In recent weeks, many of the young people who enrolled in the New York City Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) through Catholic Charities of New York have been finishing their projects and internships at a range of worksites and educational hubs across the five boroughs.
Summer programming for these students was organized through an annual collaboration between the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and Alianza, a division of Catholic Charities of New York based in the Bronx and uptown Manhattan that serves families and youth through educational, professional, and cultural development programming.
SYEP is the nation’s largest youth employment initiative, serving youth ages 14–24. Alianza’s SYEP participants receive financial literacy training, opportunities to meet professionals from a wide range of fields, and paid work experiences to kickstart their careers.
Black Girls Code
A cohort of young women ages 14–17 joined a worksite at St. Francis College in Brooklyn led by Black Girls Code, a nonprofit that aims to bridge equity gaps in tech through education and mentorship. Through hands-on learning experiences, they built up skills in technology, coding, and game development, ultimately creating their own video games.
In the process of taking their games from planning stages to playable products, they also gained invaluable exposure to an entire realm of computer science careers.
SUNY ATTAIN Labs
SUNY’s Advanced Technology Training and Information Networking (ATTAIN) Labs specialize in helping learners aged 17 and up build digital skills to jumpstart their educational pursuits and careers across fields ranging from agriculture to information technology.
At the SUNY ATTAIN Lab at The Armory Foundation in Washington Heights, Ariel and Jose were a welcome presence not just as learners, but as collaborators, helping fellow students when they were stuck. Under the guidance of supervisors Lillian Rodriguez and Lucas Perry, Ariel took home a coveted Microsoft Cloud Computing Fundamentals certification, and Jose handily earned his Excel 365 certification, scoring a perfect 1,000 on the exam.
Dominicanos USA
Dominicanos USA is a nonpartisan organization working to empower Dominican-American and Latino communities through civic, social, and economic engagement. Alianza facilitated a cohort of 21 participants aged 16–24 who worked with Dominicanos USA in Washington Heights and Inwood.
Youth participants ran campaigns to educate eligible neighbors about legal paths to citizenship while receiving training in emerging AI technology and financial literacy. They also ran a nonpartisan voter registration drive, successfully enrolling 250 citizens as new voters.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Eight of Alianza’s SYEP participants aged 18 and older learned emergency response skills at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC’s) Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation Center. Through Columbia’s Community Read/Comunidad Preparada program, they were given CPR, Stop the Bleed, and Narcan training to help them respond effectively in life-threatening situations.
The experience also proved a valuable entrée to the health sciences field and higher education. One SYEP student, Edwin, secured a part-time casual role with CUIMC Campus Services after the training.
NYC FIRST
NYC FIRST is a citywide nonprofit that aims to inspire and empower students from diverse communities across New York City to engage with STEM and robotics in meaningful and joyful ways. Alianza SYEP participants aged 16–24 joined the NYC FIRST STEM Center in Washington Heights and undertook a variety of projects, from building apps to assisting younger students.
Luis and Dylan built an app that helps community organizations organize collaborative campaigns that individuals can register to join. Sunny built a user interface for the STEM Center entrance that displays upcoming events and greets members with customized messages.
Patricia and Elliot developed and delivered an educational program for elementary and middle school students, teaching them how to build sophisticated robots to accomplish tough challenges. John, Malcolm, and Omar worked with high school students, facilitating lessons in 3D design.
This summer, Catholic Charities of New York’s SYEP participants learned from career professionals, elected officials, and higher education experts. They spent time at broadcast television sets and viral landmarks. They learned financial literacy and how to prevent gun violence in their communities.
This is what it means to provide hope. By giving our youth the skills, experiences, and support network to succeed in their education and career journeys, we help ensure they grow to control their own destinies and ultimately lead fulfilling lives that contribute to their community’s success.
In recent weeks, many of the young people who enrolled in the New York City Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) through Catholic Charities of New York have been completing projects and internships at a range of worksites and educational hubs across the five boroughs.
Summer programming for these students was organized through an annual collaboration between the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and Alianza, a division of Catholic Charities of New York based in the Bronx and uptown Manhattan that serves families and youth through educational, professional, and cultural development programming.
SYEP is the nation’s largest youth employment initiative, serving youth ages 14–24. Alianza’s SYEP participants receive financial literacy training, opportunities to meet professionals from a wide range of fields, and paid work experiences to kickstart their careers.
Black Girls Code
A cohort of young women ages 14–17 joined a worksite at St. Francis College in Brooklyn led by Black Girls Code, a nonprofit that aims to bridge equity gaps in tech through education and mentorship. Through hands-on learning experiences, they built up skills in technology, coding, and game development, ultimately creating their own video games.
In the process of taking their games from planning stages to playable products, they also gained invaluable exposure to an entire realm of computer science careers.
SUNY ATTAIN Labs
SUNY’s Advanced Technology Training and Information Networking (ATTAIN) Labs specialize in helping learners aged 17 and up build digital skills to jumpstart their educational pursuits and careers across fields ranging from agriculture to information technology.
At the SUNY ATTAIN Lab at The Armory Foundation in Washington Heights, Ariel and Jose were a welcome presence not just as learners, but as collaborators, helping fellow students when they were stuck. Under the guidance of supervisors Lillian Rodriguez and Lucas Perry, Ariel took home a coveted Microsoft Cloud Computing Fundamentals certification, and Jose handily earned his Excel 365 certification, scoring a perfect 1,000 on the exam.
Dominicanos USA
Dominicanos USA is a nonpartisan organization working to empower Dominican-American and Latino communities through civic, social, and economic engagement. Alianza facilitated a cohort of 21 participants aged 16–24 who worked with Dominicanos USA in Washington Heights and Inwood.
Youth participants ran campaigns to educate eligible neighbors about legal paths to citizenship while receiving training in emerging AI technology and financial literacy. They also ran a nonpartisan voter registration drive, successfully enrolling 250 citizens as new voters.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Eight of Alianza’s SYEP participants aged 18 and older learned emergency response skills at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC’s) Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation Center. Through Columbia’s Community Read/Comunidad Preparada program, they were given CPR, Stop the Bleed, and Narcan training to help them respond effectively in life-threatening situations.
The experience also proved a valuable entrée to the health sciences field and higher education. One SYEP student, Edwin, secured a part-time casual role with CUIMC Campus Services after the training.
NYC FIRST
NYC FIRST is a citywide nonprofit that aims to inspire and empower students from diverse communities across New York City to engage with STEM and robotics in meaningful and joyful ways. Alianza SYEP participants aged 16–24 joined the NYC FIRST STEM Center in Washington Heights and undertook a variety of projects, from building apps to assisting younger students.
Luis and Dylan built an app that helps community organizations organize collaborative campaigns that individuals can register to join. Sunny built a user interface for the STEM Center entrance that displays upcoming events and greets members with customized messages.
Patricia and Elliot developed and delivered an educational program for elementary and middle school students, teaching them how to build sophisticated robots to accomplish tough challenges. John, Malcolm, and Omar worked with high school students, facilitating lessons in 3D design.
This summer, Catholic Charities of New York’s SYEP participants learned from career professionals, elected officials, and higher education experts. They spent time at broadcast television sets and viral landmarks. They learned financial literacy and how to prevent gun violence in their communities.
This is what it means to provide hope. By giving our youth the skills, experiences, and support network to succeed in their education and career journeys, we help ensure they grow to control their own destinies and ultimately lead fulfilling lives that contribute to their community’s success.
