Summer Youth Employment Spotlight: Modell’s
By Nicole Fogarty
Do you remember your first summer job? Maybe it was scooping ice cream or working at a summer camp. Maybe it was in an office or in retail. No matter where it was or what it entailed, the basic lessons our first jobs teach us—money skills, time management, how to work well with others—stick with us for the rest of our lives.
For six weeks every summer, tens of thousands of young people ages 14 to 24 have that transformative summer job experiences through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). In 2018 alone, more than 70,000 young people enrolled in the program, run by the NYC Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD).
Youth work in a variety of paid entry-level jobs with employers in the nonprofit and private sectors. They are prepared for the workplace by program partners through workshops on job readiness, career exploration, financial literacy, and more. Henry Street Settlement is among approximately 50 program partners across the five boroughs.
Last year, more than 2,000 youth were enrolled in SYEP through Henry Street, which partnered with 500+ employers to place interns. Settlement team members work closely with youth to ensure that placements align with their strengths, interests, work-readiness levels, and needs. Team members also coordinate with all employer partners, offering support and guidance to ensure placements are mutually beneficial.
One mutually beneficial relationship that has flourished over the past few years is with Modell’s, which hosts between 250 and 300 SYEP participants across nearly 50 locations each summer. Of those locations, five host participants from SYEP at Henry Street.
We sat down with Greg Hambric, who oversees Talent Acquisition at Modell’s—including SYEP—and he took us through his history with the program, and what potential employers should know about getting involved.
How did you first get involved with SYEP?
I sit on the Community Action Board at DYCD, which is where I was first exposed to SYEP. At the time, Modell’s was looking to strengthen its community engagement initiatives, and I saw an opportunity that would work for the company and also for individuals who want to get experience in their first jobs. Grassroots community involvement has always been important to me. Being a retail company, we hire a lot of young adults, so I figured we could do it in a way that really serves the community.
What gains have you seen among the youth working in your stores from participating in SYEP?
In addition to gaining work experience, I’d say essential responsibility. For a lot of these young people, this is their first job, so they learn the basic but important things that you can’t necessarily learn anywhere else: how to manage their money and be responsible for their own finances, how to respond to adult supervision in the workplace, and how to develop interpersonal skills in a customer-service setting.
On the flip side, so many store managers will come to me at the end of the six weeks amazed at how much these kids grew. The youth would come in a little intimidated, a little shy, and will have blossomed with the help of coaching and development. Managers like to see this, because it helps build morale in their stores, and they are proud to have had a hand in molding what is, for a lot of these young people, their first work experience.
What would you say to an employer considering taking on SYEP participants?
It’s a no-risk opportunity for any employer in the city. You’re talking about being able to employ eager participants without any initial financial commitment on your part, and having a program partner like Henry Street with you every step of the way, so you really have nothing to lose.
Maybe this is unique to retail, but SYEP is able to serve as a training ground for future employees. Every summer, I expect to hire 15 to 20 percent of the youth who come work for our stores. They work with us for six weeks, and then it’s the start of our busy season in September, so we don’t have to go through as extensive interviewing and sourcing processes. I think potential employers have everything to gain.
One last thing—what was your first summer job?
When I was 15, I worked at the McDonald’s at 74th and Columbus. It was a great job, and I was eager to work. My dad was a self-employed successful businessman, so I grew up knowing the importance of working and making my own money. I learned a lot, and I’m even still friends with some of the people I worked with!
Interested in learning more about hosting youth this summer? Call 212.478.5400.
SYEP Success Story: Diocari Lora
Diocari Lora has been a Summer Youth Employment Program participant since 2015. She was matched to Henry Street Settlement for two summers—first at the Youth Services building at 301 Henry Street and then at the Workforce Development Center at 99 Essex Street. During her third summer, she was placed at Modell’s.
While working at Henry Street, Diocari helped program staff with clerical work and communication with worksites; she also learned how use Google Suite.
“My experience at Modell’s was a bit different, but just as meaningful,” she says. “It was my first retail job, and I learned to become a good sales associate and team player. When the program came to an end, I was offered a permanent part-time position there thanks to my good work ethic. That experience allowed me to confidently apply to and excel in other places. Because I now felt confident with my ability to perform well at work, I was able to hold other positions such as head cashier and shift manager.”
Diocari stays in touch with her former colleagues, Henry Street program coordinators “who still help me improve and continue excelling in life and building a career,” she says. “I am constantly reaching out for advice with work, school, and sometimes, just life. Without SYEP giving me the opportunities they did, I wouldn’t have been able to find a job and become as independent as I am today.”
