JobsFirstNYC is proud to announce the launch of its fifth community place-based partnership, YES Bed Stuy. The partnership had its official launch on Thursday, June 3, 2021, during a virtual event that brought together the 13 organizations that make up the steering committee and the partnership’s Youth Committee members, along with additional community-based organizations and allies. The launch event allowed the group an opportunity to reiterate their objective of bringing services and programs to the young adults who live, go to school, and work in Bed Stuy.
YES Bed Stuy was created when Council Member Robert E. Cornegy Jr. and JobsFirstNYC mobilized a diverse group of nonprofit organizations, community allies, and schools to establish a resource network for 18- to 24-year-old young adults in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Through its collaborative 5-step process designed to identify challenges, incubate new solutions and advance what works, JobsFirstNYC facilitated the formation of and has worked with the Steering Committee to identify opportunities for greater coordination. Each partner brings unique educational and workforce development services to the collaboration that aim to provide career pathways and leadership opportunities to young people seeking sustainable employment and the means to create a better life for themselves and their families.
One of the top priorities of the YES Bed Stuy community-based alliance is to systematically eradicate the high level of joblessness in Bedford-Stuyvesant, as the area has been beleaguered with one of the highest unemployment rates in New York City. Further, almost one-third of Bed Stuy young adults are out of school and out of work. The group’s vision is to utilize a structured approach to create a new trajectory that connects young people to workforce agencies and employers.
In his message to the group during Thursday’s launch, Council Member Robert E. Cornegy Jr. stated, “YES Bed Stuy represents faith in action. It represents faith that our children can succeed, that we have the institutions capable of supporting them, and that Bed Stuy has the power to create our own solution. It shows that when we work together, we WILL succeed.”
The event also saw the unveiling of the new and vibrant YES Bed Stuy logo, designed by the Youth Committee. The new logo features a hand with its fingers configured in a peace/victory sign. The hand also displays a multicolored palette to reflect the culturally diverse community of this historic New York neighborhood. Along with the new logo, YES Bed Stuy’s Youth Committee has also activated brand new social media campaigns on Twitter and Instagram as a way to connect directly with its audience and update the public on its initiatives.
During the virtual event, Youth Committee member Pedro Elijah Aponte shared his personal, life-changing experience with YES Bed Stuy and pointed out that “young adults sometimes struggle with doing what’s right for themselves, and YES Bed Stuy helped me find things that I am passionate about. I have learned the value of networking and collaboration.”
JobsFirstNYC has been the lead implementation partner since its ideation in 2017. As Marjorie Parker, JobsFirstNYC President and CEO affirms, “our role as a partner is to amplify the voices and ideas of young adults and to ensure that we are in alignment with their aspirations. Along with our partners, we will continue to expand career training, credentials, and services to young adults that enable them to successfully chart their own course at a pace that is both viable and measurable.”
YES Bed Stuy is the second of three partnerships to be launched by JobsFirstNYC in 2021.
YES Bed Stuy invites individuals interested in pursuing equity and empowerment for Bed Stuy young adults to consider becoming a Steering Committee member by completing this form. Young Adults who would like to learn more or be part of YES Bed Stuy’s Youth Committee can also fill out this form to get started. And to stay updated on the partnership, visit the YES Bed Stuy website and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to watch the YES Bed Stuy 101 video
