DYCD Extends Application Deadline for New York City’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)

City residents ages 14-24 have until Friday, April 29 to apply for lottery

NEW YORK – New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Bill Chong today announced that DYCD extended the application deadline for the 2016
Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) to Friday, April 29, 2016. SYEP, the nation’s largest summer youth employment initiative, provides New York City young people between the ages of 14 and 24 with up to six weeks of entry-level experience at worksites in all five boroughs. Participants are selected by lottery for the program, which runs from July 5 through August 13. The Ladders for Leaders program deadline will not be extended and youth interested in that internship program must apply by April 15.

“The Summer Youth Employment Program has become a rite of passage for many New Yorkers who got their first job though the program and have moved on to successful careers,” said DYCD Commissioner Bill Chong. “My first job and love of public service are the result of SYEP, which taught me work ethic and positively affected the career choices I have made. Through SYEP, younger youths and those who have never worked before learn the importance of showing up on time and working with other people. For older teens and young adults, it’s about lining up the work experience and careers in which they are interested.”

Last summer, a record 54,263 young people were employed in more than 9,000 worksites throughout the five boroughs. With the support of the Center for Youth Employment, the City more than doubled the number of Ladders for Leaders internships (1,035) and opportunities for young people who are homeless, court-involved or in foster care (2,078). Through first-time partnerships with companies like AOL, Pandora and Medidata, more than 200 Ladders for Leaders positions were created in the tech industry, up from just 44 slots in 2014.

Studies show that SYEP improves school attendance, offers new skills, reduces incarceration rates and keeps teens and young adults safe—including youth who wouldn’t otherwise have access to paying jobs.

Youth can apply online or at a participating community-based organization during the application period. Worksites interested in providing jobs have until Friday, May 13, 2016 to apply. Online applications for both are available on the DYCD website. Updates will also be posted to DYCD’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram sites. For more information, call 311 or DYCD Youth Connect (1-800-246-4646).

Employers looking to support New York City’s youth employment programs, including SYEP, should go to the Center for Youth Employment’s website. Interested employers can also email the Mayor’s Fund at fund@cityhall.nyc.gov for more information.

View or download the 2015 SYEP Annual Summary.