Young, Gifted and Unemployed

Paul Mack, 19, is happy. He has been hired to fill one of 306 jobs available from the Oakland Mayor's Summer Jobs Program at YouthUprising, a non-profit youth leadership development center located in economically depressed East Oakland.

The Labor Department reported the June jobless rate in the United States was 9.5 percent. For African Americans the figure was 15.4 percent. Among youths aged 16-19 the unemployment rate is 25.7% but 40 percent of African American youths were unable to find work.

As the media reports on the high unemployment rate they should take note that there are many people just like Mack who are not so lucky. The number of jobs at YouthUprising is about the same as in 2009 but the need is greater.

'Last year, we had about 600 people apply. This year we had more than 800,' said Crystal Robinson-Justice, YouthUprising's jobs counselor.

The media should also look at how the loss of stimulus funds is affecting unemployment in 2010. Last year the stimulus package helped create or subsidize hundreds of jobs in the Mayor's Summer Job Program and the private sector. Robinson-Justice said most of the money is gone, reducing the number of jobs available for everyone.

'There's more competition now so it's not just young people who are applying at J.C. Penney for their summer jobs. It's grown people who have been unemployed and have much more work experience'

Finally, the media should look at how the unemployment rate affects poor communities.

YouthUprising puts a lot of effort into finding jobs for young people, especially young males. They offer classes on resume writing, interviewing skills and how to be a good employee: show up on time, have a good attitude and do a good job. Robinson-Justice calls it a violence prevention strategy. But all the training makes no difference if there are no jobs.

That's why Mack is so happy to have found one.

 'It's very important to me because as a young, African American male out here in these streets I'm not trying to be one of those statistics.'

Mack was referring to the number of his friends who have been unable to find work and are drawn to the streets and the fast money that comes with drug-dealing and other crimes.

'They are, like, 'I don't want to but I have to. It's the only way I can feed my children, it's the only way I'm going to feed me and keep clothes on my back.' Yeah I think there are some out there that like that.'

http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/ib278/

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t02.htm

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/06/econsnap0610.html

http://lifesmockery.wordpress.com/2010/07/03/the-fourth-of-july-black-unemployment-and-senator-barbara-lee-johnson/

http://www.jsyk.com/2010/07/12/could-this-be-the-worst-summer-ever-for-teen-unemployment/