More resources announced to train 3,000 young people from communities impacted by weapons in green jobs

The gun violence continues to claim new victims every day in New York City, but in its quest to steer New Yorkers from vulnerable communities off that path, the City has just announced the training of some 3,000 young people in green jobs.

This was announced this Thursday by the mayor, Eric Adamsafter revealing that in the fiscal year 2023 budget, the City will invest $54 million to expand the Precision Employment initiativewhich seeks to identify initial solutions and connect New Yorkers at risk of gun violence with career preparation and job placement programs.

“It’s not easy to change your life or fight the climate crisis, but our Precision Employment Initiative allows New Yorkers to do both,” said the local president. “That’s why we’re investing $54 million to expand the program, serving up to 3,000 New Yorkers. When working with BlocPower, we are creating an initial solution to various downstream problems, including gun violence, unemployment, and environmental injustice.”

The program, which has been implemented since the summer of last year, together with the organization BlocPower and community groups, will increase their capacity to serve up to 3,000 New Yorkerswhile promoting sustainability and public safety in underserved areas in all five boroughs.

The Precision Jobs Initiative it began in neighborhoods heavily impacted by gun violence, such as Brownsville, in Brooklyn; Mott Haven, in The Bronx; and Jamaica, in Queens and will now extend to East New York, Flatbush and East Flatbush, in Brooklyn; Far Rockaway, in Queens; Harlem, in Manhattan; and Melrose, in The Bronx. In two areas: Brownsville y Mott Havenshootings decreased a 21% and 35%, respectively, during the period in which the program was launched.

Through a initiative called “Civilian Climate Corps”, connects New Yorkers at risk of gun violence with job training plans for high-paying green economy jobs like installing solar panels, heat pumps and electric vehicle charging, as well as energy efficiency auditing .

“We know how important good jobs are to preventing gun violence in our city and strengthening our communities,” said New York City Ombudsman, Jumaane Williams. “For the past decade, I have fought for an expanded Summer Youth Employment Program; I am excited to see employment opportunities for New Yorkers multiply through the Precision Employment Initiative. Good paying green jobs are the way to the future, and with this additional funding, young New Yorkers will be able to build a more sustainable and equitable city in which they will grow up.”

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, He stressed that investing in increased job opportunities, especially in vulnerable communities, will make New York a safer and stronger city. “Expanding the Precision Employment Initiative, which has already shown effective results in the areas where it has operated, will benefit communities by improve public safety and strengthen the green economy“.

According to City data, since the Precision Employment Initiative began to roll out, there have already been benefit more than 1,300 participantsof which 30% have been placed in full-time jobs, while 62% have passed the training from Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Those who enroll in the job training program are trained to join jobs with wages of starting wages of $20 per hour They also receive training in topics such as conflict resolution, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence, as well as technical and vocational skills.

The green jobs training program in vulnerable neighborhoods in numbers

• $54 million will be invested to expand the Precision Employment initiative
• 3,000 New Yorkers in vulnerable neighborhoods with guns will benefit from training
• $20 and up are the starting hourly wages participants are aiming for
• 2021 was the year in which the plan began to be implemented
• 1,300 New Yorkers have benefited from the program so far
• 30% of them have been placed in full-time jobs
• 62% have passed Occupational Safety and Health Administration training
• 3 were the initial neighborhoods where the program was implemented
• 21% decrease in shootings in Brownsville, Brooklyn since the initiative began
• 35% decreased shootings in Mott Haven, Bronx, during the period the program launched
• 6 will be the new neighborhoods that will join the plan