FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, 415-554-6131

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MAYOR LONDON BREED ANNOUNCES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL INITIATIVE TO EXPAND ACCESS TO YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN SAN FRANCISCO

Initiative will fight systemic inequality by connecting high school students to paid internships, employment, training, and educational opportunities

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed today announced the launch of Opportunities for All, a program to address economic inequality by ensuring that all young people can be a part of San Francisco’s thriving economy. The initiative will serve thousands of high school-aged youth who are ready and interested in working, as well as provide opportunities for another 1,000 youth who might need additional support, as part of Mayor Breed’s efforts to provide paid internships for youth in San Francisco.

Opportunities for All will connect young people to employment, training and post-secondary opportunities. The City, through the Department of Children, Youth and their Families and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, has committed to increasing job opportunities across existing programs by 2,000 positions and creating an additional 1,000 opportunities for new programming focused on addressing gaps in skills and opportunities.

“Our economy needs to work for everyone in our City. Too many of our young people are being left behind because they do not have the skills, education, and exposure at an early age to career opportunities that can transform their lives,” said Mayor Breed. “My own internship experiences in high school were essential to my success, and I want every kid in San Francisco to have that same opportunity. We cannot have a city where some kids gain work experience during the summer months, explore careers, and increase potential for future earnings, while others get no experience or preparation to work in the city where they live. Opportunities for All will provide a path for our diverse young people to connect to a more successful future and make our city and all of our communities stronger.”

Nationally, youth unemployment rates have increased, with low-income and minority youth hit the hardest. Each year thousands of San Francisco youth are on waiting lists for internships and work-based learning opportunities. Meanwhile, hundreds of employers reported that high school youth are not prepared for work. 

As part of Opportunities for All, youth will work an average of four weeks and earn $15 per hour for up to 20 hours a week, receive mentorship, and visit local businesses to help them identify careers of interest and begin to plan for their future. Opportunities for All will build on existing work-based learning programs and funding. Across the globe, work-based programs are celebrated for preparing young people for work, keeping them engaged in school and promoting self-efficacy.

Opportunities for All will work with the San Francisco Unified School District, Office of Economic and Workforce Development and the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families to align efforts and recruit youth participants. This initiative will also develop a framework where non-profit service providers and employers have shared understanding and language around work expectations for youth, track youth progress, and provide tools that help youth plan for their future.

“The relationships and experience I gained as a young person prepared me for work and college,” said Jamesha Threat, Program Coordinator at Magic Zone, a nonprofit organization serving youth in the Western Addition. “When I was looking for work as a young person, London Breed connected me with a community program. I worked there and stayed connected through college, and when I graduated college, I was hired as full-time staff at the agency where I had worked since high school.”

The Japanese Community Youth Council will serve as the fiscal sponsor for Opportunities for All and work with a diverse network of youth providers, city departments, employers and the San Francisco Unified School District to help ensure that sustainable employment pipeline is being built to achieve economic inclusion for all young people in San Francisco. The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce has committed to help recruit and train mentors, identify jobs and partners who can provide site visits and job shadowing opportunities. San Francisco is currently seeking an additional $2 million in governmental and philanthropic support as well as additional funding, jobs and mentors from the private sector. 

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