISTANCE AND WHETHER THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

THE OTHER PIECES, WE TRY TO DO SOME THINGS INTERNALLY AS A CITY IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE, BUT ALSO THE PAY.

WE WANT YOUTH EMPLOYMENT NOT TO BE A SMALL NUMBER OF HOURS BUT WE WANT THEM TO BE REAL PART-TIME JOBS AND IN SOME CASES, FULL-TIME JOB EXPERIENCES TO KEEP STUDENTS FULLY OCCUPIED THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND THE SUMMER.

WE ALSO INCREASED THE PAY.

SO, A PARITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS ADMINISTRATION.

YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE RECEIVING MINIMUM WAGE AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THEY WERE ALWAYS RECEIVING IN THE PAST.

WE WANT QUALITY WILL WANT TO SHOW YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE VALUE THEM WITH WHAT WE ARE PAYING THEM, SO THAT MEANS IT WILL BE MORE CHALLENGING IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET AND IN TERMS OF GETTING THE NUMBERS WE EXPECT THE NUMBERS TO COME BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO JUST DO IT ARBITRARILY.

>> WE KNOW AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS WAS FORMED IN 1991 BY FIRST LADY MAGGIE DALEY, AND LOUIS.

OFFERING THEM PAID OPPORTUNITIES FOR NOT TYPICAL SUMMER JOBS.

>> WE PROVIDE AFTER-SCHOOL PAID OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEENAGERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND WE HAVE PROGRAMS IN NEARLY EVERY COMMUNITY IN THE CITY.

WE WILL WORK WITH SCHOOLS AND PARKS AND WE HAVE THREE FLAGSHIP LOCATIONS AND WE ALSO OFFER PROGRAMS AT SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS.

WE PROVIDE THIS PROGRAMMING IN ARTS, COMMUNICATIONS AND LEADERSHIP, SPORTS, AND S.T.E.M.

-- THE PAID PIECE IS IMPORTANT.

WE WANT YOUNG PEOPLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT HAVE ANY BARRIERS FOR PARTICIPATION, BUT THE QUALITY PIECE IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A PATHWAY IN WHATEVER CAREER PATH THEY MIGHT WANT TO TAKE ON AND MAKE SURE THEIR LEARNING NEW SKILLS.

OF COURSE, HAVING FUN.

WE WANT YOUNG PEOPLE TO HAVE FUN, WHETHER THEY ARE MEETING THEIR PEERS ACROSS THE CITY, BUT THEY ARE GAINING CRITICAL SKILLS THAT THEY CAN USE AFTER THEIR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS.

>> I SEE YOU NODDING YOUR HEAD, JAMAR RAY.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AND WHAT A TYPICAL DAY MIGHT BE LIKE FOR YOU.

>> IT COULD BE US BEING -- CHECKING IN TO SEE HOW THE WEEKEND IS GOING.

TO GIVE US A CHANCE TO EXPRESS OURSELVES.

>> WHAT KIND OF WORK OR ACTIVITIES HAVE YOU GOTTEN INTO?

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO DO?

>> TO GET SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR STUDENTS AND WE ACTUALLY GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND ACTUALLY PICK UP THE TRASH.

>> TELL ME MORE ABOUT WHAT ELSE YOU HAVE DONE AND HOW LONG YOU HAVE BEEN WITH PEACEMAKERS.

>> I HAVE BEEN WITH THEM FOR QUITE A WHILE.

I GET TO WORK WITH GREAT MENTORS LIKE JOHNNY DORSEY AND I GET TO MEET MORE PEOPLE I NEVER ACTUALLY HAVE SEEN BEFORE AND I GET A CHANCE TO SOCIALIZE MORE.

>> WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE INCIDENTS, OF COURSE, OF UNRULY TEENAGERS CAUSING SOME CHAOS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

THE MOST MEMORABLE ONE WAS THAT INCIDENT IN MILLENNIUM PARK IN APRIL.

WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR HAS SAID , YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO STOP DEMONIZING THE YOUTH AND YOUNG PEOPLE AND INSTEAD FIND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.

IS EMPLOYMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT IS ONE OF THE MANY STRATEGIES WE NEED TO EMPLOY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL VALUED AND FEEL SEEN AND HAVE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WHERE THEY CAN BE THEMSELVES BUT ALSO GROW.

I THINK WE ARE TAKING FOR GRANTED JUST HOW MUCH TRAUMA WE HAVE ALL BEEN FOR, BUT PARTICULARLY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.

THE PANDEMIC JUST EXACERBATED EXISTING CHALLENGES THAT OUR COMMUNITIES FACE.

WE THINK EMPLOYMENT IS ONE PART OF THAT WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT SAFE SPACES.

ONE OF THE JOBS THIS SUMMER, YOUNG PEOPLE GET TO CREATE SAFE SPACES FOR THEIR PEERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY HAVE KICKBACKS.

WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH OPPORTUNITIES.

SPACES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN CONGREGATE AND HANG OUT AND DO AN ACTIVITY.

WE HAVE CONNECTED YOUTH EMPLOYMENT THROUGH SHINE MY FUTURE TO ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS.

I THINK WE NEED MORE OF THAT WE NEED EVERYONE TO STEP UP AND SAY, I CAN OFFER SOMETHING TO YOUNG PEOPLE WITH EMPLOYMENT AND SAFE SPACES AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO DO THAT WELL.

BUT IT WILL TAKE ALL KINDS OF STRATEGIES TO KEEP OUR YOUNG PEOPLE OCCUPIED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL GOT INTO LITTLE SHENANIGANS WHEN WE WERE A TEENAGER.

WE NEED TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES IN EVERY COMMUNITY'S.

>> AND THEY LEAD TO DIFFERENT PLACES.

IT IS DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU ARE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS FOR TEENAGERS GETTING JOBS?

>> I THINK, AGAIN, THIS IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY NEED A STIPEND FOR TRANSPORTATION, GETTING TO AND FROM THEIR PROGRAM.

SOMETIMES A LOT OF PARENTS -- AS MENTIONED, THEY ARE ENGAGE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE HELPING THEM NAVIGATE SPACES, BUT SOME YOUNG PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THAT.

HAVING THEM HAVE MENTORS IS IMPORTANT.

WHETHER IT IS COUNSELORS AT SCHOOL OR JUST COMMUNITY LEADERS HELPING THEM CONNECT WITH DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST, THAT IS REALLY KEY.

WE WANT YOUNG PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT IS OUT THERE AND THAT THEY ARE CONNECTED TO QUALITY, HIGH IMPACT OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THEY CAN REALLY THRIVE AND LEARN THOSE SOFT SKILLS WE WANT THEM TO WALK AWAY WITH.

WE WANT THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN A CULINARY PROGRAM.

THEY MIGHT DECIDE I'M NOT LOOKING TO BECOME A CHEF BUT I WAS PART OF THAT PROGRAM AND I HAVE THAT WORK AS A TEENAGER I LEARNED COMMUNICATION SKILLS.

I HAVE LEARNED VERBAL COMMUNICATION.

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES AND HAVE THOSE MENTORS THAT OFTENTIMES THEY MAY NOT HAVE AT HOME.

THEY MIGHT'VE HAD THAT WITH THEIR OWN PARENTS IN SOME REGARD, BUT WE NEED FOLKS OUTSIDE OF THE HOME THAT ARE ALSO PROVIDING THAT OPPORTUNITY.

>> GWYNN OAK IS A SOMETIMES LISTEN TO OTHER ADULTS BETTER THAN THEIR OWN PARENTS.

ONLY ABOUT HALF OF THE TEENS WHO APPLIED CAN ACTUALLY GET AN AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS PLACEMENT.

WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES DO YOU NEED TO ENSURE THAT MORE TEENAGERS WERE EVERY TEAM THAT APPLIES CAN HAVE ACCESS TO WORK?

>> I THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IS -- WE ARE REALLY PROVIDING THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES.

CAN THEY GO TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES THEY MAY NOT HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THEM.

IN ANY WAY OR FORM, WE TRY TO PLACE THEM IN SOME KIND OF PROGRAM OR SOME TYPE OF SPACE.

WE WANT THE TEENAGERS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A PROGRAM TO FIND AN OPPORTUNITY.

WE NEVER WANT TO TURN ANYONE AWAY.

OF COURSE, THE NEED IS HIGHER -- THE DEMAND IS HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT TIMES.

WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE MAYOR AND HIS ADMINISTRATION FOR FOCUSING ON ELEVATING THAT AND MAKING THAT A PRIORITY.

>> JAMARI, DESPITE -- WHAT ARE SOME BENEFITS TO WORK IN THE SUMMER?

>> HAVING GREAT MENTORS.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THE SUMMER OPPORTUNITY HAS MEANT FOR YOU?

>> IT HAS MEANT A LOT TO ME.

I GET TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND IT GIVES ME A CHANCE TO GET MYSELF ACTIVE, NOT STAYING IN THE HOUSE ALL DAY.

IT GIVES ME A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY GO OUT AND MEET PEOPLE AND HAVE GREAT DISCUSSIONS.

MY MENTOR, JOHNNY DORSEY, HE HAS TAUGHT ME TO HUMBLE MYSELF AND HE HAS TAUGHT ME SELF-CONTROL.

THAT IS WHY I LOVE THIS PROGRAM SO MUCH AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A CHANCE FOR TEENAGERS TO GET OFF THE