Youth and Young Adults DC Update 3-10-23

National Alliance Launches: The National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC), American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF), Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), and The Corps Network on Wednesday launched the National Alliance of Youth and Young Adult Advocates, or NAYYAA. The National Alliance will identify more authentic and positive narratives about young people, fill research and data gaps related to young people, unify and strengthen coalitions that advocate on behalf of young people, and advance a bold policy agenda that will create opportunities for and remove barriers to young people’s success. Learn more about the Alliance here.

Jobs Report: This was the month that the labor-force participation rate for prime-age workers (age 25-54) ticked above pre-pandemic levels. The rate for young adults age 20-24 is still approximately 1 percentage point below pre-pandemic levels.

• On Thursday, the Department of Labor launched its Youth Employment Works strategy. Watch the event here. DOL is seeking 100 responses to its Call to Action by this summer. Secretary Walsh, in his last public appearance as secretary; Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves; and Acting ETA Assistant Secretary Brent Parton all participated.

• On Thursday, the Department of Labor launched its Youth Employment Works strategy. Watch the event here. DOL is seeking 100 responses to its Call to Action by this summer. Secretary Walsh, in his last public appearance as secretary; Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves; and Acting ETA Assistant Secretary Brent Parton all participated.
• On March 2, ETA released a guidance letter that lays out “ETA Priorities for Youth Workforce Development: Equity, Job Quality, Mental Health, and Youth Voice” (appendix 1) that are aligned with the Youth Employment Works strategy.

• OY Stakeholder Briefing:
• Recording of the February briefing is here: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/2_FYFKNVPBEwyU8aL1dI46FlvSrj4pVMauxQPmdM8BwlF7lr-mx-wGq2RjTY5y0.7wJ6wuDl4ZLVP0ct.
• Slides from the briefing (containing links to all resources shared and discussed): https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cK9Ev6gvrSmF6RjKvmBTWT9j4yKk-G8E/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=118223682595168280805&rtpof=true&sd=true
• Resource highlights:
• EPA Climate Justice Block Grant
• Learn how to weigh in: https://sparkaction.org/new-funds-for-youth/#1664916117698-0537f5e7-d850
• Comments to the EPA are due by 3/17: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EPA-HQ-OEJECR-2023-0023
• Connecting Youth to Jobs Act
• Press release from last Congress: Reps. García and Kaptur Introduce Legislation to Promote Economic Justice and Youth Employment | Representative Jesus Garcia
• Bill text: Text – H.R.3246 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): Connecting Youth to Jobs Act
• Fact sheet: https://chuygarcia.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/chuygarcia-evo.house.gov/files/Connecting%20Youth%20to%20Jobs%20Act%20One-Pager%20%282%29.pdf
• Share initial feedback here: https://tinyurl.com/cyjafeedback-feb-2023
• DOL Youth Employment Works overview: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZNV5ZmlirRJy2EcHGKUun3aIe2ld9Mq0/view?usp=sharing
• Join www.DOL.gov/live at 11am, Thursday 3/9 for the official launch of this strategy
• Infrastructure Innovation and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law):
• Brookings has a new, detailed map of funding that can be used for workforce programming in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): “Within the IIJA, 72 programs—totaling $490 billion—emphasize or allow some type of workforce development activity.”
• The National Skills Coalition has a helpful blog post up for state advocates seeking to access IIJA dollars.
• The Partnership for the Civilian Climate Corps has officially launched. Over 100 national and local organizations are members of this umbrella coalition advocating for the creation of the CCC. You can advocate for the CCC using PCCC’s social media toolkit.
• The Forum for Youth Investment will be hosting its upcoming national conference May 10-12, 2023 in Detroit. This year’s theme will be: stronger systems, stronger youth. To learn more and register for the conference visit this link.
• Visit the Forum’s Leveraging Recovery Funds for Youth tool which is updated with newly announced federal opportunities for state and local leaders to work across systems and direct federal funds to support youth and young adult populations.