TASC Joins NYC Youth Alliance in City Hall Vigil

TASC is a member of the nonprofit New York City Youth Alliance, which issued this release at a City Hall press conference.

Parents, kids and advocates for New York City kids and families gathered at City Hall to protect vital services to youth and families in city budget negotiations. Youth advocates said they would continue to mount a daily vigil at City Hall for the expected two-week duration of budget negotiations for Fiscal Year 2009.

Even as the needs of kids and families grow, the proposed City budget would reduce support for vital services including afterschool programs and summer jobs for teens eager to work. Over 103,000 teens applied for jobs this year through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) - 10,000 more than last year. But 6,000 fewer teens than last summer would find jobs through SYEP under proposals to reduce funding by $8.5 million. This cut includes an $8 million reduction in City funds and $500,000 in State SYEP funds.

Nearly 67,000 teens who want to work this summer stand to be turned away.

Also endangered are funds for daily and drop-in afterschool programs; services to immigrant youth and families; 42 afterschool programs funded through the City Council's TASC After 3 initiative; literacy services for older teens through Adult Literacy Services; and a range of sports, recreation, arts and academic activities.

"In difficult economic times it's terribly shortsighted to reduce the supports that help parents keep their jobs while their kids stay safe after school, and that help teens stay on the path toward graduation and success," said Michelle Yanche, director of the Neighborhood Family Services Coalition. "We can't build toward greater health and prosperity in New York by pulling back on our investments in kids."

Youth advocates urged that current funding levels be maintained for vital services that currently fall far short of meeting the needs of kids and families. Advocates called for the immediate restoration of $8.5 million for Summer Youth Employment Programs, in time to place teens in jobs this summer. They also called for the Mayor and City Council to:

• Restore $4.7 million for Runaway and Homeless Youth Shelter Beds
• Restore $6.3 million for Beacon drop-in after-school programs
• Restore $3.8 million for 42 TASC afterschool programs, which support 12,000 afterschool slots
• Restore $11.25 million for the Immigrant Opportunities Initiative, through which 162 organizations help immigrant adults improve their English skills, allowing them to better support their children and aid them in achieving school success
• Restore $1.5 million for Adult Literacy services; NYC's adult literacy system serves older out-of-school youth who have few other options to improve their literacy skills and earn a GED.

Contact: Michelle Yanche, Neighborhood Family Services Coalition, (917) 576-9267 or michelle [at] nfsc-nyc.org

The New York City Youth Alliance is a consortium of youth-focused organizations that together represent hundreds of thousands of youth and families in New York City, advocating on their behalf on both the city and state levels.