Youth Employment
The program brings together government institutions, community-based organizations, and employers to offer subsidized employment and internship opportunities to youth and young adults ages 14-24. The Youth employment portfolio consists of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s One Summer Chicago (OSC) program that is the second largest summer employment program serving over 31,000 youth annually.
OSC is an umbrella for summer job programming that unifies summer skill building programs across Chicago. This initiative includes DFSS direct services jobs programs, along with other city partners including the Chicago Housing Authority, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Park District, Chicago Transit Authority, and City Colleges, in addition to After School Matters. OSC participants earn badges across all key work readiness indicators including: 21st Century skills, career readiness, goal planning, attendance, and financial responsibility. The entire suite of OSC badges provides badge earners with evidence of their marketability and can signal to employers that they have demonstrated workforce readiness.
Our Youth Employment programming includes programs that offer
- Workforce Development
- Financial Literacy
- Career Exploration
- Infrastructure Development
Youth Employment OSC Program Partners
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Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS). Serves as the program coordinator, managing the other city and sister agencies that are part of OSC. DFSS also employs youth through three distinct program models: Chicagobility, Summer Youth Employment (SYEP) and One Summer Plus (OSC+). Chicagobility will serve as a foundational track for younger youth with web-based training for early job skills. SYEP is a traditional youth employment program that targets youth citywide for work and enrichment, and tends to serve older youth. OSC+ is a specialized violence prevention program targeting youth who reside in the highest risk communities providing a job plus mentorship. DFSS is also managing the placement of young people in unsubsidized summer jobs (2018 commitments: 433). Eligibility: Citywide, ages 14-24, high school eligibility requirements for OSC+ |
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Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). Offers summer opportunities that include the Chicago Police Department neighborhood youth corps, counselor-in-training, documentary filmmaking for girls, , game and graphic design, learn and earn, movie and TV script writing, safe summer peace ambassador program and summer youth employment program. Eligibility: Citywide, ages 13-24, current public housing resident |
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Chicago Park District (CPD). Employs youth across 232 parks, 77 pools and 26 miles of the lakefront. Their seasonal positions include lifeguards, park maintenance and recreational activity posts, such as program staff and camp counselors. This year, in celebration of the Special Olympics' 50th anniversary, the summer 2018 day camp theme, "Unified: We Choose to Include" reflects the Park District's enduring commitment to provide inclusive recreational opportunities throughout Chicago. Day Camp staff, including 2,000 One Summer Chicago seasonal recreation leaders, will receive additional youth development training through a “trauma informed” lens via a partnership with Nike and We Coach. Other One Summer Chicago positions will help to support mentoring camps and rollin’ recreation. Eligibility: Citywide, ages 16-21 (16-24 for special recreation), no school eligibility requirements. Seasonal positions must be residents of the city of Chicago |
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Chicago Public Library (CPL). Hosts teen interns across 48 library branches working as CyberTeens, Summer Learning Interns and Junior CyberNavigators. CyberTeen interns will help with a variety of digital or technological projects such as scanning documents and images, making photocopies and completing inventories. Summer learning interns will gain behind-the-scenes library experience to develop a better understanding of the day-to-day operations around summer engagement programs for children and teens. Interns will work closely with branch staff to support art and STEM activities and programming, branch tours and outreach, as well as having a chance to co-design and co-facilitate a public program. Junior CyberNavigators will assist patrons (children, teens and adults) with various computer needs – from signing up for email, reviewing apps and websites, applying for jobs online, downloading e-books to presenting workshops. Eligibility: Citywide, ages 14-21, currently enrolled in CPS |
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Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Employs youth who participate in their Career and Technical Education programs as well as other programs including academic competition, diverse learners, and Chicago Police and Fire Training Academy. The CTE programs include: Agriculture, Business, Construction & Architecture, Culinary & Hospitality, Education & Training, Health Science, Information Technology, Media & Communication Arts, Law & Public Safety, Manufacturing & Pre-Engineering, Personal Care Services, and Transportation. The program focus is to provide students the opportunity to connect what they're learning in the classroom with the working world; increase student work readiness; and expose students to specific industries/career fields. The Englewood Summer Jobs Program employs youth who are currently enrolled at Harper, Hope, TEAM, and Robeson high schools. The program focus is to provide Englewood high school students with summer employment, transportation, and a youth coach who will assist them in formulating summer goals and social & emotional learning support. The program also supports the auditorium project where youth refurbish CPS auditoriums. Eligibility: Citywide, ages 16-21, current high school students |
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City Colleges of Chicago (CCC). Provides employment opportunities for 500 City College students and graduates. Youth are placed across the 7 City College locations in addition to partnerships with several community organizations to provide students with diverse opportunities for workforce experience. Eligibility: Applicants for City Colleges of Chicago must be current students or 2018 graduates of one of the seven City Colleges. ages 18-24 |
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Forest Preserves of Cook County. Offers opportunities to learn about environmental science and conservation leadership. The youth outdoor ambassador program will place youth at different Forest Preserves divisions including: resource management, outreach education, community outreach, office of the superintendent and the police department. Participants will assist with restoration work, implementing outdoor classroom activities and creating hands on interactive curriculum for Forest Preserve patrons. Eligibility: Cook County, ages 16-24 |
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After School Matters (ASM). Provides Chicago high school teens with high quality after-school and summer program opportunities to explore and develop their talents, while gaining critical skills for college, careers, and beyond. Teens will participate in hands-on, project-based apprenticeship and internship programs in the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Eligibility: Citywide, ages 14-21, currently enrolled in high school (including rising freshmen and just graduated seniors) |
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Lincoln Park Zoo. Offers opportunities for youth to work alongside zoo scientists to serve as interpreters on zoo grounds, informing guests about animal science and conservation. Eligibility: Youth ages 18+ |
For more information on OSC, please visit One Summer Chicago or OSC hotline 312-743-0208
If you are an employer interested in hiring a youth for the summer, contact Charisma Cannon, Partnership Manager, at charisma.cannon@cityofchicago.org
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