Chicago Mayor Announces Rebranded Youth Employment Initiative That Delivered Over $30.9M In Wages To Participants In 2025 – AfroTech
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has announced the rebrand of an initiative to employ youth.
According to a press release, the city’s youth employment initiative, One Summer Chicago, is being rebranded as Chicago Youth Works. Mayor Johnson has worked to grow funding and partnership opportunities for the employment initiative. In 2025, his efforts led to summer jobs for 31,119 young people who earned a collective wage of more than $30.9 million, per the release.
The rebranded Chicago Youth Works is partnering with the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS). The new program name comes from input from the young people it serves, and is launching with a new tagline: “Get Paid. Get Skilled. Get Ahead.”
Chicago Youth Works will employ youth aged 14 to 24, with support from local businesses, nonprofits, and city agencies, notes the release. These opportunities may include summer positions, year-round roles, or paid career exploration programming for 14- and 15-year-olds.
“Young people are Chicago’s future, and it’s on us to give them the opportunities they need and deserve,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson in the press release. “Chicago Youth Works goes beyond summer jobs, it offers real-world experience, leadership development, and a chance for young Chicagoans to make a difference in their communities. By empowering tens of thousands of young people across our city, we’re investing in Chicago’s strength, resilience, and future.”
DFSS Commissioner Angela Green commented:
“The youth of Chicago are ready for that chance to grow and succeed. We see it in the fantastic stories of their work experiences with us each summer, and we see it in the trajectory of their careers after building valuable foundations and connections with us. We are deeply proud to have expanded these opportunities under the Johnson administration and to have now reimagined the City’s youth employment branding in a way that puts youth front and center and truly reflects their perspectives and creative vision.”
Additional program partners include the Mayor’s Office of Education and Youth Services, Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Park District, the Chicago Housing Authority, the Chicago Transit Authority, City Colleges of Chicago, After School Matters, and the Chi-Cook Workforce Partnership.
The deadline to apply for the program is May 29 via ChicagoYouthWorks.org.
