St. Clair County Community College will manage two grant-funded programs this summer to employ 52 economically disadvantaged area residents ages 16 to 24.

The grants, totaling $141,467, will employ:

• 30 young adults ages 18 to 24 for 37.5 hours per week from June 22 to Aug. 14 in various offices on the SC4 campus and in selected non-profit agencies.
  
• 22 youths and young adults ages 16 to 24 for 37.5 hours per week from June 22 through Aug. 14 for a St. Clair County Neighborhood Recycling Education Project.

The money, which is part of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, is provided through the Michigan Works! Summer Youth Employment Program. SC4’s grants are administered through the Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board Inc.

The bulk of the $141,467 will be paid by Michigan Works! directly to the workers. Workers will be paid $7.40 per hour. About $26,000 of the funding will go to SC4 to cover the costs of program coordinators, supervisors and trainers; supplies; and drivers, gasoline, truck rentals and other transportation expenses.

The youths and young adults, who must live in St. Clair or Macomb counties or be enrolled in a public school district in St. Clair or Macomb counties, will be selected for placement in the program by Michigan Works!

SC4’s Dr. Patricia Leonard, dean of students; Michelle Mueller, dean of workforce development and University Center; and Shelly Simmons, senior accountant, collaborated on the grants.

Participants in the group of 30 will work four days per week with the fifth day serving as an educational component.

They will work at one of the following: SC4’s Advising, Career and Employment Services office; SC4 Athletic Department; SC4 building/grounds; Blue Water Habitat for Humanity; Burtchville Township Office; Council on Aging; Port Huron Museum; Salvation Army; or St. Clair County Michigan State University Extension.

Among duties, workers will be assisting with activities, service projects, sports camps, tours and workshops.

The educational component will focus on work readiness skills and “green” information. Skills training will focus on job applications, resumes, interviews, career/labor market research and job retention strategies. Participants also will learn about alternative energy equipment, facilities and programs, as well as “green careers,” “green economics” and practical ways to “go green.”

Participants in the group of 22 will work five days per week at SC4 and at various St. Clair County locations for the college’s St. Clair County Neighborhood Recycling Education Project.

They will develop a project plan to provide educational materials about recycling and local recycling service centers. In addition, a free, one-time pick up service will be provided for certain recyclable items in targeted neighborhoods in Algonac, Capac, Marine City, Marysville, Memphis, Port Huron, St. Clair and Yale. A minimum of 400 to 500 households are planned to be served by the project.

As part of the project, participants will be trained in the areas of recycling and project management and will develop the following project components: planning, research, training, scheduling, marketing, budgeting and evaluation.

• Dr. Patricia Leonard, SC4 dean of students, (810) 989-5523
  
• Michelle Mueller, SC4 dean of workforce development and University Center, (810) 989-5607