MANSFIELD — Seventy-three applicants have already been approved to participate in a local summer youth program designed to provide valuable work experience.
Lori Bedson, director of Richland County Job and Family Services, said she expects to see another large round of applications submitted next month.
“The youth are now ending the school year (and) they’re concentrating more about what they’re going to do this summer, so we expect that number to increase significantly through this month,” she said.
Bedson attended Thursday’s county commissioners meeting to discuss the 2025 summer youth program with the three-member board.
RCJFS, in partnership with Catalyst Life Services, offers local youth an opportunity to earn a competitive wage, while also receiving essential job training. The program runs from May 1 to Aug. 31 and is designed for ages 14 to 18.
“It provides an opportunity for youth to learn a little bit about the importance of punctuality and work ethic,” Commissioner Tony Vero said of the program.
During Thursday’s meeting, commissioners approved an amendment to its contract with Catalyst Life Services which will allow the program to serve an additional 20 to 30 youth members.
Program expanding to include foster care youth
Bedson said the original contract with Catalyst was signed in February in order to begin planning for the program.
That contract utilized RCJFS’ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding, which is money used in the community for prevention, retention and contingency services.
“We made that (funding) available in the amount of $577,709 so that we could serve 150 youth through the summer,” Bedson said.
Through the state, counties are also offered the opportunity to receive additional TANF funds for summer youth employment. That additional money didn’t become available until April and can be used beginning May 1, the director said.
Bedson said RCJFS made a request for additional funds because the state receives a waiver to allow foster youth to be served with those dollars — something the agency can’t always do with TANF funds.
She told commissioners Thursday that the state has earmarked an additional $90,760 in TANF funding to be used specifically for summer youth activities.
“Catalyst will use that (additional funding) to serve foster care youth,” Bedson said. “We could be looking at 20 to 30 foster care youth involved (in the program).”
Financial literacy included
Youth participants will have the opportunity to work in a wide range of fields, including customer service, maintenance, recreation, food service, summer camps and more.
Participants are compensated for their work, Bedson said.
“They (Catalyst) work with them (youth) on financial literacy as well,” she said, adding participants will receive assistance creating a savings account.
The program provides work attire and transportation assistance to make sure all participants have the resources they need to be successful.
Applications to the program may be requested on the RCJFS website.
