Empower 2

      Job Opportunities

      Regional job opportunities for youth

      NOVA Summer Youth Employment for Santa Clara & San Mateo counties.

      Jobs for Youth Chicago offers GED assistance and workshops for young people starting out. All Jobs For Youth applicants must be high school graduates and complete a two week competency based workshop.

      Jobs For Youth San Francisco assists San Franciscans, ages 14 to 24, interested in part-time or full-time employment during the summer or year-round. Skill levels range from entry-level to advanced. No fees are charged to employers or applicants for their services.

      Partnership for Youth, Inc. This company helps young people succeed by providing job opportunities to teens in the Dayton, Ohio area.


      Self-employment in your own business

      The Small Business Association helps people who want to start their own small business to get the money they need.

      I believe anyone who is 16 or over and has a drivers license can open a business P.O. Box as I had one for a software business at around that age. Postal services like a re-mailer and a voice mail service may be needed. Studies of mail order businesses show that a customers are much more willing to buy if they see a home address. Note, if you sell sharware, you may be obligated to supply personal technical support to customers using your software.


      Misc.


      Since a minor's parents are the people legally responsible for the young person, they must both be notified and consenting for a minor to go before a judge to get a legal name change. Names cannot be changed to something vulgar.


      Technically a minor is entitled to a bank account, according to the ACLU, but the truth is you need to look around for a bank that will allow a 17 yr. old to have one. Call around to banks in your area. Maybe a community-oriented bank will be willing to give people an account when they turn 17. You could even try banks in other cities to exercise your rights. In most states an adult must co-sign with a minor before a young person can have bank account.
      Many online banking services offer their services, and they are less restrictive based on age. pcbanker.com is a good online bank offering a free online bill payment service as long as you maintain an average balance of $100 in your account (a $5 monthly charge still applies).


      Phone tip:
      Imagine picking up the phone, calling
      a major magazine company say, and having
      them greet you by your first name.
      Well, it's certainly possible as most major
      companies have a very sophisticated caller
      ID system to track customers. One company
      actually started greeting their customers
      by name, and they shocked so many people that
      they stopped to keep from offending people.


      Everyone seems to have heard of BMG music service, but it's worth a mention. They offer an honest bargain. You can have 12 cds for the price of 1 and even pick your free cds online.


      Here is an opportunity for all kinds of great magazines at some of the lowest prices anywhere. Order toll-free by calling 1-800-968-7323 any time. No credit card needed. They bill you later and accept all forms of payment. This offer is suppose to only be for college students or faculty. It's called magazineline, and you can order online from over 400 titles. Give your name, address, and status as a college student (Undergraduate or Graduate), and year your studies end. Also, if you are an educator, then give elementary, secondary, college faculty, or other. In addition they ask for your a school name.You can choose to be billed in one or three payments.


      Here is website deticated to freedom and privacy seekers everywhere. It's called EDEN PRESS ONLINE PRIVACY CATALOG. The topics include privacy, jobs, protection, personal independence, credit, business ideas, offshore finance, etc. They believe in people exercising their rights.

      See, also, Misc. Computer Tips.



      Is there a way a minor can assume the rights of the majority?

      Only in special cases in which the court will emancipate a minor, but a minor must prove that he/she is able to assume the responsibilities of adulthood by having the opportunity, and desire to work for a living. Also, he/she would need the services of a lawyer, if one or both parents do not support the idea of emancipation. A lawyer might not be necessary if both parents are in agreement as is the case when young movie stars are emancipated so that they can work longer hours.

      As far as leaving without dual parental permission, look at it this way. If you are not being physically abused, now, would you accept that risk of physical violence by venturing into the world alone? Note, if you have been physically abused you can seek state care. And, there are emergency shelters that exist for youth in crisis.

      Note, the Job Corps and the military are a few of the good structured programs available to youth age 16-24. In addition, there may even be another opportunity for young people of all ages, who are willing to get a job to help support themselves in an alternative home. See emergency shelters under Links for unique programs like YOUTH ON THEIR OWN/YOTO. The military, however, offers a 16-17 year old a more truly successful opportunity. In the military a person can be a shining success in life, and lets face it you deserve that. It's best not to throw the baby out with the bath water by unwisely taking out alone. Otherwise, would you be throwing away life for someone who does not deserve to cause such negative consequences?

      The only hope of making it in a non-structured system with any safety would be to get together with a group of young people and rent a house. There are young people who have someone who has reached 18 rent a house, and they pool their money to pay the bills. We often here of illegal immigrants taking jobs away from American workers, and these jobs (labor-intensive, poverty-insuring, and crime-threatening) are available to youth. However, it is tough for anyone to go out on their own even when everything is going for them, so it would probably be even harder to leave home at an early age into a non-structured, potentially hazardous world. And, a person should not think crime will not happen to them (if other people know they are vulnerable, and they are in a low income area) as you can look no further then human nature, in something as small as a sport, to see how people will cheat to take advantage of others.

      You may want to participate in a web-based discussion forum whose members discuss youth rights/youth independence issues described above. Also, this is a good place to ask a question, or interact with the like minded.
      The U.S. Department of Labor gives minimum ages for employment and work hours for minors.

      For a nice bundle of information with pointers to resources in book form on the prevention of child abuse, ask for your free copy of "You Can Prevent Child Abuse."
      write to:
      National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse
      332 S. Michigan Ave.
      Chicago, IL. 60604

      Click here for a list of youth Helpline numbers.

      Also, find out how you can help prevent the death of every third baby.

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