West Haven Opens 2026 Summer Youth Jobs Program Through May 1

West Haven Opens Applications for 2026 Summer Youth Employment Program

West Haven has opened applications for its 2026 Summer Youth Employment Program, giving teens and young adults between the ages of 14 and 21 the chance to earn Connecticut's minimum wage in paid work placements over six to eight weeks this summer. The application window runs March 30 through May 1.

The program, administered through Workforce Alliance — Connecticut's South Central regional workforce development board — places participants in jobs across a range of local employers and public sector sites. Funded through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the program has operated in West Haven and more than a dozen other South Central Connecticut municipalities for multiple years. Employment begins July 6, 2026, and runs for a minimum of six weeks through mid-August.

How and Where to Apply

Applications are available at two physical school locations and on the city's website for students not enrolled at those schools.

Pick up applications at:

• West Haven High School — main entrance
• Bailey Middle School — main office

Return completed applications during these windows:

• West Haven High School: 7 to 8 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
• Bailey Middle School: 8 to 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Applications submitted after May 1 will not be accepted. Incomplete applications will not be processed — applicants missing required materials will be notified by mail or phone.

Who Qualifies

To be eligible for the 2026 program, applicants must:

• Be between 14 and 21 years old
• Be a City of West Haven resident
• Have household income within 185 percent of Connecticut's state poverty level, adjusted for household size

Required supporting documents: birth certificate, Social Security card, proof of household income, and a COVID-19 vaccination status declaration. All documents must accompany the application at the time of drop-off.

Pay, Hours, and Types of Jobs

Participants earn Connecticut's current minimum wage of $16.94 per hour, which took effect January 1, 2026, up from $16.35 in 2025. Youth work a minimum of 15 hours and up to 25 hours per week throughout the program period.

Workforce Alliance places youth across a broad range of sectors, including healthcare and allied health services, education and social services, city government administration, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, retail, and information technology. Employer and worksite placements specific to West Haven are finalized each spring and are not yet publicly available for 2026.

For questions, contact Workforce Alliance coordinator Jim Eagan at (203) 988-0698.

Regional Context

West Haven's program is one of more than a dozen programs Workforce Alliance administers across the South Central Connecticut region, which also includes Hamden, Milford, Meriden, and Middletown. The WIOA federal funding structure that supports these programs has been in place since 2014, replacing earlier youth employment initiatives under previous workforce laws.

New Haven's comparable program, Youth @ Work, served 748 participants in 2024 — up from 526 in 2023 — after the city expanded its worksite network to more than 100 employers and committed a $1.9 million budget drawn from American Rescue Plan and general city funds. West Haven's program operates at a smaller scale appropriate to its population of approximately 55,000 residents.

Summer youth employment programs have been shown to reduce summer learning loss, provide early career exposure, and support household income in lower- and middle-income families — the target population defined by the 185 percent poverty threshold requirement. Research from Workforce Alliance and similar regional boards shows that participants who complete summer employment programs are more likely to continue working into the school year and pursue post-secondary education or training.

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