| MEDIA
ADVISORY |
For
Immediate Release |
| |
August
9, 2000 |
| WHO: |
The
Baltimore City Youth Opportunity Movement (YO!) is actively seeking
60 staff members who want to be part of youth development history
in the United States. Candidates will be responsible for helping
thousands of out-of-school and at-risk young people (ages 16-21)
complete their education and pursue employment in high growth areas
of the economy.
Individuals
hired for these YO! positions will be the first youth workers in
the United States to obtain certification as "youth practitioners".
The new Youth Practitioners Institute is a collaborative effort
among the Baltimore Office of Employment Development, the Sar Levitan
Center at Johns Hopkins and the Baltimore City Community College.
The Institute will prepare YO! employees for the rigors of youth
development work during a comprehensive six-week training course,
and then serve as the employer of record for all employees hired
by the Youth Opportunity System.
|
| WHEN: |
Friday,
August 11, 2000 10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. |
| WHAT: |
Youth
Opportunity Job Fair
Positions include youth recruiters, job coaches, employment advocates,
senior employment advocates, account executive/job developers, literacy
instructors and receptionists. For more info, visit www.oedworks.com
or call 410-396-1790.
|
| WHERE: |
Baltimore
City Community College
Harbor Campus Bard Building (600 E. Lombard Street)
|
| WHY: |
Unemployment
figures for young people living in Baltimores Empowerment Zone
(EZ) are between 35% and 40%, and the current fabric of support for
them is fragmented. Nationwide, almost 11 million young people between
the ages of 16 and 24 are high school dropouts or graduates who are
not getting further education. And its clear that high unemployment
in poor neighborhoods leads to crime, drug problems and gang activity.
To attack unemployment among out-of-school youth in Baltimore, the
Youth Opportunity System has been awarded a $44 million grant from
the U.S. Department of Labor to provide career planning, academic
support, and job training services to EZ youth. Services such as tutoring,
computer training, counseling, employment readiness, occupational
skills training, and leadership development are now available for
young people in need. Call 410-545-6950 for details. |
| CONTACT: |
Gail
Woods Waller (410) 396-9928 or gwoods@oedworks.com |
|