Nonprofit agencies in Jamestown are among the cities eligible for a slice of $4.5 million in state funding to provide education and employment services to help at-risk youth succeed in life and avoid both victimization by, and involvement with, criminal activity.

The Workforce Development Demonstration Project is funded by the New York State Pay for Success Initiative and targets low-income youth who have become disconnected from the traditional institutions of employment and education in their communities. The Office of Children and Family Services is applications from not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions, charitable foundations or government entities who have demonstrated success in providing alternative programming and services for at-risk youth. Award recipients will provide educational programming, occupational skills training, employment services and leadership development. Funded programs will engage disconnected and at-risk youth in their communities who are in urgent need of pathways to jobs, school, entrepreneurship, and other opportunities that will lead to pro-social behavior, as well as productive livelihoods contributing to their neighborhoods.

One million dollars of the funding million is being made available for Long Island due to the high rate of unaccompanied minor children in that region who are particularly vulnerable to gang recruitment. The Workforce Development Demonstration Project will make the remaining $4.5 million available to charitable or not-for-profit organizations in the following cities:

The selected applicants will serve teenagers and young adults who are either disconnected from traditional societal institutions, have dropped out of school, are involved in the justice system, are gang-involved or at risk of gang involvement, or are disadvantaged in some other way. The young adult participants will receive post-secondary education, on-site job training, mentoring and counseling services while developing leadership and civic engagement skills. State officials expect to announce the awards in January. The project is anticipated to begin in May.