Philly non-profit Power Circle Mentors holds pop up summer job fair for youth in Frankford

Frankford job fair helps teens find summer jobs

Power Circle Mentors organized a resource fair in Frankford to help young people prepare for summer jobs and professional development.

PHILADELPHIA - A non-profit is working to get young people ready for summer jobs, with opportunities starting as early as June.

Helping teens prepare for summer jobs in Frankford

What we know:

A pop-up resource fair in Frankford is helping teenagers get ready to land summer jobs, according to Wilson. 

Fourteen-year-old Khair Latimer attended the event to find work and said, "I came out here to get a job, you know, to get myself right as a human being." 

His sister, Khalisha Wilson, brought him to the fair and said, "I think it's super important for character development and to get them prepared to work in a professional setting and to also build their social skills and to keep them out of trouble."

Eugene Thomas, founder of Power Circle Mentors, organized the event to keep youth busy and productive when school is out. "You know when the weather break, a lot of crime happens, a lot of kids kind of be bored, nothing to do so we're trying to make sure we fill that gap now," said Thomas.

The event featured a coalition of organizations offering help with permit registration and job openings. "Just giving them access to opportunities to help them work and gain some money," said Thomas.

Social services organizations also provided information and resources for adults and families, including housing, shelter, child care supplies, pet supplies, and help with vet bills. "Just to balance out the neighborhood. It's bad economic times right now," said Thomas.

Local perspective:

The fair offered food and music to get young people excited about applying for summer jobs. 

Pierre Fequiere, a teenager from Frankford, said, "Get a job this summer because I don't want to be in my bed all day being lazy you ko so I want to do something." 

The event also educated those not yet eligible for work. 

"As me being 13 I'm not able to work professionally yet in any place or get my working papers," said Arianna DeJesus of Frankford.

Thomas said it is important to bring the community together to help young people. "I'm born and raised down here and just really trying to break the cycle of what I saw growing up," said Thomas.

The event aimed to connect youth with opportunities and support, helping them build skills and stay productive during the summer.

What we don't know:

It is not yet clear how many young people found jobs through the fair or which organizations are offering the most positions.