Low-income, disadvantaged 16-to-24-year-olds might find a job this summer through a government program reminiscent of a New Deal plan.
Designed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the newly created Recovery Conservation Corps started taking applications last Friday for young adults who can work on one of the 248 state projects to improve state parks and nature conservation sites.
This is going to have a positive impact (on the economy)
said John Weber, ODJFS's assistant deputy director for workforce development. It's going to put money into people's hands and it's going to give them some skilled training that they can carry into another job.
Young adults in Athens County could conduct maintenance work, repair trails or paint bridges and other structures at Strouds Run State Park, Desonier Nature Preserve, Gifford State Forest, Burr Oak State Park and Trimble Wildlife Area this summer, said Media Relations Coordinator Beth Ruth.
Though the exact amount of jobs created is unclear as of now, she estimated that ODNR will need hundreds of young adults to improve the parks across the state. Workers will receive minimum wage and work 32 to 40 hours per week, Weber said.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has allocated about $47 million for local youth workforce funds that ODNR could use for the RCC. ODNR and ODJFS officials have officially set aside at least $2 million for the project so far, Weber said.
The program is reminiscent in mission and name to the Federal Civilian Conservation Corps during the '30s Ruth said. It was able to provide work on public lands and meaningful job training and employment and that's what we plan to accomplish here.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt authorized the CCC as one of his first New Deal programs to employ young men and improve natural habitats and state parks during the Great Depression. The program was of a much larger scale - employing about two-and-a-half million men who had to live in camps on their site, and lasting during the entire decade of the '30s, said Paul Milazzo, an Ohio University history professor.
The CCC and other New Deal projects weren't responsible for ending the Great Depression and ended when the U.S. got involved with World War II, he said.
It's funny how the New Deal is back in vogue Milazzo said.
The RCC will not provide or require employees to live on campsites, nor will it last for ten years. Officials on the federal level are pushing for ODNR and ODJFS to spend most of the money this summer, and maybe carry the projects into next summer as well, Weber said.
Employers will give preference to people who have low-income families or have a disability that keeps them from getting other jobs, Weber said.
The Athens County Job and Family Services will take applications through one-stop employment, an employment counseling service open to people looking for a job or looking for employees, said Nick Claussen, spokesman for the Athens County Job and Family Services.
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Caitlin McGlade
