County staff report summer youth employment outcomes; committee approves $4,639 TANF increase and accepts donation

Allegheny County staff described outcomes from this summer's youth employment program and the Planning and Economic Development Committee approved two budget actions to absorb additional funds and a donation to assist a student.

Rita Sobek Lynch, Employment and Training Program Director, told the committee the county administered a summer youth employment program funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program via the Department of Social Services. She said the county supervised 52 youth placed at 32 worksites and that most participants worked about six weeks at roughly 28 hours per week, grossing about $2,600 over the summer. The program runs through Sept. 30, she said.

"We just carry out the program for them," Sobek Lynch said of county administration on behalf of the Department of Social Services. "We hired a summer youth employment counselor who is, this year, a junior at Alfred University... supervising 52 youth throughout the county at 32 different worksites." She said orientation included CPR training with the Office of Emergency Services and mandatory workplace trainings used for county employees.

Sobek Lynch said the program produced post-summer hires: three participants were hired by their summer employers. She also said two positions were funded by the Division for Youth through the Youth Bureau and therefore "do not have as many barriers" and have no financial limitations for eligibility.

On formal actions, the committee approved a resolution increasing budget appropriations to accept an additional $4,639 in TANF summer youth funding into a budget line that had been budgeted at $217,118. The committee also approved a resolution to accept and appropriate a donated award intended to help a student pay for an expense that was not specified in the meeting record.

The committee discussed veterans services briefly. Sobek Lynch reported six veterans came to the center this month and staff provided 17 distinct services, including unemployment-insurance assistance, employment assessments, and resume help.

Committee members praised the multi-departmental effort required to run the program; Sobek Lynch outlined coordination with human resources, workers' compensation, payroll and the treasurer's office to process hires and checks. The budget increase and donation were approved by voice vote and the chair declared the motions carried.

The actions accepted modest additional TANF funds and a donated award and will allow staff to apply those funds to the current youth-employment budget and the specified student award. The transcript does not specify the donor name or the exact use of the donated funds beyond helping a student pay for an unspecified expense.