Boston hearing spotlights youth jobs funding as advocates urge doubling to $43 million

Boston City Council Committee on Ways and Means members heard a two-hour budget briefing and public testimony Thursday on youth employment programs, funding levels and how slots are allocated to community organizations and city agencies.

The hearing featured presentations by city youth workforce offices and sustained public comment from young people and advocates demanding more summer and year‑round jobs, higher pay and an end to what they said is a shift of slots to city agencies, including the police.

The presentations summarized programs and recent results. Pedro Cruz, executive director of the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement, said the office runs eight initiatives including the Mayor’s Youth Council, Youth Lead the Change (a youth participatory budgeting program), Mayor’s Youth Summit, a Youth Line referral dashboard and a partner network for youth-facing professionals. Cruz said the office’s team includes 11 people and that the work focuses on people ages 14 to 25. He described the problem the offices aim to fix as “Boston is resource rich connection poor,” meaning many programs exist but are hard for young people to navigate.

Lisonbee Vernery, executive director for the Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity (YEO), said the city’s Success Link and broader Future Boss effort coordinate jobs across sectors and neighborhoods. “Last summer, we served 10,427 youth,” Vernery said, and she…