Over $4.7 million is coming to Suffolk County to provide year-round job opportunities and valuable training to at-risk youth. Approximately 2,500 low-income and at-risk youth across the state will benefit from the program.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced $40.6 million for the Youth Employment Program, which aims to help reduce community gun violence and youth criminal justice involvement by providing year-round employment and training opportunities to at-risk youth in parts of the state, outside of New York City.
Long Island as a whole is receiving $8,092,119. Nassau will receive $3,318,893 with Suffolk County receiving $4,773,226.
Launched in 2024, the program plays an important role in New York State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative, which operates in the 21 counties that receive GIVE funding, as provided by the Division of Criminal Justice Services.
From September 2024 to June 2025, more than 4,000 youth participated in the first full year of the Youth Employment Program, working in school districts, libraries, restaurants, camps/child care programs and various community organizations.
The 2025-2026 Youth Employment Program will operate from September 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. To be eligible for the program, youth must be between the ages of 14 and 20 and have a household income below 200% of the federal poverty level, which varies by household size and, for example, is $53,300 for a family of three.
“Public safety and investing in our young people’s future are top priorities of my administration, and I’ll never stop fighting to make our communities safer and protect our most vulnerable,” Governor Hochul said. “The Youth Employment Program is a key part of our comprehensive approach to drive down gun violence in communities across New York State, while providing at-risk youth with the year-round job and training opportunities they need and deserve to thrive in the workforce and build successful futures.”
Paid employment is an integral component of the Youth Employment Program. Research shows that vulnerable, unemployed youth can face struggles later in life, including poverty, dependence on public assistance programs and criminal justice involvement. In addition, youth exposed to trauma and violence may suffer long-term harmful effects later in life, including barriers to successful employment and financial stability.
Youth Employment Program providers are encouraged to collaborate with local law enforcement and other local organizations serving at-risk youth and must collaborate with local SNUG Street Outreach programs if such programs are available in their district. The SNUG Street Outreach program uses a public health approach to address gun violence by identifying the source, interrupting the transmission and treating individuals, families and communities affected by the violence.