In 2020, East Hartford high school student Sweeden Patterson was finishing the academic year when she learned about a new summer youth employment program. She eagerly signed up, excited to earn her own paycheck – and get out of the house.

Patterson spent the summer tending local gardens and connecting virtually with other students in the job program.  She liked it so much, she rejoined the program the next summer – this time helping East Hartford’s Health Department with outreach around pandemic-related resources. She created graphics, contacted local businesses and residents, filmed public service announcements – and got a glimpse of what her future could look like.

“I think that was where I really discovered my calling to communications, and that’s what I’ll be (studying) at the University of New Haven (this fall),” she said.

Patterson shared her story during a recent virtual event for members of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Working Places program. Attendees representing teams across New England were looking to expand local summer youth employment efforts. Ensuring early career opportunities for young people is a critical part of supporting more inclusive economies across New England, said the Boston Fed’s Colleen Dawicki, who directs Working Places.

She said it also contributes to the Federal Reserve’s pursuit of full employment, which is part of its "dual mandate" – the two essential jobs given to the Fed by Congress. Full employment occurs when those want to work can work as much as they desire. The other half of the mandate is "stable prices," or keeping inflation in check.

“These early job opportunities really do benefit our communities and our economy,” she said. “We hosted this event so Working Places teams can share what they’ve learned from collaborating with young people and local employers – and what youth employment might look like in the future.”

Researcher: Summer youth employment can boost job readiness, community engagement

Young people are typically the “last to be hired (and) first to be fired” in each business cycle, said Alicia Modestino, an associate professor at Northeastern and a former Boston Fed economist. She told attendees that following the early 2000s, youth employment dipped after each recession and did not completely recover to its prior levels. 

“Right now, only about 30% or so of young people are even in the labor force, meaning they're looking for work or employed,” Modestino said.

She added that increasing that percentage could have big benefits. A study she published in 2017 with the City of Boston found that summer youth employment can boost job readiness, raise academic achievement, and reduce crime by fostering community engagement. And about half of these young people are using their earnings to help support their families, Modestino said.

“They're paying for groceries, utilities … (and) rent in some cases,” she said.

Connecticut Working Cities teams share youth employment successes

Amy Peltier, director of the East Hartford Working Cities Challenge team, said they started their summer youth employment program after working with residents ages 25 – 32 who were struggling with unemployment.

“It’s so much more challenging to start navigating those systems at that age,” she said. “We (thought), ‘What if we … really dug into the opportunities that are permissible at the school level?’”

Peltier said the Working Cities team has a strong partnership with the school district and local employers, including many of East Hartford’s municipal departments. In 2023, the 55 summer program participants earned more than $90,000 combined, she said. 

“That's a significant amount of money to go back into a pretty small local economy,” Peltier said. 

Improving employment rates of people ages 16 – 29 is a priority of the Hartford Working Cities team, said initiative leader Taniqua Huguley-Chaplin. She said her team organized discussions with young residents and invited them to help decide how new workforce policies should be implemented. 

A youth employment advocacy group within the Working Cities team called the Young Legends runs a “navigation hub” in Hartford. The hub allows residents to connect to career resources, professional development programs, and social services. Tania Banks, a Young Legends co-chair, said building a genuine relationship with residents is critical. 

“We are not only helping them get to their dreams, but we're bringing their thoughts back to the higher-ups and (decision-makers), so that our voices can be heard,” she said.