YouthReady: Summer Internships for Students with Disabilities

One of our strategic partners, the Mayor's Office of People with Disabilities (MOPD), is seeking Chicago employers interested in sponsoring internship opportunities for students with disabilities. If your company is interested, please read on and contact Carolyn Jones, MOPD Assistant Commissioner whose contact information is located at the end of this post.

From Carolyn Jones, Assistant Commissioner, MOPD

Each year, Chicago businesses invest in the city's vitality by hiring young people to work for the summer through the Youth Ready initiative (formerly Mayor Daley's Summer Jobs Program for Youth with Disabilities). As part of this investment, the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) provides high quality, forward looking employment opportunities for young people with disabilities.

As a result, our youth gain invaluable professional experience in their career field of interest, and businesses benefit by reducing costs associated with recruitment and training, while also gaining staff support on projects.

Since 2006, over 1,136 youth with disabilities have participated in MOPD's youth employment initiative. Results have shown that these students are better prepared for the next phase in their lives, whether it is entering the workforce, going to a community college, or attending a four-year college or university.

Your help is needed again this year to provide meaningful part-time or full-time paid summer internships to youth with disabilities. Please take a moment to complete and fax the attached Pledge Sheet to (312) 744-3314. Please feel free to contact me at (312) 744-7071 (voice), (312) 744-4964 (TTY) or via email at carolyn.jones@cityofchicago.org with questions.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Jones

Carolyn Jones
Assistant Commissioner