Summer program provides youth employees free for businesses

One of the largest services of the youth department at Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation is a work program known as Summer Employment Opportunities.

In the program, youth ages 14-21 work in a job field as summer employees, free to the participating companies. Primarily the summer program focuses on students ages 14-16. Wages, workers' compensation insurance, liability insurance and taxes are paid by the program and funded by the Work Force Investment Act of 1998.

"There is no money expenditure on (the businesses') part, it is just an investment of time. If (a business is) willing to give that investment of time, they can find that they get someone who works hard for the time," said Lisa Petachi, assistant director of the youth department.

This year 120 students are expected to be part of the program, which serves Greene, Christian, Webster, Dallas, Polk, Taney and Stone counties. Each youth will be able to work up to 25 hours a week and be paid $5.15 per hour.

The number of students in the program varies depending on budget availability.

Businesses of any size can participate as long as they have a state business license and do not operate out of a home.

"It is business that has an interest in our youth and wants to help our future and show them what it means to be a good employee. But (also) one that would be a good work site to provide (youth) with some skills for the world," Petachi said. "The whole meaning behind it is the youth get a mentor and they learn something at a particular work site."

Businesses helping with the program must provide a supervisor for the youth. Petachi said youth can work independently but cannot be left alone in an office.

Springfield Little Theatre is one organization that has found the program to be successful.

Chris Volkmer, chief of staff at the theater, said Little Theatre has been a part of this program and others like it for the past seven years. Financially, the program has been a big relief.

"We only have seven paid staff. When we have an opportunity like that, where the state is actually paying them and we are not it's a huge help to us because we are understaffed already," Volkmer said.

Students at the theater work with technical director Jamie Bower. Youth build sets, paint and do hands-on carpentry for the productions. Volkmer said they have seen more than just financial benefits from the program.

"One of the really cool rewards is when (the youth) become a part of the creative process and they are excited about seeing the product through. It's like they get a vision and get pulled in they become a part of the creative process and you just see them find out that things are possible," Volkmer said.

Petachi said students are selected for the program based on income and age requirements. Many of the students do not have job experience and the first-time encounter can mean a lot, Volkmer said.

"They really get pulled into the family If they are not here we are concerned, we're calling, we care. We just kind of get tied to them. It really helps, obviously, just to get things taken care of, but I do think it gives something back to them as well," Volkmer said.

Chuck Matthews, director of the youth department, said he would like to see more businesses take part in the program.

"We are trying to get more for-profit businesses involved for those kids to have real-life work experience in real businesses so they know what it is like; to have better hands-on training and experience for when they actually do enter the job market," Matthews said.

The program first started in 1972 with the Neighborhood Youth Corps, funded by the Comprehensive Employment Training Act. Before the Work Force Investment Act of 1998, which took effect in 2002, the program was funded by the Job Training Partnership Act, which started in October 1983. Along with the summer program, about 60 additional youth benefit from the year-round work experience program.