Cuomo Announces Job Creation Program For At-Risk Bronx Youth

NEW YORK CITY — More than 1,700 jobs will be created for at-risk young people in the Bronx as part of a cooperative effort between state and community leaders that also aims to cut down on gun violence in the area, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday.

Cuomo appeared at a gun violence meeting in the Bronx and announced the initiative, which creates 881 summer jobs for young people between the ages of 15 and 24 living in 17 zip codes across the area. The program also will create long-term jobs for an additional 874 young people as well as job training and job placement services, Cuomo said.

The funding for the summer job creation will be provided by state officials, who are working in partnership with the Consortium for Worker Education to provide the job training. The long-term jobs, Cuomo said, will be for young people who are out of school and who live in the area. The summer jobs will last throughout the summer and will run until the start of the school year, officials said.

"Gun violence is not going to disappear by itself and that is why we are joining forces with local leaders here in the Bronx and coming up with real solutions,” Cuomo said in a news release announcing the program. "Through this community-driven initiative, we are providing meaningful work opportunities to our youth so they can be productive in safe settings and asking those who best know the Bronx to help guide us in making additional resources available for vulnerable residents."

The Zip codes included in the program include10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10456, 10457, 10459, 10460, 10461, 10462, 10463, 10465, 10466, 10467, 10469, 10472, and 10473.

Cuomo introduced similar programs around the state in “hot zones” where gun violence is a serious issues and where community leaders have worked to engage at-risk young people through employment and community programming.

Locally, summer programming will take part at Roberto Clemente State Park and at other parks around New York City.

The program also includes hiring new community-based gun violence interrupters as well as providing local young people with assistance for in treating mental health and substance abuse issues.