New London Youth Affairs Helps Hundreds Of Teens Find Summer Jobs

Earlier this year, New London Youth Affairs welcomed hundreds of teenagers to apply for a summer job. This month, the ones who were accepted have started putting in hours.

The job placement follows a process involving coordination with employers, group interviews, and other prerequisites. Applications were accepted in April, and most jobs began their terms at the beginning of July to coincide with the state’s fiscal year.

“Essentially this program puts 150 teens to work each summer, and the work sites are as varied as we can make,” said Joelle Garrett, employment coordinator at New London Youth Affairs.

The program is open to people ages 14 to 21 from New London and the surrounding area. Garrett said the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Board provides most of the funding to support having small businesses hire teens to assist with summer work.

“I think there are very few ones that are able to pay them on their own, yet they need them in order to function,” she said.

Jarol Juarbe, 16, applied to participate in the program for the fourth year. He said he learned of the summer employment after some of his friends began going to New London Youth Affairs for an after-school program. In 2012, he worked for NSA Supermarket.

“It’s better than being in the street doing something you’re not supposed to do,” said Juarbe.

Garrett said teens typically work 25 hours a week, earning Connecticut’s minimum wage of $8.25 per hour. The length of employment is usually four to six weeks and includes financial education such as how to open a bank account. New London Youth Affairs also offers career placement in areas such as Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and the New London Fire Department.

Garrett said many of the teens apply to the program to help bring income to their household.

“A lot of the youths we hear about is basic needs,” she said. “They buy school clothes. They help their parents with rent.”

The application process is followed by a group interview process in June to see what the teens are interested in. They get to choose up to three jobs they would like to do, and the available positions are assigned based on the interview, job interest, and a first come first serve policy.

Jonathan Castiblanco, 17, previously worked in the program in 2010 as a community assistant doing work such as parks cleanup. He said he was interested in doing something similar this year.

“It’s a really good environment,” he said.

Genesis Cubilette, 16, had been employed with Planned Parenthood’s program STARS—or Students Teaching About Responsible Sexuality—but has the summer off. She previously worked with Hearing Youth Voices and was looking to do the same thing again.

“I like it,” she said. “It’s helping the community and the high schools, fixing any problems.”

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.