Abstract
On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) into law, providing $1.2 billion in targeted funding for the workforce investment system to generate employment and training opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth nationwide. Congress and the U.S. Department of Labor encouraged states and local workforce investment boards to use the funds to create meaningful work experiences for these young people in summer 2009.
This study documents the implementation of the ARRA summer youth employment initiative in four featured communities. Brandeis University conducted interviews and site visits over a two-week period in each community and developed case studies describing the recessionary challenges and strategies in the four communities during summer 2009: Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana; and Phoenix and Maricopa County, Arizona. These four communities received an infusion of more than $37 million and provided an estimated 16,650 summer jobs for low-income and disadvantaged youth.
This report describes the local context for implementation, provides insight into specific assets and innovations that were used to achieve the community goals, and identifies elements of best practices and lessons that may inform future summer youth employment
initiatives.