Learn & Earn (formerly the In-School Youth Program)

1. How it Works

A year-round program for high school juniors and seniors at risk of dropping out of school. The program provides participants with job skills training, employment services, and educational opportunities.

Must have a Social Security Number
Must be able to work legally in US
Enroll between September 1 – 30

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2. Determine Your Eligibility

2. Determine your eligibility

You may be eligible if you can answer yes to these questions:

Are you between 16 – 21 years old?
Are you a NYC high school junior or senior?
Do you meet one of these requirements?
- Do you receive cash assistance or SNAP, or are you a member of a household that receives cash assistance or SNAP?
- Are you homeless?
- Are you a foster care youth?
- If you do not meet one of these requirements, Learn & Earn will look at your income to see if you are eligible. You can use ACCESS NYC to screen and see if you may qualify.

Take a short survey to see if you might be eligible for this or 30 other programs.

Am I Eligible?

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3. What You Need to Include

3. What you need to include

It’s important to include the right documents when you apply. Your documents show whether the program is right for you.

This page can help you choose the right documents for your application.

School lunch eligibility does not substitute for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) income eligibility. The NYC-issued plastic Cash Assistance ID card is not sufficient proof of Cash Assistance by itself.

For each person applying, any one document:

Birth certificate
IDNYC
Driver license or official photo I.D.
Official school records
Baptismal or another religious certificate
Current passport
Statement from an employer
Statement from a social services agency
Working papers (for applicants 17 years of age and under)
Military discharge form: DD-214

For the household, any one document:

Current letter, lease, or rent receipt from your landlord with your home address on it
Utility bill (gas, electric, or water)
Driver license or official photo I.D. (issued within the last 6 months)
IDNYC
Cash Assistance records
SNAP award letter
Documentation from the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
Homeless shelter letter
Homeowners insurance policy
Letter or statement from a government agency
Insurance policy
Auto insurance policy
Proof of dormitory residence
Selective Service letter
Self-declaration from the participant
Statement from an employer or social services agency

For each income source of each income earner, any one document:

Wages & Salary

Letter from employer on company letterhead signed and dated
Paycheck stubs (If your pay is different each week, bring stubs from the last 4 weeks. If you are paid the same amount of money each week, bring the most recent check.)
Earnings records collected to support NSLP
NYCHA statements of family income
Self-declaration from the participant

Cash Assistance

Case profile printout
Cash Assistance budget letter
Cash Assistance I.D. card with recent withdrawal receipt
Federal documents indicating Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA)
Re-certification appointment notice

Child Support or Alimony

Alimony check stub
Letter from court

Worker’s Compensation

Current award letter

Pensions, Annuities, or IRA

Statement from pension or annuity
1099-R

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4. How to Apply

4. How to apply

Here are your options.

You can use Discover DYCD to find programs in your area. To get started:

Go to the Discover DYCD website.
Select “jobs & internships” in the category field.
Enter your borough and neighborhood, or zip code to begin searching.

Search online

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College/work-readiness in high school