Local governments can invest in this strategy using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
- This strategy can provide assistance to unemployed workers and help prevent violence. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that strategies that help achieve these outcomes are eligible for the use of Fiscal Recovery Funds.
- Investments in this strategy are SLFRF-eligible as long as they are made in qualified census tracts or are designed to assist populations or communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Program overview
Facilitating summer employment for area youth: One Summer Chicago is a summer youth employment program operated by the City of Chicago’s Office of Family and Support Services. The program aims to provide youth with quality employment opportunities and reduce the risk that they engage in criminal activity.
Working with partners to identify jobs: One Summer Chicago partners with city agencies, nonprofits, and local businesses to identify meaningful employment opportunities for area youth. Typically, positions pay at least $15 per hour and offer between 20 and 25 hours of work per week.
Creating an application process: To be eligible for the program, youth must be residents of the City of Chicago, be between the ages of 14 and 24 years of age, and have permission from a parent or guardian (if under the age of 18). If eligible, youth apply for job opportunities through One Summer Chicago’s online application portal. The application process varies across partner agencies, with some employers selecting applicants via a lottery, with others using a more in-depth interview process.
Offering additional support: One Summer Chicago program coordinators work with youth and their parents and guardians to provide guidance, address concerns, and help youth establish themselves in their summer jobs. The program also has a partnership with the One Summer Banking Coalition, which provides youth with access to safe, affordable banking services.
- Strategies
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Summer youth employment
- Cost per Participant
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Approximately $3,000 per participant
A single study with a rigorous design provides some evidence for One Summer Chicago as a strategy for reducing the risk that youth engage in criminal activity.
- A 2014 randomized controlled trial found that youth in a treatment group had significantly fewer violent crime arrests in the 16 months following random assignment compared with students in the control group.
Note: This content is currently under review.
Match youth to jobs intentionally: When youth are engaged in their summer jobs, their placements will be more successful for them and the employer. To ensure good matches, summer youth employment programs should hire coordinators who can assist youth with identifying roles that match their skills and interests. When resource limitations make this impractical, programs can collect data from employers on what skills and interests would be relevant to their roles and provide this information for youth during the application process.
Emphasize the value to employer partners: When recruiting organizations to hire youth, summer youth employment programs should tailor their pitch to each organization’s priorities. Key benefits for employer partners may include access to short-term labor and the opportunity to strengthen and diversify the talent pipeline in their industry. Identifying leaders at area employers who can champion the program to their peers may also make securing partnerships easier.
Create opportunities for long-term engagement: Summer youth employment programs, like One Summer Chicago, are short-term interventions. To produce lasting impacts, programs should connect youth to workforce readiness and employment opportunities available outside of summer. For example, programs may share information about career and technical education or work-based learning opportunities available through the area school district.
Collect data on key program outcomes: Summer youth employment programs should collect data on youth and employer experiences. These data can allow programs to adjust the program model to better attract youth and retain employer partners. By collecting data on longer-term youth outcomes (e.g., graduation rates), programs can also demonstrate their impact and build support for further investment in summer employment opportunities.