Stimulus Funds Will Provide Summer Jobs For Area Youth

By Linda Kor
   If you know a teen or young adult who is looking for work over the summer, there is a great opportunity made available through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).
   Stimulus funds totaling $402,705 have been received through the WIA to be used toward a number of programs, including a summer youth and adult work program.
   This program is available for youth and adults ages 14 through 24, and will offer 60 to 80 summer employment opportunities throughout Navajo and Apache counties.
   The positions will last approximately six weeks, and the participants will earn a stipend while gaining valuable employment skills. They will have some classroom activities prior to starting work, then will work 35 hours weekly for six weeks.
   “The ultimate goal is to get these individuals work experience,” stated Judy Bratcher, WIA director of the Navajo and Apache Workforce Partnership. “Since this is a federal program paid by stipend, we are able to employ younger youth. We still comply with labor laws and watch activities closely.”
   The eligibility process includes providing proof of legal residency, income and household size. Each position will have performance measures attached, and each supervisor will be required to provide feedback on each employee’s progress with each timesheet.
   “For children under 18, we ask the parents to come to the eligibility process and the interview, which is very low-key,” stated Bratcher.
   “We try to offer employment close to home, but the parents will be the ones responsible for getting the youth who are unable to drive to their jobs, so they need to be a part of the process,” she added.
   Some of the areas that are available for staffing include the county offices, city offices, U.S. Forestry Department, public pools, public school, and parks and recreation.
   The WIA is now taking applications for eligibility and will begin the interview process on June 1, with employment in most positions to begin June 4. Students taking summer courses in school may be able to find positions to work around those hours.
   Applications are available at the Holbrook WIA office, located in the Navajo County Governmental Complex at 100 E. Carter Drive, and at the Winslow WIA office, located at 321 E. Third St.