Despite escalating economic challenges in New York City, an innovative and replicable success story has unfolded in the West Bronx through the Jerome Avenue Revitalization Collaborative’s (JARC) 2023 Internship Program. This internship program has provided a platform for small business owners to work with local college students to support their business needs and ultimately hire them.
The inception of this opportunity-rich internship program seamlessly aligns with JARC’s ongoing efforts to increase education and employment attainment. Recognizing the need for locally-based talent and structured operational support among businesses, the JARC initiated a partnership meeting on Bronx Community College’s (BCC) campus in Spring 2022. Discussions with BCC’s Division of Workforce Development laid the foundation for the JARC Internship Program. Strengthened by grant funding from the Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies Initiative (BRESI) at City University of New York (CUNY), the program gained the necessary support to move forward.
The BRESI grant sponsored 11 paid internship sites, facilitating the recruitment, orientation, and placement of 11 BCC students in a 100-hour internship program. Each student was identified as never having completed an internship opportunity before, which meant they were missing critical on-the-job experience as part of their academic journey. Students were also matched based on their field of study to local minority-owned small businesses or service providers, which ensured that the internship would directly provide relevant career exploration and mentorship opportunities beyond the classroom. Remarkably, 91% of the students successfully completed their internship requirements, a testament to the program’s effectiveness in engaging and empowering young talent.
The impact of the JARC 2023 Internship Program extends beyond numbers. Both student interns and their supervisors provided overwhelmingly positive feedback. The interns expressed gratitude for the opportunity, sharing their “aha” moments and a deeper understanding of their fields of study. On the other hand, employers were grateful to the JARC for helping them vet young talent in their communities, that understood their line of work, and that had a relevant set of skills to support their operations.
For many students, the JARC internship was their first introduction to a professional working environment within their field of study. Their assigned tasks and projects were designed to enhance their understanding of their fields and significantly boosted their self-confidence and self-esteem. These positive experiences have also motivated interns to seek additional opportunities with their internship employers, with some securing paid positions beyond the program duration.
The Perfect Pairing: William Spivey and John Frias
The success of the JARC 2023 Internship Program is exemplified by the story of JARC intern, William Spivey. As a recent BCC graduate in Business Management, William was a committed participant from the program’s inception and shared his passion for learning how to run a business early on in the application process. His drive and determination caught the attention of John Frias, Minority Business Program Manager at the Business Outreach Center Network (BOC), who signed up as a JARC Internship Program employer with the hopes of receiving support in his work of providing services to small businesses throughout the Bronx. The internship pairing proved to be such a successful match that William was offered a full-time position when he graduated in December 2023. John recognized the value in hiring Will full-time, emphasizing his responsiveness, responsibility, eagerness to learn, and ability to engage with the target community.
❝I have officially hired William Spivey at BOC Network as the BXL Incubator and Program Assistant. He will be working full-time hourly and receiving full employee benefits. He started on January 8th. This is a win for him, for us and for the program!❞
-John Frias
Program Manager, Business Outreach Center
William’s journey from intern to full-time employee at the Business Outreach Center Network Inc. showcases the transformative power of the program. The JARC Business Support Internship Program stands as a shining example of community-driven initiatives that address real-world challenges. By providing practical experiences, mentorship, and support, the program has not only revitalized local businesses but has also empowered young adults, equipping them with the skills and confidence needed for future success. “We are the next generation. We need to learn how to lead,” said William in acknowledgement of the value of the program. As we celebrate the achievements of the JARC Internship Program, we are reminded of the importance of community collaboration and investment in the next generation of leaders.
About the Jerome Avenue Revitalization Cooperative
In response to the largest rezoning in the history of New York City, spanning 93 blocks across the Jerome Avenue corridor in the West Bronx, JobsFirstNYC has worked in partnership with local community boards, employer intermediaries, developers, economic development agencies, local colleges, housing advocacy, and other community-based organizations to create the Jerome Avenue Revitalization Collaborative (JARC). The JARC is one of JobsFirstNYC’s place-based partnerships that seeks to advance economic mobility and workforce equity through a single-system strategy.
