South San Francisco, CA June 24, 2015 Submitted by Leslie Arroyo City of South San Francisco 
Millions of youth across the nation are at risk of not achieving economic self-sufficiency as they transition to adulthood, which is why the City of South San Francisco’s leadership is calling on businesses small and large to participate in a program that is aimed at helping out our local at-risk youth. Teens that are likely to be more at-risk are usually those that lack a strong support system at home as well as teens who are not coping well with the different challenges that they are facing.
“The City is starting a new program this fall where we pair businesses with our at-risk youth in hopes of helping our youth develop skills that will carry them into their adulthood years,” says Councilmember Karyl Matsumoto.
The program is currently looking for businesses that may have a job opening or an internship/apprenticeship available. The objective is to get these students into the workforce and learn a new trade or discover a new occupation. In addition, this program, which is coordinated through the Community Outreach division of the City, would assist businesses with the cost to employ these students.
“Preparing at-risk youth for and setting them on the path toward jobs with sufficient compensation is an essential part of promoting their well-being and improving their likelihood of becoming independent adults,” continued Matsumoto. “No job is too big or small. These students are hard-working students and they need that opportunity to show what they are capable of, as well as have a mentor along the way.”
Research confirms what most of us already know – that mentoring works.
The 2013 study “The Role of Risk: Mentoring Experiences and Outcomes for Youth with Varying Risk Profiles,” examined mentoring program relationships, experiences and benefits for higher-risk youth, and among the findings determined:
* The strongest program benefit, and most consistent across risk groups, was a reduction in depressive symptoms – a particularly noteworthy finding given that almost one in four youth reported worrisome levels of these symptoms at baseline.
* Findings also suggested gains in social acceptance, academic attitudes and grades.
* In addition to benefits in specific domains, mentored youth also experienced gains in a greater number of outcomes than youth in the comparison group.
Businesses that may have a position or an internship, or simply have questions about this program can reach out to the City’s Community Liaison either via email at rosa.acosta@ssf.net or by calling (650) 829-6648.