RochesterWorks! received a grant of $5,000 from First Niagara Bank to help expand paid internship experience opportunities and connect youth to adult worksite mentors through the Digital Skills for Youth program. In the program youth are exposed to the world of work and receive adult support and encouragement.

The award was made during a news conference at City Hall, and was part of $500,000 the bank is donating to mentoring initiatives across New York State in 2007.

Accepting the award on behalf of RochesterWorks! was John Premo, Youth System Manager.

"We are very grateful to receive this award," said Premo. "Too often youth do not see connections between academic performance and the job world. As a result youth do not finish high school and are ill prepared for the workforce.  Digital Skills for Youth bridges this gap by providing work-based experiences in which youth 15-21 years of age can apply the Microsoft Office and business skills they learn in the program."

Youth become “digitally certified” by completing a rigorous self-directed on-line curriculum comprised of 10 courses focusing on soft skills, business etiquette and Microsoft applications while participating in a series of RochesterWorks!  youth workshops and job preparation events. In certain instances, the web-based portion is facilitated in a group setting within a computer lab environment.