04-28-14 Council Agenda & Packet

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RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, CALLING FOR CREATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES ADDRESSING MORE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMMING, YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAMS the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics "Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas Monthly Rankings" shows that the "South Bend - Mishawka, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area" has a 7.6 unemployment rate, however the unemployment insurance has been extended resulting in an even higher percentage; and QOC,mS in the 44 -page January 2014 publication entitled In This Together: The Hidden Cost of Young Adult Unemployment, many alarming facts were highlighted, some of which included the following: • "Millennials aged 18 to 34 have now seen double -digit unemployment rates for over 70 consecutive months..." [p. 5] • "The youngest workers, aged 16 to 24, are even worse off, with unemployment rates well over twice the national average 7 at 15 percent..." [p. 5]; • "...one unemployed 18 to 24 year old will cost the federal and respective state government over $4,100 annually in forgone tax revenue and benefits received..." [p. 7] • `...each unemployed 25 to 34 year old will cost his or her federal and state government a staggering $9,875 annually..." [p. 71; and Qffemz the Common Council recognizes that "Young Invincibles ", who authored the above - referenced publication, is a non -profit organization which seeks to "amplify the voices of young Americans and expand opportunity..." who were hosted by South Bend in 2012; and unfortunately, many of the findings in the Young Invincibles report are also being witnessed in the City of South Bend, with far too high an unemployment rate of our youth, and limited effective programs in place to address these growing concerns; and many of the policy recommendations set forth in In This Together: The Hidden Cost of Young Adult Unemployment, such as expanding paid service in order to reconnect "young adults to the labor force'; reinstating grant programs; providing apprenticeship programs; and creating "career internships" are recommendations which should be pursued. 6•q lelLreb/aed �iCFe (z+�nmoa Q „L9/yt, p-9/Q"ff ed AAWAM aQJ6/lom Section I. The Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, believes that addressing the following priorities would help jump -start needed opportunities for unemployment youth in our community, of building stronger partnerships with the South Bend Community School Corporation and therefore recommends that collaborative efforts be pursued so that the following objectives may become reality: 1. That additional revenue be dedicated to the Martin Luther King Center and the Charles Black Youth Center for more comprehensive programming and entrepreneur programing opportunities; 2. That expanded partnerships between the City of South Bend and the South Bend Community School Corporation be pursued which include, but are not limited to: