Summer Youth Employment Program FAQs

Y.O.U. Summer Jobs Eligibility Requirements

Click here for a pdf version of the required documents list.

Who can participate in the Y.O.U. Summer Youth Employment Program?

To participate, students must meet all of the following requirements: 

  • Live in Cuyahoga County 

  • Be between 14–18 years old and currently enrolled in high school at the time of application 

  • Be at least 14 years old by May 30 

  • If you are 14: You must be a rising 9th grader 

  • If you are 14 or 15: You must submit a Work Permit from your school 

  • If you are 18 and still in high school: You must provide proof of enrollment (current report card or school registration) 

  • If you are an 18-year-old male: You must be registered with Selective Service 

  • If the youth’s application is selected, the parent/guardian will have to attend an Intake Appointment. The parent/guardian must have the following documents at this appointment:  

    1.Proof of Family income –- See chart below for income guidelines.

    • If Parent/Guardian works: 2 most recent pay stubs*, or W2 from 2025

    • If you receive: Worker’s compensation or unemployment benefits, you will need the award letter

    2. Proof of Identity and Residence for the parent/guardian

    • Your current valid State Issued photo ID, Driver’s License, or Passport.

    • Proof of current residency in Cuyahoga County* 

    • If your current residence is not listed on your Photo ID, you must provide:

      • Utility bill, government agency letter (Snap Award letter, TANF Household benefit letter, School record or letter from school) that is less than 60 days old at time of your appointment, or a lease agreement. We must have your CURRENT Address.

    • Social Security Card

    3.   Documents required for the teen (who will be working in the program) – ALL following documents are required:

    • Your child’s current photo ID: the following can be accepted in leu of a school report card. 

      • 14 – 17 years old: School ID, School Report Card with clear photo, Driver’s License, State ID, Passport, or City Rec ID

      • 18 years old: current valid state issued ID: Driver’s License, State ID, or Passport

      • Ohioans who are 16 years and younger can receive an ID card at the Ohio BMV at no cost. For Ohioans who are 17 and older, an ID card will cost $10.00

    4. Proof of Relationship between parent/guardian and child

    • Examples: birth certificate with your name and your child’s name, school records listing current guardian, or current custody papers)

    • If child is 18 years old: Copy of their current report card, letter from school or current year registration record.

    • If child is 18 or 19 years old AND a male, Y.O.U. will require Selective Service Registration Verification before the start of work. Currently Selective Service information is collected at Orientation.

    5.   Required documents for other family members: At times, we need to add other family members who live in your household to the application to determine eligibility. Because of this, you should plan to bring the following for other household members:

    • Additional minors in the household Birth Certificate

    • Additional child’s Social Security number (just number, not actual card)

    • Proof of relationship to that minor child

    • Other Adults in your household (i.e., adult children, partner, spouse, other adult relatives) : If other adults works: 2 most recent pay stubs*, or W2 from 2025

    • Social Security number (just number, not actual card)

    ANY UTILITY BILLS MUST BE DATED WITHIN 60 DAYS OF YOUR SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT

    • Check out the Documents FAQs for more info. 

    • If your household exceeds the income eligibility limit, there may be additional funding available. Please note that these funds are limited.  

  • Yes! You can work for Y.O.U. as long as you can provide the following documents: 

    For the youth participant:

    • Valid Photo ID, passport, birth certificate, or copy of birth records

    • Social Security card

    • Proof of address

    For the parent/guardian:

    • Valid Photo ID

    • Proof of relationship to the youth (school records or birth records) 

    • Proof of address

    With these documents, non-U.S. citizens are eligible to participate in the program. 

    • If you will be turning 14 before May 30th, you can still apply for SYEP.  

    • If you turn 14 on or after May 30th, you are not eligible for SYEP this year.  

  • Much of our funding is tied to certain eligibility criteria, including family income. Most of our available jobs require family income to be below a certain threshold.

What are the income requirements for eligibility?

  • Most of our funding (about 75% or more) is reserved for families at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. (Stay tuned for the 2026 guidelines.) 

  • Each year, we may have additional funding for families who are above the income threshold. If you or your parent/guardian are invited to the intake step, you should still attend the Intake Appointment. 

  • Additional funding is only considered after an applicant is first denied our primary funding due to income. 

  • The availability of funding can change frequently, so Y.O.U. cannot confirm whether other funding is available until the Intake Appointment is complete.

    • Youth attendance is not required as long as a parent or guardian can attend the appointment. Youth applicants are encouraged to stay in school. 

    • The parent/guardian should bring the youth’s required documents to the appointment. 

    • If the youth needs their School ID during the day, a legible photocopy is acceptable, as long as the participant can be clearly seen in the photo. 

    • Our online scheduler sends automatic reminders as the appointment gets closer. You can use the link within that email to reschedule to a date/time that works better.

    • You can also call our Call Center at 216-776-3900 and request they reschedule.

    • There are only so many spots available for reschedule, so try to do this sparingly or you could miss out on the opportunity.

    • The parent who you will be living with during the summer (i.e., the period you are working) should complete the Intake Appointment.

    • Only a parent, step-parent or other authorized legal guardian is able to attend the appointment.

      • If are temporarily living with an authorized legal guardian you must provide proof of guardianship such as a court order, school or medical record indicating named guardianship, or a notarized statement from parent.

    • If the adult attending the appointment is listed as a guardian on any official documentation (government letters, school records, medical records) that will suffice for proof of relationship and they can attend the appointment.

    • Some documents are legally required by Y.O.U.’s funders and for us to act as your Employer of Record. 

    • Unfortunately, without these documents, Y.O.U. cannot complete your enrollment, and there may be nothing we can do to work around this requirement.  

    • If step-parent can prove their relationship to you and prove you reside in the same household, they can attend the appointment.

    • All adults in your household will need to provide income information.

    • For example, if your step-parent is attending the appointment, they could bring youth’s birth certificate which shows relationship to parent, marriage certificate which shows relationship between step-parent and parent, and income for both parent and step-parent (if both are working).

    • If the step-parent attending the appointment is listed as a guardian on any official documentation (government letters, school records, medical records) that will suffice for proof of relationship.

    • No. A parent/guardian must attend the scheduled Intake Apppointment.

    • To be eligible for the Summer Jobs Program you must be a minor enrolled in high school. If you are a minor you are unable to sign consents and permission forms or represent your household.

    • 18 and 19 year olds still enrolled in high school are considered minors for our program requirements. Therefore, your parent/guardian must complete the appointment.

    • A parent or guardian must attend the intake appointment to sign consents and permissions on your behalf. Without their attendance, the youth cannot participate.

    • If your parent/guardian cannot attend at the scheduled time, please contact our Call Center at 216-776-3900 to reschedule the appointment

    • No. Y.O.U. maintains paper files for all participants, and submitting documents electronically is not an option. 

    • All required documents and forms should be submitted in person during the Intake Appointment. 

    • No. Only one parent/guardian is required to complete the appointment.

      • The parent/guardian attending must bring income information, social security number, and birthdate for the other parent and any other adults in the household.

    • If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must attend to sign consents and permissions. Without their attendance, Y.O.U. cannot enroll you. 

    • If you are 18 and still in high school, speak with SYEP management at your intake appointment to discuss possible options. 

    • Yes, a foster parent can attend if they provide proof of the foster relationship and authorization to sign permissions on your behalf. They must also bring all required documents, including proof of income. 

    • In many cases, it is more efficient for the JFS Case Worker to attend the intake appointment. They can often provide a letter from Cuyahoga County that confirms funding eligibility, so household eligibility does not need to be determined again. 

    • Your foster parent should consult with the JFS Case Worker to decide who will attend the appointment.  

  • If you are 14 or 15 and are offered a position in the Summer Youth Employment Program, you will need a Work Permit.

    Here’s how to get one:

    1. Receive the application at Intake

    • The Work Permit instruction manual and Application for Minor Work Permit will be provided to the parent/guardian at the Intake Appointment.

    • Y.O.U. pre-signs the application as the employer, which is why it is not available until after the Intake Appointment.

    2. Complete the process

    • The process can take time and requires a physical exam. Your physician must sign off on their portion of the application.

    • Do not use blank work permit applications from your child’s school or online—they will not be accepted.

    3. Submit your completed permit

    • You must turn in the completed Work Permit at your Y.O.U. Orientation to participate in the program.

    Check out the FAQs about Work Permits to learn more.

How can I get more information?

  • If you have questions regarding our Summer Youth Employment Program or need assistance, please contact the Call Center at 216-776-3900. Hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM