BEND, OR -- Hiring struggles continue for the Bend Parks and Recreation District. But, there's a new incentive for applicants of one chronically understaffed program. "We definitely recognize that the staffing challenges that everyone is experiencing right now do make it so you have to have more creative solutions," BPRD's Julie Brown tells KBND News. That creative solution is to entice college students to apply for a position in its Kids Inc. after-school program, "What we have is a $5200 a year scholarship in exchange for being a paid staff member in our program to work 20 hours a week."

There are 12 scholarships available at each local college - OSU-Cascades and Central Oregon Community College. And Brown says their major doesn’t matter, "If we have students that are studying the sciences or theater arts or math, they are welcome to participate in this program, too." The scholarship is in addition to the employee's hourly pay of more than $18 an hour. Brown says funding for the scholarships will come from the district's budget and she expects this to be an ongoing program.

BPRD is also working with Bend-La Pine Schools to remove barriers for juniors and seniors who want to apply for a paid internship, "With the assistance of the Future Center at their individual high schools, they can coordinate their class schedules so that they can have an open period at the end of the day and be able to have the hours worked to be an employee in the Kids Inc. program," says Brown. Paid high school interns can also earn school credit on top of their hourly wage. 

You'll find more information on both the college and high school programs at BPRD's website. All positions start in the fall.