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Mayor Breed expands paid youth internships to 8,000 slots, pledges 1,000 for highest-barrier youth
Summary
Mayor London Breed announced an expansion of San Francisco’s paid youth internship program from about 5,000 to 8,000 slots, adding 3,000 positions and reserving 1,000 places for youth facing the greatest barriers. City departments and private employers were urged to commit funding and positions.
Mayor London Breed announced on Oct. 25 that the city will increase paid youth internship opportunities from about 5,000 slots to 8,000, adding 3,000 positions and reserving 1,000 slots for young people with significant barriers to employment.
"We have about 5,000 slots now for paid opportunities for young people in San Francisco. And today, we're announcing that we're increasing that to 8,000—we're adding another 3,000 slots," Breed said at a special Government Audit & Oversight Committee meeting held at the African American Art & Culture Complex.
Breed framed the expansion as part of an "Opportunities for All" initiative that aims to give every high‑school student access to paid work from ninth through 12th grade. She described partnerships across city agencies, the school district and employers, and said the program will seek both placements on employer payrolls and philanthropic sponsorships to pay interns when employers cannot.
Cheryl Davis, director of the Human Rights Commission, outlined next steps including a city survey of youth needs, convening service providers, and asking businesses to commit to hiring or sponsoring paid positions. Davis said the program will emphasize creating a continuum of support from entry‑level placements to pathways into careers.
Several young people and program alumni spoke at the hearing about how prior internships helped them build skills and networks. Kiara D'Souya, a recent CSI participant, described a summer community engagement cohort that provided workplace exposure and mental‑health learning. Morgan Tucker and other alumni cited sustained mentorship and transitions into jobs and public‑service roles.
Officials said some slots will be targeted to youth with the highest needs and that the city will explore ways to give school credit for approved internships and to expand year‑round, not just summer, opportunities.
Next steps: staff from the Department of Children, Youth and Families and partner agencies will convene service providers and business partners to begin rollout planning and to track employer commitments and funding sources.
