Approximately 200 area teens seized the opportunity offered by a recent youth conference to learn about volunteering, work and internship opportunities and how to package themselves to apply for such positions.
The teens participated in the second annual youth forum held by Community Board 14 at Brooklyn College, swarming the sixth floor of the Student Union building, at Campus Road and East 27th Street, where city agencies, not−for−profit organizations and colleges had set up information tables.
The theme of the event was “Get in the Game: Skills to Make You a Player in the Real World,” and workshops held to teach teens the ins and outs of resume−writing and being interviewed for a position drew standing−room only crowds.
“I think this is great,” noted CB 14 Chairperson Alvin Berk. “The kids here today know how hard it is to get a good job in today’s economic climate. They’re all sharp kids, and that’s why they’re here. I’ve been listening to them, and they’re really serious about their activities. This is not a frivolous activity for them.”
The board decided to mount the event, noted Youth Committee Co−chairperson Neil Brier, because board members “Felt that we had a responsibility to help these kids, who want opportunity, who want to work, who want education, but who may not know how to find them.
“There’s so much opportunity out there,” Brier stressed. “It’s just a question of knowing how to play the game.”
In particular, the goal of the event was “To bring the community in Flatbush and Prospect Park together with the youth seeking summer employment,” added Beverley Kilpatrick, the committee’s co−chair. “What we want to do is to connect. A lot of times you hear there are youths roaming the street because they have nothing to do. The purpose of the forum is to open doors.”
