The City of New York has a chronic shortage of beach and swimming pool lifeguards. The City also runs a ferry service, which is constantly on the lookout for mechanics, electricians and boat operators. These water-related jobs pay well above the minimum wage, and the City offers training to new recruits.
Despite the incentive of training, young people who live in public housing weren’t applying. The City doubled down to find out what stood between these potential employees and these great jobs. Three hurdles showed up:
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- You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to become a lifeguard, but to start lifeguard training, you need to be able to swim. People were interested in the jobs, but they had never learned how to swim.
- Many potential candidates were prepared to learn to swim, but were already employed. Some of that existing employment has haphazard hours and doesn’t pay all that well. But those jobs do bring money in the door. Potential candidates were interested in better-paying employment. But they couldn’t forego their existing employment income in order to learn how to swim.
- Working for the City was not a familiar career path. Neighbours and friends were working in stores and restaurants, not for the City’s government.
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Swim Corps has been set up to get over these hurdles. People who sign up with the NYCHA Swim Corps gain exposure to the City’s workforce and learn to swim. In addition to swimming lessons, participants tour the ferry service headquarters and other work venues. The participants also get paid.
The article linked below demonstrates how small details like the NYCHA Swim Corps can make a significant difference for participants. It points out aspects of a job search that many people might take for granted. But some are impediments that stop young residents of public housing from accessing work that provides a path to improved financial stability, making it easier to pay for housing, food and clothing.
Read more at reasons to be cheerful: A Pioneering Program Paying NYC’s Low-Income Youth to Learn to Swim
