Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) kicked off its WorkReady BOOST program — a career development initiative providing internships and part-time jobs for more than 400 youth across Philadelphia this summer. PYN’s “Welcome Week” will provide a general orientation and job readiness training to all youth participants.
“It is imperative to reach our youth as young as possible and prepare them for their future,” PYN President and CEO Wendy-Anne Roberts-Johnson said in a statement. “When young people develop and become more confident in their skillset, they are motivated to prosper. We want our young people to experiment, learn something new, and of course, have fun this summer.”
PYN is hosting hundreds of young people this summer through its WorkReady BOOST initiative. Slots are made possible through public and private funding, which includes the city’s new summer youth employment program, C2l-PHL, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and several corporate and private foundations.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and expanding my experience with managing social media,” said Britten Perkins, one of the young people who will be working directly with the Philadelphia Youth Network as a part of their communications and social media team. “I feel like this job will be a great opportunity for me.”
PYN’s summer program offers 120 hours of paid work experience, which usually consists of 100 hours on-site and 20 hours of classroom-based professional development training. Participating youth can earn up to $1,500 and will be supported with wraparound services as well as financial literacy and soft skills training.
Companies and organizations offering internships through PYN include PECO, PGW, Girls Inc., Philadelphia City Council, Bank of America, iHeart Radio, and Harriett’s Bookshop. These opportunities represent PYN’s partnerships with some of Philadelphia’s top businesses.
“iHeartMedia Philadelphia is excited to host PYN’s WorkReady students again,” Loraine Ballard Morill, the Director of News and Community Affairs in the Philadelphia region, said. “Not only will students be provided hands-on experience in media but I find we learn as much from them as they do from us. There are several things that contribute to the success of youth: mentoring, a sense of identity and exposure to new possibilities. Our partnership with WorkReady provides all three.”
PYN has provided over 250,000 Philadelphia youth to work in internships, training programs, and out-of-school time programs since it was founded in 1999.
For more information, visit pyninc.org/workready
