LOS ANGELES — Young people are stepping up to help their families financially as the pandemic continues to devastate communities economically.
Just over 57% of young adults between the ages of 18 and 22 have said their families lost jobs, work hours, or income due to the pandemic, according to the Urban Institute.
What You Need To Know
- L.A. County's Youth at Work program helps place young people in a paid job that leads to a long-term career pathway
- Just over 57% of young adults between the ages of 18 and 22 have said their families lost jobs, work hours, or income due to COVID-19
- Applications are open for the Youth at Work program
- Young people between the ages of 14 and 24 years have the right to work in the U.S. and are eligible to apply
East L.A. resident Alberto Cordova, 22, lives with his mom and brother. They’ve all been hit hard financially since the pandemic hit.
"My brother, he’s a driver and he drives for a bakery," said Cordova. "He lost work for a while, and now he’s on halftime employment."
His sister is a nurse and moved out of the house for a new job, so Cordova now works to help pay the rent and other living expenses.
He’s an employee of the L.A. County Youth at Work program, where he makes $13.50 an hour and works 10 hours per week.
Cordova can only work part-time because he’s a full time student at UCLA. He’s saved on bus fare thanks to online classes, having formerly traveled two hours to get to school. But tuition still needs to be paid.
“I’m saving up a little,” he said. “It’s not a lot, but I’m saving up a little to pay off tuition, so it is helpful.”
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His siblings used to help him with tuition — now he’s happy to help them and the entire family. It’s a role he feels they all need to play.
“It’s part of working in a team and being part of a family, and being part of a tribe and having culture," said Cordova. "It’s always thinking about the collective. You can’t really think about yourself, especially in these trying times. What’s really one person if you’re just by yourself. What’s that worth?”
Applications are open for the Youth At Work Program. Youth between the ages of 14 and 24 have the right to work in the U.S. are eligible to apply.