(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser officially launched the application period for the 2020 Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP). The application for MBSYEP opened at noon, allowing District youth between the ages of 14 and 24 and host site employers to apply online at summerjobs.dc.gov. Applications will be accepted until Saturday, February 29, 2020.
“For over four decades, the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program has empowered nearly half a million young Washingtonians with valuable work experience that puts them on a path to success,” said Mayor Bowser. “For so many youth across our city, these opportunities are life-changing. Together, let’s make this another successful summer.”
This year’s application launch highlighted MBSYEP partnerships that will provide youth an opportunity to work within the financial industry. Mayor Bowser announced a new partnership with five federal financial regulatory agencies under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA); the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Housing Financial Agency (FHFA), the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). MBSYEP participants who are matched with one of the five FIRREA agencies will serve as paid interns, earning $20 an hour during the six-week program, as they gain exposure to the daily functions and activities related to financial regulation. To date, the Bowser administration has secured approximately $5 million dollars from private sector and the FIRREA partners to support the MBSYEP.
Approximately 150 youth, who will be placed at these internships, will receive transportation assistance, clothing stipend and weekly meal stipends. Students will be selected from H.D. Woodson, Anacostia, Ballou, Cardozo, Roosevelt, Eastern, Columbia Heights, and Caesar Chavez.
“We are thankful to all of our employer partners, who understand how critical and valuable the Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program is as it exposes our young residents to the connection to education and opportunities within the workforce,” said DC Department of Employment Services Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes. “It is through continued investments and strong partnerships, that we are able to encourage youth to aim high in all of their endeavors, while providing them the tools and resources necessary for career advancement.”
In 2019, nearly 10,000 young Washingtonians participated in MBSYEP, working more than 1.3 million total hours. In recent years, the program rolled out CareerEdge and JabaTalks, new technology platforms that allows participants to use their mobile devices to complete professional development sessions, practice job interviews and connect with employers.
In 2015, Mayor Bowser expanded the program to include District residents ages 22-24. In 2017, the program launched the Mayor’s Opportunity Scholarship, designed to support MBSYEP participants in their post-secondary endeavors. To date, more than 200 recipients of the scholarship have received nearly $500,000 for college, training, and military programs.
Established in 1979 by Mayor Marion S. Barry, MBSYEP is a locally funded initiative that provides young people in the District with six weeks of enriching and constructive summer work experience through subsidized placements in the private and public sectors. The program partners with hundreds of DC employers who are uniquely positioned to provide relevant training and guidance to DC’s youth in order to help them develop the positive work habits and job skills necessary to secure future employment.
Today, MBSYEP is the largest summer youth employment program per capital in the country and stands as a national model. The District has been recognized as one of the top cities for summer jobs by Forbes.com and WalletHub.com.
MBSYEP 2020 will begin on Monday, June 29, 2020 and run through Friday, August 7, 2020.
For more information about MBSYEP, contact [email protected].