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Jorge Elorza
Former Mayor | Providence, RI

ARP: Providence RI, Promotes Youth Mentoring and Training Opportunities

Idea Category: Equity & Opportunity, Jobs and Entrepreneurship | Funding Source: American Rescue Plan

Providence is using ARP funds to address youth violence through mentoring and job training programs. The city has allocated a total of $4.6 million towards these efforts. In the city’s initial round of ARP funding, $1.1 million was dedicated to youth mentoring programs, to both reduce youth violence as well as address chronic absenteeism in school, according to WPRI. Providence faced a sharp increase in chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days, during the pandemic.

An additional $1 million is going to year-round jobs for youth, while Mayor Jorge Elorza ensured an additional $2 million in the city’s second tranche of ARP funding went toward youth mentoring and youth jobs programs. Organizations such as the Refugee Dream Center, Inspiring Minds, Boys and Girls Club of Providence, and many others, partnered with the city to provide youth jobs paying at least $15 per hour.

Update

As of July, the city’s mentorship program has received 27 unique applications from different organizations. The youth anti-violence programs have served 300 youth to date and expect to reach an additional 50 young people by the end of the year. Furthermore, youth involved in the jobs programs have worked over 25,000 hours and received more than $400,000 in total wages.