Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Program Teaches Teens About Work

An idea to help the area's young people became a reality recently.

Robert McCallum, an Arkadelphia attorney and former circuit-chancery judge, told the Gurdon Rotary Club of a program to help at-risk young people work during the summer and learn responsibility.

These young people, he said, must apply for the jobs, dressing appropriately and filling out an application. Those hired are paid minimum wage for the work they do.

But, he said, the concept was first brought forth by Judge John Thomas, the new circuit- chancery judge.

The program became a reality with the help of a grant from the Cabe Foundation.

McCallum said the young people in the program aren't necessarily trouble makers, but do need adult supervision and support.

In many cases, he said, these young people have little family support and many have no fathers in the household. Fathers are needed, McCallum told the Rotarians, to help keep the children in line.

Because of this need, the United for Youth Corporation was born. Its primary purpose is to provide summer jobs and teach basic work place skills to Clark County teenagers.

This entity is closely affiliated with another local organization, "Men United," which has several years experience in mentoring teens.

Under the United for Youth Corporation program, teens from 14-18 will be fully insured for worker's compensation and general liability. They will be supervised on the job by an adult, with volunteer mentors from Men United on hand to help.

The work these teens will do includes yard work, general maintenance, landscaping, cleaning and farm work, as long as it doesn't involve operating heavy equipment or farm machinery.

The corporation will submit a bill to the customer based on an agreed upon price for the work done.

The teens in the program will learn the basic skills necessary to participate in the world of work including punctuality, following directions, working hard and having a good attitude.

It is hoped these teenagers will be encouraged to pursue work and educational opportunities after being in the program.

The work week for these young people will be Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The corporation owns a van, purchased from the Clark County Sheriff's Office, it uses to get the teens to and from the job site. It also owns three lawnmowers, weed eaters and lawn blowers.

At this time, the program focuses primarily in Arkadelphia, but, McCallum said, plans are to expand to the Gurdon area.

He told the club members the initial fear was the organization wouldn't get any job offers. Nothing could have been further from reality. Now, the program has jobs backed up it can't get to.

Because of this, McCallum said, the program is looking to expand.

The goal next year is to increase the scope of the overall program and open a satellite office in Gurdon.

None of this, though, would have been possible without the grant from the Cabe Foundation, he said.