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Organizers pitch year‑round youth training, summer work pay and a June gun‑violence summit in Benton Harbor
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Summary
Connexus and resident leaders described year‑round skills training and paid summer work for 16–24‑year‑olds, listed employer partners and invited the city to help promote a resident‑led youth gun‑violence prevention summit scheduled for June 26.
Vixhonda Newbern, representing Connexus Party Solutions, told the communications committee the group runs a youth skills‑building program for residents who meet eligibility criteria such as living in a high‑poverty area, being basic‑skills deficient, having dropped out of school or having a disability. ‘‘Once you're enrolled, you will get skills training through our workshops—financial literacy, soft skills, interview skills, resume and cover‑letter help—and then move into a work experience,’’ Newbern said.
Newbern described summer work experiences for ages 16 to 24 that pay $15 an hour for about 20 hours per week and can last up to about eight weeks; she said the program also operates year‑round. She listed local partners who have taken program participants for work experiences, including Meijer, Save A Lot, Present Pillars, Barrick Village, CoreWell Health and other employers in Benton Harbor.
Nick Blue, a representative of a Community Leadership Academy cohort, asked the city to help promote a resident‑led youth gun‑violence prevention summit scheduled for June 26. Blue said the summit will hold a morning program at the Boys & Girls Club and a community celebration at Broadway Park in the afternoon and evening, with breakout sessions on gun safety and mental health, vendors, music and youth talent showcases. ‘‘We really want this to be youth‑led and youth‑focused,’’ Blue said.
Derek (committee member and community leader) and others described the Community Leadership Academy’s emphasis on needs assessments, resident organizing and planning; committee speakers said the CLA work inspired the summit and encouraged a longer‑term focus on youth up to age 24. Derek said the academy helped participants learn to collect data about walkability, lighting and food access and to translate findings into actionable projects.
Committee members and residents asked whether the program leads to permanent employment. Newbern acknowledged most placements begin as work experiences or pre‑employment training but said employers sometimes hired participants for part‑time or full‑time roles after they built skills and completed training. Community members and organizers agreed the city can help by circulating flyers and promoting hiring events.
The committee also noted upcoming hiring events tied to these programs: a Michigan Works hiring event and a Present Pillars youth hiring session, and organizers provided contact information and a QR code for program sign‑ups.
The committee did not take a formal vote; organizers said they will return with a flyer and more details for full‑commission consideration.
