The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) today awarded $6 million in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Employment grants to 18 agencies across the state. The grants, which fund programs targeting at-risk youth, range from $104,000 to $669,000.

"These programs will help us reach out to youth who are disengaged from the educational system and youth offenders who simply need more opportunities for education, training, and employment," said ODJFS Director Helen Jones-Kelley. "Many of these young people find themselves in difficult circumstances by no choice of their own. We have an obligation to help provide them with educational and employment opportunities so they can become productive members of society."

The Youth Employment Grants are aimed at starting at-risk youth on the path towards independence and productivity through education and training. The program target hard-to-serve youth, such as those in foster care, children of incarcerated parents, disabled children, Native American youth, migrant youth and homeless or runaway children. A summary of the grants is available at the following link: WIA Youth Employment Grants

ODJFS, through its Office of Workforce Development (OWD), works in partnership with a variety of agencies to promote job creation and advance Ohio's workforce. The OWD ensures local business plans are a strategic part of workforce development through the Workforce Investment Area system. Additional information on local workforce boards is available at www.ohioworkforce.org/localboard.