Empowering Paterson Youth Through NJCDC’s Junior YouthBuild Program

Watch our video of the ceremony

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Each summer, our Junior YouthBuild program offers summer jobs to Paterson teens who are interested in improving their community. Starting on Monday, July 8, 35 youth, ages 14 to 18, worked diligently every weekday to improve Paterson’s Great Falls Neighborhood through neighborhood clean-ups, garden builds, and other revitalization projects. Their dedication and hard work this summer have made the neighborhood a cleaner and more welcoming place to live.

In addition to instilling a sense of service in our youth, the program also provides valuable work experience, and students receive a stipend for their service. These stipends — and the whole program — were made possible by a $100,000 grant from Paterson’s Community Development Block Grant funds.

On Monday, August 5, this summer’s Junior YouthBuild cohort received a special visit from Mayor Andre Sayegh. We gathered at William Carlos Williams Community Plaza, where students were picking up litter and weeding overgrown plants. Bob Guarasci, NJCDC’s Founder and CEO, spoke about how hard the students have been working over the past four weeks to beautify the city and thanked the Mayor and the City of Paterson for their support.

“Junior YouthBuild wouldn’t be possible without the assistance of the City, of the Community Development Block Grant program, and of the Mayor’s vision to ensure that young people have a place to earn money during the summer, so that, when they go back to school, they can be even more prepared,” Bob said. “They’re working hard this summer so that they can work even harder, when September comes, in school. This is an example of the City of Paterson and the Mayor’s administration working hand in hand with community organizations to ensure that we get work done on the ground for the people — and, in this case, for the benefit of Paterson’s youngest residents.”

Mayor Andre Sayegh followed, reminding us that “In addition...to employing our youth, [this program is] about empowering our youth as well. There’s no substitute for a strong work ethic, and it’s something you really can’t teach; but it’s something you can acquire here. And we will proudly support this program as long as I am in office because we see the benefits. Young people this summer — where they could be on a beach or at home...instead they’re doing something productive in their hometown.”

We then heard from Jakai and Mohammed, two students who have been participating in Junior YouthBuild this summer. “Junior YouthBuild has taught me that, while life is messy, with good people you can make a difference,” Jakai said. He said he wanted to give up when he first started working this summer, but he stayed motivated with his grandfather’s advice that “quitting in life just makes life harder.” Mohammed spoke about how participating in Junior YouthBuild has taught him important skills for his future, including teamwork and money management. In addition, he said that the program has “not only given me valuable employment skills, it’s also strengthened my sense of duty to my community.”

After the students spoke, Mayor Sayegh presented the teens with a mock check representing the funding from the city. In turn, the students gifted the Mayor a bag of NJCDC gear, including a t-shirt, a hat, and a water bottle, to show how thankful they are for this opportunity.