Nearly $40 million has been awarded for the next phase of the Youth Employment Program, which will help New York continue reducing gun violence by providing job opportunities and training to at-risk youth in communities across the state. The program plays an important role in New York State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) Initiative, which operates in 21 counties with most of the state’s population outside New York City.
The $38.8 million awarded today includes investments in year-round jobs and training opportunities for young people in regions that receive support from the GIVE initiative. This funding is expected to provide paid work and training opportunities for approximately 2,500 low-income, at-risk youth across these areas of the state from September 2024 to June 2025.
The second phase of the Youth Employment Program will operate from September through June. To be eligible for the program, youth must be between the ages of 14 and 20 and have a household income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which varies by household size and, for example, is $51,640 for a family of three.
Youth Employment Program providers are encouraged to collaborate with local law enforcement and other local organizations serving at-risk youth and must collaborate with local SNUG Street Outreach programs if such programs are available in their district. The SNUG Street Outreach program, administered by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, uses a public health approach to address gun violence by identifying the source, interrupting the transmission, and treating individuals, families, and communities affected by the violence.
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