NATCHEZ — The City of Natchez is hiring five young people looking to spend the summer earning some extra cash while learning about local government.

The city was recently awarded a $35,000 grant through the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s Urban Youth Corps Program and will use it to hire five young individuals to work a summer job at Natchez Public Works.

Community Development Director James Johnston said participants will also receive basic skills training from American Medical Response, Alcorn State University, Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Home Bank, Mississippi State University Extension Service and Carby & Carby law firm.

The Urban Youth Corps program grant requires a 20-percent match from the city, Johnston said. The city, he said, will use in-kind services through equipment usage and staff time of public works and the other agencies for its match.

Mayor Butch Brown said the program gives young people the opportunity to see how government works.

“It takes young adults and puts them in a work environment where they see and understand what happens in a community, and by that I mean what’s necessary in government to make things happen and keep things afloat,” Brown said.

The knowledge participants gain through the program about the city and other entities creates a stronger perception of the community, Brown said.

“At the same time, it helps promote the same habits and knowledge they learn here about the cost of government and why it costs so much,” he said.

The program is open to individuals ages 18 to 25.

Eligible applicants must be citizens or nationals of the United States and must be enrolled in high school or college or have agreed to enroll for a high school diploma or its equivalent and/or college.

The 2014 Urban Youth Corps Program is tentatively scheduled to begin May 26 and end Aug. 8.

Program participants will work 40 hours per week and earn $7.75 per hour.

Job applications can be picked up at and returned to the city’s personnel department, located in the City Council Chambers at 115 South Pearl St.

The deadline to apply is noon May 9.