Summer Employment Program

Promoting occupational and academic learning for low income youth while providing summer employment is the goal of Youth Services' six-week work program from the beginning of July to mid-August. Selected youth will gain experience working in agriculture, culinary, landscaping and service fields.

Offered this summer the Youth Services program is designed to provide important life skills that will better prepare youth for entering the workforce and living independently.

"We're thrilled to be able to offer this work program again that addresses the needs of area youth in such a comprehensive way," said Bianca Fernandez, the Youth Services case manager who developed what was initially a solely farm-focused initiative, after noticing that employment and job development skills were two of the highest needs of the youth she serves.

Involved in regional agricultural endeavors for the last decade, Fernandez was excited to see two of her passions, youth development and sustainable agriculture coming together. Now she's been able to expand the variety of work the youth will be able to do with Department of Labor funding.

"The support network of providers we have involved in this project have the resources and skills necessary to provide these youth with a powerful and truly life changing summer learning experience," Fernandez explained. "By providing employment, and important life and social skills we've developed a program which really covers the most important needs of our clients."

The initiative was made possible by a grant from the Vermont Department of Labor and the collaboration of The Youth Services' Transitional Living Program, The Greater Falls Prevention Coalition, Vermont Partnership, and The Women's Crisis Center.

The participants will work and learn at a variety of sites each morning, cook together lunch using farm-grown products, and study life and academic skills under the guidance and support of two adult supervisors and a Youth Services case manager.

For more information and applications contact any of Youth Services' staff at Parks Place at (802) 463-9927 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .