JUNE 25, 2009 ISSUE
Stimulus Funds at Work in the High Country
Summer Job Brings Hope to Homeless Youth
Matthew Alexander is working this summer at the Watauga County Public Library thanks to NC Summer Jobs, a youth employment initiative funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and administered through the Workforce Investment Act.
Matthew Alexander doesn’t want to be homeless anymore, and he is ready to do whatever it takes to change his situation.
Alexander has been homeless since he was 18 years old. Now 22, he is still trying to get on his feet, but the economy made finding a job seem hopeless.
Exhausted and frustrated, Alexander walked into the Watauga County JobLink Career Center, hoping to find some type of employment in Boone. Career coaches with the High Country Workforce Development Board’s GET R.E.A.L. (Resources, Employment, Advancement and Learning) youth services enrolled him in N.C. Summer Jobs, a temporary summer youth employment program for youth ages 16 to 24 funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Excited about the opportunity, Alexander began his first day of work at the Watauga County Library promptly at 9:00 a.m. the following Monday.
“I’ve been homeless for awhile, but it’s a chance for me to get back into life,” he said.
At the library he shelves books and assists patrons when they need help looking for books.
“It’s not like any other job I’ve had in the past,” he said. “It’s relaxing and low stress. I really enjoy it.”
The goals behind N.C. Summer Jobs are to give young workers with employment challenges experience in a professional environment and to teach them essential job readiness skills that will help them move into long-term jobs when the summer program ends. Participants work three days a week and attend classes one day a week.
Alexander and his other twelve classmates have attended workshops on resume building, business plans and professional demeanor while also working towards earning their national Career Readiness Certificate. This certification verifies to employers anywhere in the United States a worker’s essential core employability skills in reading, math and locating information.
“It has taught me a lot about understanding what it takes in life to succeed and keep a job,” Alexander said.
He is determined to keep his job at the library. Although, he has no permanent place to sleep, Alexander shows up for work every day on time, often using AppalCART for transportation.
“It’s something for me to look forward to in the morning,” he said.
Evelyn Johnson and Judith Winecoff, staff members at the Watauga County Library, are excited to have Alexander’s extra hands.
“The timing worked out perfect,” Winecoff said. “This is one of our busiest seasons so it’s nice to have a little extra help. It’s nice having that youthful energy around, so for us it’s a blessing.”
Alexander is one of two youth placed at the Watauga County Library, one of nine N.C. Summer Jobs worksites in Watauga County. Managers at the worksites are responsible for supervising the youth, but are not responsible for paying them. Money for the summer workers’ paychecks comes from stimulus funds allocated through the Workforce Investment Act.
“It’s a great opportunity for the workplace and the youth,” Johnson said. “It gives them an opportunity to get real-life experience and we get free help. The only thing we don’t like is they can only stay for eight weeks.”
Each youth participant makes $7.50 an hour. Work assignments are six to eight weeks for 30 hours a week. Recovery Act funding in the High Country will create an estimated 160 jobs for youth in Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, Wilkes and Watauga counties.
Even though his job is temporary, it is just what Matthew Alexander needs to jumpstart a new life.
“It helps my mind focus on getting out of my situation,” Alexander said. “If I wasn’t trying, I wouldn’t have gotten this far, and I’m not giving up.”
For more information on N.C. Summer Jobs, contact the Watauga County JobLink Center at 828-265-5385.
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