NORWICH – Entering the workforce for the first time is both an exciting and liberating experience for the majority of young adults, but often times with the lack of available age-appropriate job opportunities and the lagging economy, securing that sense of gainful employment and can be burdensome for area teenagers.

Earlier this year, The Place of Norwich signed into a contract with Chenango County Department of Social Services to implement Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), which was funded through the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).

“We were very excited to announce that the funding received by NYS would allow us to place more than 50 youth at host sites throughout Chenango County this summer,” said The Place Executive Director Rebecca Sands. “The SYEP program was a huge success thanks to the support of our communities, a number of area businesses and local professionals.

With the TANF funding that exceeded $90,000, the SYEP was developed to provide young people from low-income households with valuable work experience and a much-needed paycheck.