Some of the earliest visible impacts of the Federal economic stimulus plan started appearing in Eastern Kentucky May 1. That’s when a small army of young workers began offering their services to area businesses and agencies.

As part of the Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc., (EKCEP) will work with Community Action Agencies (CAAs) in 23 Eastern Kentucky counties to put an estimated 3,000 young workers between the ages of 16-24 in summer jobs.

The program will pump $6 million into Eastern Kentucky’s economy, by paying the wages of the young workers from economic stimulus funds.

“We see this as a fantastic opportunity for young people, businesses and public agencies,” said Owen Grise, deputy director of EKCEP. “Both the private and public sector will get to undertake projects they might not otherwise have had the manpower for, and young people get to earn decent summer wages and learn marketable workplace skills.”

Let’s Go 2 Work forms and enrollment and other information for businesses and youth can be found by visiting www.letsgo2work.org or calling 1-877-512-WORK.

The available stimulus money will supercharge already existing Workforce Investment Act (WIA) summer work experience programs for economically disadvantaged youth. EKCEP oversees these WIA programs, which are provided by the nine CAAs EKCEP works with in its 23 counties.

The money will be divided based on the populations of the area served by the CAA.

The area served by the Big Sandy Area Community Action Program, which includes Pike, Floyd, Magoffin, Johnson and Martin counties, is the most populous area and will receive the most aid. About $2 million of the stimulus money and about 1,000 of the workers will go to the Big Sandy area.

Other CAAs EKCEP is partnering with in the effort and the areas they provide WIA services to include: LKLP Community Action Council, which serves Knott, Leslie, Letcher and Perry counties and will receive about $1 million and 525 jobs; Northeast Kentucky Community Action Agency, which serves Carter, Elliot and Lawrence counties and will receive about $600,000 and 305 jobs; Daniel Boone Community Action Agency, which serves Jackson and Clay Counties and will receive about $466,000 and  236 jobs; Middle Kentucky Community Action Partnership, which serves Breathitt, Lee, Owsley and Wolfe counties and will receive about $440,000 and 223 jobs; Harlan County Community Action Agency, which serves Harlan County and will receive about $406,000 and 206 jobs; KCEOC Community Action Partnership, which serves Knox County and will receive about $389,000 and 197 jobs; Bell-Whitley Community Action Agency, which serves Bell County and will receive about $368,000 and 186 jobs; and Gateway Community Action Agency, which serves Menifee and Morgan counties and will receive about $251,000 and 127 jobs.

In all, EKCEP estimates that 2,100 young people who are still in school and 900 young people who are no longer in school will be able to take part in six-week work experience placements with businesses, public agencies, government agencies and community works projects that began May 1. The program will continue at least until the end of September.

Young people must meet federally mandated income guidelines to be eligible to participate.

Let’s Go 2 Work will provide its workers with some guidance on topics like how to get along with co-workers, the importance of being punctual and how to dress and act at work before sending them to employers. While they are working, Let’s Go 2 Work staff will also closely monitor their progress and make sure they live up to the standards of the program.

It is an ambitious project, Grise said, and it is one that needs community support to succeed.

“We need young people who want to work and businesses and agencies who want to let them,” he said. “This project will be a boon to Eastern Kentucky, but we have to have participation from all parties for it to succeed.”

Grise said the effects of the stimulus money go further than just benefits to the businesses and young workers directly involved. The money Let’s Go 2 Work pays its workers will be spent in local eateries and stores, circulating through and further stimulating the local economy.

Stimulus money is also expected to expand services offered as part of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult program and Dislocated Worker program, though a timetable and exact figures are not yet available.

In addition to serving our region’s young people through the Let’s Go 2 Work initiative, WIA serves adults (age 21 and above) looking for work and workers of any age who have been dislocated from their jobs through closings or layoffs, who need help to get education, training, and a good start into or bad into the working world.

These multi-level programs use a wide assortment of resources to help customers identify their interests and aptitudes, understand which jobs are in demand, get the training and develop the skills they need to succeed, and advance their careers. More information on WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker services can be found at www.ekcep.org.

CAA officials such as Big Sandy Area Community Action Program (BSCAP) Executive director James Michael Howell said they were happy to partner with EKCEP in Let’s Go 2 Work.

“Big Sandy Area Community Action Program is excited about the opportunity the stimulus package presents for summer employment of the youth in our region. Not only will our young people be earning money, they will gain valuable work experience and work ethics that will benefit them for the rest of their lives,” said James Michael Howell, executive director of BSCAP.

“The $1.9 million that will be pumped into the economies of Johnson, Floyd, Magoffin, Martin and Pike Counties through the summer employment program will have a tremendous economic impact on the Big Sandy region, and we are looking forward to doing all we can to help,” Howell said.

Janet Jackson, WIA youth director for Bell-Whitley Community Action Agency, said the program will be an excellent opportunity to help even more area young people learn about the world of work or make a good income.

Jackson said her office makes it easy for employers to use the youth as workers with pre-screening and pre-education programs about how to be a better worker.

“We prepare them before they go out into any employment area,” she said.

Let’s Go 2 Work staff can even work with the employer to determine what topics that employer would like them to focus on and work them into the pre-employment programs, Jackson said.

“It’s more productive for the employer because we’ve taken care of some of the basics and that employee can get straight to work,” she said.

EKCEP is also strongly encouraging businesses to visit the site to find out how to take advantage of the program. Eastern Kentucky businesses that have used young workers from the WIA program in the past had positive things to report and were excited to hear that the program will be expanded this summer.

Brian Murray, Vice President and General Manager of Annville Town and Country gas and grocery in Annville, has had numerous young people from the work experience program who have work at his store.

It has been a “great asset” for his business to have the additional manpower for things like cleaning and washing shelves and bagging groceries, he said.

But he also supports the program because he believes the empowerment that comes from learning how to work can help young people who might otherwise be stuck in a grim cycle of poverty.

“I’ve watched this program steer kids in the right direction that probably have never had anyone try to put them on the right road,” he said. “The majority of these children simply need an opportunity.”

Jeanetta Thornbury, manager of Just For You Day Spa and Beauty Salon in Paintsville, agreed the program benefits both businesses and young people.

“I love the program. Not enough people know about it,” Thornbury said.

Thornbury said having access to the young workers was a boon for her business because they could help with cleaning, scheduling and other tasks that otherwise would have burdened her spa professionals.

However, she said, it also seemed to be a good opportunity to teach young people about the world of work.

“I think young people now need to learn a work ethic more than anything,” Thornbury said. She added that, unfortunately, a lot of young people in our area simply don’t learn the importance of work for various reasons.

She said that she feels the Let’s Go 2 Work program is the kind of effort that may pay dividends down the line.

“Investing in the youth is investing in the future,” she said.