The city of Oakland is committing more than $3 million to programs offering summer employment and enrichment to Oakland youth this year and next. The goal is to increase access to paid work opportunities for Oakland’s young people, particularly those who live in East and West Oakland. Mayor Barbara Lee is also calling it an investment in public safety and violence prevention.  

Earlier this month the Oakland City Council approved $3.1 million in funds for 21 local organizations that will offer employment and engagement opportunities this summer and the summer of 2027. The money was allocated primarily from the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth, Oakland’s workforce development board, and Measure AA, a 30-year parcel tax voters approved in 2018 to expand early childhood education and college access. 

Together, the jobs and the summer engagement programs are expected to serve more than 2,100 youth — with more than half living in District 7, deep East Oakland.

The grants include nearly $1.5 million to a total of nine organizations to help them offer summer jobs, including YouthBeat, which trains teens in media production; Destiny Arts Center, which offers dance and visual arts classes; and Soccer Without Borders, a sports organization focused on youth who are new immigrants. Twelve other organizations will receive a total of $1.7 million to offer other summer programming for youth, including The Crucible, a West Oakland industrial arts center; Prescott Circus Theatre, which trains youth in the circus arts; and Acta Non Verba, which has urban farms in East and West Oakland an urban farm. 

Between 2022 and 2025, the summer youth employment program served 988 people, who earned around $1,600 each for 100 hours of work experience. 

“Expanding access to opportunity for our young people — especially those who have been historically underserved — has been a top priority,” Lee said in a press release. “Our summer youth employment program is not just a workforce development initiative; it is also a public safety strategy. By connecting young people to meaningful work, mentorship, and opportunity, we are helping reduce violence and investing in the future of our city.”

Those interested can find more information on the city’s website. Young people interested in applying for jobs should contact the participating programs directly.

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