New youth employment program announced

If you were late getting those summer job applications in and got left out, it may not be too late. There may still be a job for you, courtesy of President Obama.

The Navajo Nation announced June 22 a brand new youth employment program powered by $3.9 million in stimulus funds.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Navajo Youth Employment Program, with offices in six agencies, hopes to hire 354 teens and young adults by July 6 for eight- or 15-week summer jobs they hope will morph into something permanent, with employers taking over the payroll.

The program set up offices in six agencies this week with a goal of recruiting 59 youth, age 18-24, in each agency.

The Chinle office has set up shop in a conference room in the Workforce Services building while they wait for a trailer to be prepared for them.

"We really need to get the word out, because there's not much time to apply," said acting program coordinator Alicia Jones.

Jones and the other staffers at the agency offices will match applicants' skills and interests to employers available in their respective chapters, and see if they can find an employer willing to take on an energetic young worker for free. The chapters themselves have been asked to create some positions, Jones said.

"The goal is to use the stimulus money to get people out into the workforce and get the unemployment rate down," Jones explained.

The program is open to all low-income Native American youth living on the reservation. Preference will be given to men who have enrolled in Selective Service and their spouses, high school dropouts and youth who have not worked for a government-sponsored youth employment program before.

"We're trying to draw new people into the workforce," Jones explained.

To apply or if you're an employer willing to create a job for a youth, call 928-674-2165 in Chinle. For phone numbers for the other agencies, call 928-7707 and ask about the ARRA Youth Employment Program.

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