2024 DC Summer Youth Employment Program
At City Kids, summer’s arrival means it’s time to head west– but for City Kids’ JETs (Job Experience Trainees), the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) provides engagement opportunities for these high school students in DC, too. Serving as a host site for DC’s SYEP, City Kids welcomes JETs to join the DC team for six weeks of paid work. This initiative offers participants the chance to develop professional skills, explore new opportunities for DC based adventure, and earn money while doing so.
For over 30 years, the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) has been a cornerstone of opportunity for thousands of teens and young adults in the District of Columbia. This summer employment initiative, managed by the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES), provides participants with meaningful employment experiences that bridge academic and occupational learning.
At City Kids, this transformative experience focuses on professional and holistic development through workshops on life skills, outdoor leadership and trip planning, mindfulness, post-high school planning, and college preparation. City Kids employs a youth-centered approach, tailoring its programming, including SYEP, to incorporate participants’ interests and passions.
Last year’s program featured a variety of enriching activities such as Information Technology workshops, professional communication training, horseback riding with Cloverleaf Equine Center, yoga and wellness sessions, and visits to Washington DC museums.
This year’s SYEP at City Kids includes themes around environmental justice, exploring local public lands and communities, black entrepreneurship in the entertainment and arts industry, and advocacy and social justice. A new partnership with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) will offer a week dedicated to learning how to build bikes and enjoying outdoor cycling.
Continuing City Kids’ partnership with Inward Bound Mindfulness, this year will also include a day dedicated to integrating mindfulness practice into participants’ daily lives. Each week incorporates intentional time around reflection, goal setting, leadership development, and emphasizes the importance of JETs “creating their own vision” for their futures and communities.
City Kids’ SYEP is not just about the opportunity to have paid employment; it’s about providing a comprehensive experience that empowers youth with the skills, knowledge, and inspiration to leverage their own personal possibilities and innovate in their communities.
