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City Employees Pair Up with Kids in Annual Mentoring Event

Mayor Kenney hosts Take Our Kids To Work Day kickoff at City Hall highlighting careers in municipal government, as the City of Philadelphia is a leading participant in this highly regarded initiative nationwide.

(PHILADELPHIA), Thursday, April 25, 2019 at 2:09 p.m. –  Mayor Jim Kenney hosted dozens of youths at the Take Our Kids To Work Day kick-off at City Hall today in recognition of the City’s annual Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Day observed nationwide.

Take Our Kids To Work Day is coordinated by the City government, Philadelphia’s largest employer. At the morning kickoff, students joined Mayor Kenney and teamed up with City employees representing various municipal departments, offices and agencies. It was part of a day-long program that introduces visiting young people, ages 8 to 18, to public-service careers. The youngsters shadow employees — relatives and friends — in the workplace for a day.

“Events like Take Our Kids To Work Day are an excellent way to provide positive mentoring experiences for our young people,” said Mayor Kenney. “Spending time in the workplace gives children a chance to see what their futures can look like. By participating, they are able to learn about the daily operations of public service first-hand in a professional environment. This one day has the potential to open doors to a future career path.”

At the kickoff, Mayor Kenney posed for photos with the aspiring professionals. The format was changed slightly this year, as each mentor and mentee took photos with the Mayor freelance style, and not by City department, as in year’s past. In another new component, following the kickoff at City Hall, students were given the option to take a work break for ‘Lunch at LOVE Park’, where cool games, music, arts and crafts, selfies at LOVE sculpture, as well as face-painting activities were free. Lunch fare from food trucks also was available.

The City of Philadelphia has participated in the national initiative for 17 years and, under the banner of Take Our Kids To Work® Day, continues to lead efforts to give young people a valuable opportunity to learn about city service. The City has been a leader among municipalities nationally, instructing and assisting cities including Cleveland and Minneapolis, to develop workplace career days in 2019.

The City of Philadelphia Take Our Kids To Work Day initiative promotes mentoring and workplace experiences in City government. Youth experienced the work world by shadowing employees for the supervised day.

The kickoff was a warm City Hall welcome before the young honorary “City employees” visited government work places — ranging from City recreation centers and municipal offices to fire houses — with their mentors to experience public service first-hand. The annual event is part of the City’s youth-development efforts reflecting Mayor Kenney’s focus on education and growth opportunities for children and youth.

City Representative Sheila Hess encouraged the young workers to network and to ask questions to learn about their adult mentors’ jobs.

Said City Representative Hess, whose department organized the event: “Educating, empowering and inspiring our youth are effective ways to show them a career path. “Through today’s activities, students can find out about the daily operations of public service. The influence of an adult mentor in a child’s life has an enormous impact on professional choices that they will ultimately make.”

The nationally-based project, now celebrating its 26^th year, is designed to be an introduction and catalyst for career development. Officials from the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Foundation hope that the students’ experiences will be inspirational. National organizers said they are impressed with the City of Philadelphia’s annual participation and commitment.

In 2015, President Obama announced an initiative to expand participation in Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Day to young people who normally would not be able to participate in this event. This included foster youth who are at high risk of dropping out of school, children of unemployed parents or those with parents who are not permitted to take their children to work. President Obama praised the City of Philadelphia’s leading efforts. The City of Philadelphia has participated in recent years in the White House’s initiative by welcoming foster youths from three City-affiliated foster programs.

Annually, 3 million U.S. workplaces open their doors to nearly 40 million employees and their children on this special day of youth engagement. Established in 1993, Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Day provides enriching, educational experiences for children, ages 8 to 18, through a career day of mentoring. Through an association with the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Foundation, based in North Carolina, the successful event originally focused on female students and was later expanded to include boys as well as individuals from foster care. In 2018, the City renamed its project locally to Take Our Kids to Work Day. Initially, through a partnership with United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania and others, the City of Philadelphia launched the event 17 years ago to motivate students.

The Office of the City Representative (OCR) organizes ceremonial and special events for the City of Philadelphia, the nation’s first World Heritage City, and serves as its production and public relations arm.

Be sure to connect with us on social media on Twitter and Instagram @PhillyCityRep, and join the conversation by using the hashtag #TakeourKids2WorkPHL to share your experience!                    

Official City photos of the 2018 Take Our Kids To Work Day are available  online:  flickr.com/phillycityrep

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