The City of Chicago has achieved a significant milestone. The youths of the city are finding themselves in a better position as employment rates have risen by 19% through the efforts of the One Summer Chicago (OSC) program. This achievement was announced by Mayor Brandon Johnson earlier this week, an attestation to the progress that has been made since his administration took office. More than 24,000 young people were employed through OSC during the summer of 2023, a commendable increase compared to the previous year according to the Chicago.gov.
The OSC program, which is a collaborative effort between various city departments, community-based organizations, corporate partners, and local companies, aims to provide employment and internship opportunities for young people between the ages of 14 and 24. Mayor Johnson emphasized the importance of such initiatives and the commitment of his administration to invest in young people and create pathways for them to truly succeed, both in the summer and beyond as stated in the Chicago.gov article.
One Summer Chicago comprises three interconnected programs: the Chicago Youth Service Corps (CYSC), Chicagobility, and the Summer Youth Employment Program. These programs focus on leadership development, local and civic engagement, project-based learning, and skill-building experiences, as well as job placements and training sessions to prepare youths for their future career paths.
The OSC program managed to directly impact the lives of a diverse group of participants, with over 1,700 youths with disabilities, nearly 14,000 attending Level 2, Level 3, or Option schools, and over 2,400 out-of-school and out-of-work young people finding opportunities through the program. With a total of 2.43 million hours of work experience and project-based learning completed, these young individuals earned more than $33.9 million in wages per the city's official statement.
The OSC initiative is closely connected to other programs aimed at benefiting Chicago's youths, including My CHI. My Future. (MCMF). The MCMF program includes both "Kickbacks"—community events that provide enriching experiences for families and young people ages 13 to 19—and year-round employment for young people ages 16 to 24. In the year 2023, there were 225 youths employed through MCMF who organized 110 Kickback events with more than 14,000 attendees from the community according to the city’s records.
The Johnson administration has also looked to further engage young people by expanding the Mayor's Youth Commission to 40 members in the 2023-2024 cohort, up from 32 in the previous year. The first monthly meeting of the expanded commission took place on September 9th, 2023, signifying the increased involvement of young voices in the city's decision-making and leadership initiatives.
