Gillibrand files urban-youth jobs bill
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) announces new legisltion to connect local at-risk youth with job opportunities at the Urban League of Long Island. (May 20, 2011) Credit: David Pokress
At-risk persons in urban areas could get help finding jobs under a new bill that New York's Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand touted Friday in Hempstead.
Gillibrand's Urban Jobs Act would funnel competitive grants to national not-for-profits to provide job training, educational programs and case management to young adults ages 18 to 24, Gillibrand told community leaders at the Urban League of Long Island.
"Currently, nearly 20 percent of younger workers are out of work." she said. "However . . . in many urban communities around the nation, roughly one-third of minority youth are unemployed. This is simply unacceptable."
Gillibrand, a Democrat, said that high school dropouts and those touched in any way by the criminal justice system would benefit from the program.
Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall said, "If they lack a high school diploma or have been involved in the criminal justice system, the likelihood of them being hired is slim to none. The Urban Jobs Act recognized these obstacles [and] that these young people need a second chance . . . that takes the form of new jobs training programs."
Also on hand were Democratic Hempstead Town Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby and State Assemblyman Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood), as well as Republican Village Trustee Don Ryan.
Gillibrand's bill was submitted last week and is currently in committee. Her spokeswoman, Bethany Lesser, said the senator hopes to attach her bill to the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act, which replaced the old Job Training Partnership Act.
