Bakersfield Launches First-of-its-kind Youth Workforce Program


Foundation: Kern Community Foundation

credit: Flickr

"I wish that in high school somebody had pulled me aside and said, 'Did you know you can get an associate's degree from BC and then get a six-figure job?' I don't think anybody is telling kids that."

So says an assistant city manager in Bakersfield, Calif., where a $5.4 million grant from the state will allow the city to offer internships and other job opportunities to teenagers and college students in an effort to reduce youth unemployment, the Bakersfield Californian reports.

According to data provided by the city, teenagers aged 16 to 19 had a 25.6% unemployment rate in 2020, while the statewide rate was 6.2% and the national rate was 5.4%.

"We want youth to be inspired from Bakersfield to stay in Bakersfield and see themselves in careers and community and public service jobs that pay well, are stable, and come with great benefits," says Anthony Valdez, the city's assistant city manager.

The grant, which will allow the city to hire eight employees to manage the program, was awarded as part of an $185 million effort by the state to provide youth with job opportunities and a path to government service.

Read the Entire Article


Selected Grant News Headlines

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

Big Country's Casa Program Seeks Volunteers to Support Local Foster Children
Foundation: Community Foundation of Abilene

Big Country's CASA program seeks volunteers to support local foster children.Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization has expressed a dire need for volunteers in the Big Country.CASA...more

Northeast Wi Theater Collaborative Forms, Creates Youth Theater Education Program

Green Bay's Studio 12 and the Ashwaubenon Performing Arts Center have formed the Northeast Wisconsin Theater Collaborative.NEWT will put on a production of Hadestown: Teen Edition at the Ashwubenon...more

Nwa Women in Business: Emily English

English has spent her career working at the intersection of farming and public health.Before joining the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group as a senior program officer, she was director of the...more

Generation Blue: Unoc Side Event Closes As Youth Drive Ocean Protection

The book was just one of four major voluntary commitments which will be officially registered in the UN Voluntary Ocean Commitments Database to encourage global participation.The UN Side Event...more

In South Africa, the Hard-Won Progress of A Youth-Led Hiv Education Program Is Threatened ...

In South Africa, the hard-won progress of a youth-led HIV education program is threatened by international funding cuts."It provides a safe environment for us," says one youth volunteer of the...more

From Rural Ukraine to Global Recognition: The Self-Taught Journey of Postproduction Artist ...

Galina Trush was born in 1990 in central Ukraine.The outbreak of war in Eastern Ukraine, combined with professional and financial limitations, forced Trush to make another life-changing decision:...more

Penn State's Youth Food Lab Attends UN Science, Technology, Innovation Forum

Penn State's Youth Food Lab attends UN Science, Technology, Innovation forum.Penn State's youth food lab attends UN science, technology, innovation forum at UN in New York.The forum is part of the...more

Commentary: First Annual Student Cardiac Screening Protects Lives, Honors Sam Yates' Legacy

The Sam Yates Community Foundation screened 38 students at Vashon High School this month.The Foundation plans to offer cardiac screenings to all freshman and junior students on a rotating two-year...more

'Safety, Compassion, Innovation': Beaufort Memorial Honors Top Staff At Bemmy Awards

'Safety, compassion, innovation': Beaufort Memorial honors top staff at Bemmy Awards.The Quality Services department took home the award for Department of the Year at BeaufortMemorial Hospital's...more

Cleveland Clinic Children's Ranks No. 2 in America For Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery by ...

This ranking recognizes the leading children's hospitals in the U.S., featuring the top 50 hospitals.Cleveland Clinic Children's placed in all eight pediatric subspecialities: Cardiology and Cardiac...more


In the world of social enterprises, failure is a cringe-worthy moment nobody wants to talk about. But, social entrepreneurs can benefit from their failures.



Federal Government Grant and Assistance Programs


Technical and Non-Financial Assistance to Health Centers | Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board | Temporally Integrated Monitoring of Ecosystems (TIME) and Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) Program | Ombudsman and Regulatory Fairness Boards | Marine Minerals Activities | Rural Broadband Access Loans and Loan Guarantees | Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986 | Affordable Care Act Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations among Nursing Facility Residents | | Site Style by YAML | Grants.gov | Grants | Grants News | Sitemap | Privacy Policy

Edited by: Michael Saunders

© 2008-2025 Copyright Michael Saunders