Mayor Muriel Bowser recently announced a $5 million expansion of the Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program that would enlarge the age group of those eligible and provide an increase in pay to city youth.

The program, which promises jobs to interested D.C. youth, was started by former mayor Marion Barry in 1979 in order to increase opportunities for youth, particularly those in poorer neighborhoods, to earn money, develop skills needed in the job market and gain experience by working with professionals. After Barry’s death in November, Bowser named the program in his honor.

The program, which previously allowed only 14- to 21-year olds to participate, will be expanded by Bowser to include unemployed 22- to 24-year olds.

The expansion is intended to relieve the potential trouble that young adults have finding a job when first starting out in the labor market, which is particularly an issue in D.C. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the city’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December 2014 was 7.3 percent for adults, the highest rate in the country; the national unemployment rate is 5.6 percent.

“Frequently and more frequently, we’re talking about that young person who is 22- to 24-years old that continues to need our help,” Bowser said at a Feb. 10 news conference. “My administration is committed to investing in our young people.”

In addition to the age expansion, a new pay scale will come into effect for different age groups.

Previously, all 14- to 21-year olds made $7.25 per hour. Now, only the 14- and 15-year olds employed in the program will continue to receive $7.25 per hour, while the 16- to 21-year olds will make an hourly wage of $8.25. The 22- to 24-year olds will be eligible to make between $9 to $10 an hour, depending on the city’s budgetary outlook. The exact wage has yet to be determined.

The wage for youth in the program will be lower than the D.C. minimum wage, which is currently $9.50 and will increase by a dollar to $10.50 per hour on July 1.

Bowser said in the news conference that while the wage was important, the program’s real goal is to create a strong, skilled workforce native to the District.

“We [need to] make sure we’re making it a program that provides robust experience and allows young people to build a resume,” Bowser said. “[We need] sustainable jobs right here in Washington, D.C.”

Recent reports from the Fiscal Policy Institute and Office of the Chief Financial Officer have highlighted the stark inequality in the District, noting that the wage gap is at a 35-year high and that, compared to the 50 states, D.C. had the highest index of income inequality. Bowser explained that the expansion and the subsequent job training, especially for underprivileged youth, will do more to help D.C.’s economy and reduce inequality than other measures might.

According to Bowser, all job training programs will be examined over the course of the year and have their budgets adjusted based on their trainees’ success.

“Our issue is that we spend a lot of money in D.C. on training,” she said. “We have to get a handle on where all of the money is going.”

Georgetown University has participated in the Summer Youth Employment Program since the early days of the program and will continue to do so, according to Brenda Atkinson-Willoughby, the director of Partnerships and Community Engagement at the Office of Community Engagement.

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with the city’s SYEP,” Atkinson-Willoughby wrote in an email. “[We’ll] provide employment opportunities to a wider group of youth and young adults this year.”

As part of the program, Georgetown provides positions at the Biology Department, Department of Human Resources, University Information Services, McDonough School of Business, School of Nursing and Health Studies and Georgetown University Law Center.

Assistant Director of Community Engagement Jamie Scott added that the number of jobs Georgetown provides each year varies depending on the amount of positions available and the pool of applicants.

“Last year Georgetown hired five students, and in 2013 we hired 10,” he wrote. “We’ve hired as many as 12 students in prior years.”

Since applications opened on Jan. 30, over 14,000 youth have applied to the program, which will run for six weeks from June 29 to Aug. 7.