NEW ORLEANS - Yesterday, the New Orleans Recreation Development (NORD) Commission and the (JOB1) NOLA Youth Works Program are partnering to deliver the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program; and together, they are announcing an online process to preregister for its youth camps and employment programs. This is part of a robust package of summer opportunities available annually to New Orleans' youth, teens, and young adults.
Opportunities are available in all five City Council districts through NORD and (JOB1) NOLA Youth Works. In total, the City has committed more than $1.9 million to summer programming this year. In order to slow the spread and flatten the curve of COVID-19, and continue to prepare for summer, all registration information will be placed online and via email until further notice.
"I want to commend NORD and JOB1's NOLA Youth Works Program for their collaboration to keep the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program moving forward in spite of our current challenges. Keeping our youth engaged and employed when the time is right will be crucial to community development," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "I encourage everyone to utilize the opportunity to register online or by email."
This year, NORD is offering 35 youth summer camps that will serve 3,000 kids (ages 4-12) across the city through partnerships with schools, non-profits, and faith-based organizations. Summer camps offer a wide array of academic, cultural and recreational activities, including field trips to the Audubon Zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas and NORD pools for water-safety lessons. Parents may visit NORD's website for a full list of camp offerings and instructions on what information is needed to register youth for camp and how to register.
"Families depend on NORD programs and services year-round, and current closures have proven difficult, yet necessary to combat COVID-19 community spread," said NORD CEO Larry Barabino, Jr. "In an effort to ensure summer services continue, NORD is moving forward with summer program plans by moving its camp and job application processes online. In the coming months summer camp, and teen job opportunities will be critical to families across the City of New Orleans, and NORD will be prepared to serve."
NOLA Youth Works and NORD Teen Camp Opportunities
JOB1's NOLA Youth Works Program, on behalf of the City of New Orleans and the Mayor's Office, will partner with NORD to deliver the Mayor's 2020 Summer Youth Employment Program, which will employ more than 1,500 young people ages 13-21 with five program offerings through the New Orleans Recreation Development (NORD) Commission and (JOB1) NOLA Youth Works. NORD offers Teen Career Camps for teens (ages 13-15), where teens can gain valuable experience and explore careers. (JOB1) NOLA Youth Works offers the following programs for teens and young adults (ages 16-21):
- Traditional (16-21): Youth are engaged in a friendly work environment, where they learn skills to help them be successful in the workplace.
- Junior Camp Counselors (ages 17-21): This program is for youth who have an interest in working with younger children at summer camps.
- Signature (18-21): Like the traditional program, youth are engaged in a friendly work environment, where they learn skills to help them be successful in the workplace. However, this program is specifically for youth who are disconnected from employment or school.
- Intern NOLA (18-21): This program is for youth who have completed or are nearing completion of high school. They are provided with opportunities closely aligned with their career interests. Resumes and interviews are required for this program offering.
"Annually, we know that our youth and young adults rely on the income and work experiences gained during the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program," said Sunae Villavaso, Deputy Director for the Mayor's Office of Workforce Development. "As families come back online, we know these types of jobs will be critical to supporting the entire family, so we want to be ready to start as quickly as possible. (From a financial perspective, we understand how critical the supplemental income from summer youth employment is for many families. Moving forward and being intentional about how the city prepares its next generation, the critical piece is that the city is being strategic in placing youth at employment sites that align with their career interests. This provides our youth with a valuable head start to their career paths.) The program will support approximately 1,500 youth and young adults between the ages of 13-21 with traditional, signature, Intern NOLA, or camp counselor summer employment jobs. Pre-registration began yesterday with official appointments to follow after COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted."
Applications for NORD Teen Camps and (JOB1) NOLA Youth Works are now available online, where you will complete the Pre- Registration form. Registration completion is accepted by appointment only for NORD and (JOB1) NOLA Youth Works offerings. Space is limited, so the City strongly encourages participants to complete the pre-registration link to apply early. To better prepare for the registration process, visit www.nola.gov/nolayouthworks click the youth information tab, and read the entire page before registering. You will receive an email to schedule your appointment as soon as the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Please print your application and bring all the required documents to your appointment.
(JOB1) NOLA Youth Works partners with private companies and non-profit organizations to provide quality summer experiences at safe, structured and properly supervised environments. Youth summer employment opportunities will improve the overall education of the individual participants and help to build the capacity of our local knowledge-based workforce.
As in past years, local businesses are encouraged to help the City meet its goal of providing paid job experiences for all eligible and interested youth. The City depends on full participation from both the public and private sectors in order to provide a pathway to prosperity for our young men and women.
Again, this year Mayor Cantrell is calling on local businesses and organizations to sign up to be part of the Summer Employment Program. Prospective employers can learn more about the program by visiting www.nola.gov/nolayouthworks. Employers can also request information by emailing nolayouth@nola.gov or by calling the City's Office of Workforce Development at (504) 658-4531.