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The unemployment rate for teens and young adults in Sonoma County is soaring, and as many as one in five find themselves both out-of-work and out-of-school. Recognizing the need to connect youth and young adults to summer jobs in Sonoma County, a coalition was built and the 2009 Summer Youth Ecology Corps (SYEC) was launched.

The coalition included the Workforce Investment Board (WIB), the Sonoma County Human Services Department, the Sonoma County Water Agency, the Sonoma County Office of Education, New Ways to Work, over 32 project hosts, and five youth agencies. The coalition leveraged an investment from the Sonoma County Water Agency and $1.2 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to support the 27 Ecology Crews in the SYEC.

“The Water Agency was planning to support two crews this summer as a pilot project and the additional investment from the ARRA funds allowed us to increase from two to 27 crews. We were able to do work we wouldn’t have been able to get done otherwise.” Efren Carrillo, Director, Sonoma County Water Agency and County of Sonoma Supervisor

For more information contact: knoe@newwaystowork.org

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