In most of our stories about Youth for the Future, we've shown you how the organization is finding jobs for unattached or at risk youths. Well this week instead of finding jobs, Youth for the Future is creating jobs. YFF's Micro-Enterprise Unit has opened a bike repair shop which is providing both employment and a diversion for 4 unattached youths. It's a small but important pilot project and Keith Swift reports on how these youths are using their hands to get paid.
Kevin Gordon, Bike Re-Builder
"Nothing is going on. They don't have any jobs for us and we are suffering. You see how I am barefoot. I don't even have a slippers. I need a job. I need a little something. I have pickney fi feed."
Keith Swift,
What will you do with the money you make from this?
Kevin Gordon,
"This money will be like to buy pampers for my kids and food and stuff like that. Supply the house."
And 26-year-old Kevin Gordon will be making that money doing this: fixing bicycles. It is something he already knows a thing or two about but now he'll be getting paid to do it. Actually Kevin and these other youths are rebuilding bicycles out of these parts and they are doing it in their very own bike shop opened on the ground floor of the Youth for the Future Building.
Douglas Hyde, Coordinator - Violence Reduction Unit
"The bicycle repair project is directly working with young persons unattached and at risk and marginalized and have them participate in things that they can do. Things like repairing bicycles which a lot of them can do. We are getting persons who have the skills to help teach them the final touches and by doing that they can rebuild some of these bicycles and they can happily sell them back to the public."
But this is not a chop shop, the old bikes are purchased from the Police Department's auction and brought here to Youth for the Future where they are broken down into parts and rebuilt by Kevin and his team.
Kevin Gordon,
"Our supervisor gave us a job to take down the bikes, spray it up and stuff and try sell it to the public and thing. Anybody can buy it. Its $75 and up and we have papers and thing if you serious."
Phillip Wallace, Bike Re-Builder
"Well we are fixing up the bike and thing to make the bikes look good to sell and thing."
Kashaun Bennett, Bike Re-Builder
"Just like the man said we are fixing up the bikes and you can come buy it. We know what we are doing and our bikes will be cheaper than if you bought it at Hop Sing or one of those places."
Dorian Garnett, Bike Re-Builder
"We are overhauling the bike, we are spraying them, and they will look brand new."
Kevin Gordon,
"If you buy a bike from us, you will pay a smaller price and our bikes will be more sensible and our bikes will be overhauled, greased up, and you will get a receipt. We will get you a receipt and once somebody tries to claim the bike, just come back to Youth for the Future and we will deal with it."
Douglas Hyde,
"The public is very much needed in this process in terms of buying the bicycles. The bicycles will be less than the regular prices at the store and of course you have the option that you can come an select your bike. You can also come here and we can customize it to the client."
And the youths say this is more than just a summer job, it was either this or the streets.
Phillip Wallace,
"I choose to be a part of this to keep out of trouble and keep out of crime and thing."
Kashaun Bennett,
"I choose to be a part of it because I don't have anything to do right now and I don't want to be on the street and those things."
Douglas Hyde,
"For us here at Youth the Future, through our Violence Reduction Unit, we create opportunities like this to have our young persons instead of being on the street hustling and robbing and thinking mischievous things, we could have them actually doing things that they love, doing things that they want to do and actually have an opportunity to show the people positive things, show their skills, show their abilities, and show the other side of them that people are not seeing."
A side of the youths using their hands to get paid.
Since we shot that story earlier this week, the first batch of bikes has been completed and are now available for sale at Youth for the Future. Again the prices are $50 and up. The youth's won't be paid based on sales, rather they will each receive a stipend.
