TriMet launches First Step

Job program puts at-risk youth to work

TriMet and Youth Employment Institute, Inc. (YEI) are kicking off the 10th year of First Step this summer. An intensive 10-week job program, First Step is designed to help at-risk youth learn responsibility, employment skills and good decision-making. YEI manages the program with A.K. Rucker, a TriMet bus operator, providing overall supervision of the 20 teens enrolled in the program.

Over 170 kids applied to the program this year with half of the kids enrolled returning from last year. Participants applying for First Step must be 13-18 years old and in school.

"We have a good mix of kids this year," said Rucker. "Those chosen are teens at-risk or associated with risk groups. They’re picked based on how they can help each other."

Participants travel on a TriMet bus to pick up litter, sweep bus stops and empty TriMet trashcans along transit corridors. Two hours per week are devoted to development of life skills and exploring various fields of employment. The youth involved in the program receive a monthly transit pass and are paid minimum wage for work up to 40 hours per week. The program runs through mid-August.

"The First Step job program is making a real difference in the lives of at-risk kids," said Fred Hansen, TriMet General Manager. "It provides good role models and positive, structured experiences that help these students develop into responsible adults. I’m proud that TriMet is involved in this program and that one of our operators is the driving force behind it."

During the rest of the year, Rucker operates the Line 75-39th Ave/Lombard. The route puts him in regular contact with teens from First Step and it connects with other middle and high school kids from Portland and Gresham.

About First Step

First Step started in 1998 employing 10 youth full-time during the summer months. In 2004, the program increased to 20 full-time youth positions. The First Step program is designed to encourage young people to develop work and life skills. It prepares the teenagers to enter the world of work and includes positive experiences designed to help them develop an understanding of work place standards.

About YEI

YEI's mission is to promote self-sufficiency and life-long learning by nurturing personal, educational and career development of young people. It was founded on the belief that youth have the ability to overcome barriers that stand in the way to successful employment. YEI began in 1985 as a program administered by the Private Industry Council (PIC), a non-profit organization that offered training programs to some of Portland's hardest to reach youth: drop-outs, teen parents and youth involved in the juvenile justice system. These programs focused on personal responsibility and helped youth acquire the skills and experience they need to reach personal goals.