DC Youth and Young Adult Update 5-17-2024

News at NYEC: 

• Registration for NYEC 2024 Youth Days is Now Open!: As we shared last week, NYEC is excited to share that we will be hosting our annual Youth Days in September, where we invite practitioners, advocates and young people to join us in Washington, DC to advocate for Opportunity Youth at the federal level! This year’s event features a dynamic blend of virtual preparation and in-person engagement in Washington, DC. Whether you are new to policy and advocacy or a seasoned advocate, you won’t want to miss this event! Registration is now open, and the hotel block will become available soon. More details, including virtual preparation session descriptions and dates and a detailed agenda for the in-person event, can be found in the hyperlinked title!
• NYEC Continues to Ask Members to Recruit Their Representatives to the Bipartisan Opportunity Youth Caucus: NYEC staff have met with key Congressional offices to ask that they join the Bipartisan Opportunity Youth Caucus (BOYC), which will promote research and policies to support young people ages 16-24 who face barriers to employment or education and are at-risk of experiencing disconnection – also referred to as Opportunity Youth. As of this writing, there are three members of the Caucus: Co-chairs Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA) and Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA), and Rep. Don Davis (D-NC). We need your help in building more momentum and support for the Caucus! Please ask your Representative to join the Bipartisan Opportunity Youth Caucus by using this template!
• NYEC Staff meet with Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Staff Regarding WIOA Reauthorization: As we have previously reported, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan WIOA reauthorization bill, H.R. 6655, A Stronger Workforce for America Act, on a bipartisan basis. The Senate HELP Committee has continued to solicit stakeholder input regarding its forthcoming WIOA reauthorization bill. NYEC, along with our partners, has met with Senate HELP staff to uplift our WIOA recommendations. As of this writing, the HELP Committee aims to circulate a discussion draft of their proposal in the coming weeks, with the goal of a markup of the bill by mid-June.

Executive Branch

• The Labor Department’s Job Corps Will Highlight the Importance of Mental Health During Youth 2 Youth Week 2024: The Job Corps centers across the nation will host Youth 2 Youth Week 2024 from May 20-24, with events that promote positive mental health and create supportive environments. The Job Corps’ student led Y2Y initiative seeks to combat violence and drug use and support mental health on campuses. As part of NYEC’s ongoing commitment to youth mental health, Mimi Haley, NYEC Executive Director, and Nia Imani Fields, NYEC Deputy Director, presented this month at the National Job Corps Association Mental Health Conference. We are excited to partner with U.S. Department of Labor and Calco to share tools for employment practitioners. This has been a longstanding NYEC effort to continue the work from our 2022 mental health survey on identifying gaps in youth employment programs’ capacity to address mental health needs.
• U.S. Department Of Labor Releases Online Resource, “Youth Employment: A Foundation For Mental Health And Wellbeing”: This tool provides targeted approaches for youth, practitioners, policymakers, and employers. The DOL wants to hear from the community through its #YouthMentalHealth “Call to Action” submission form at the bottom of the resource page.
• During Mental Health Awareness Month, U. S. Department of Education Announces New Actions to Increase Access to School-Based Mental Health Services: As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Education Department has announced initiatives to improve access to school-based mental health services. These actions include nearly doubling in the Education Department’s School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) and Mental Health Service Professionals (MHSP) grant programs, making investments in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) to improve the mental health and wellbeing of students and educators, and providing new mental health training resources for schools and educators.
• The Labor Department Announces “Access to Good Jobs for All’ as Theme for 2024 National Disability Awareness Month: For National Disability Awareness Month this October, the Labor Department has chosen “Access to Good Jobs for All” as the theme. Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams emphasized that creating supportive, inclusive policies is a crucial aspect expanding high quality employment opportunities for disabled workers.
• The Labor Department Issues Comment Request on Registration and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship Programs: This Employment Training Administration sponsored comment request seeks input from apprenticeship programs concerning registration of apprentices, and equal employment opportunity.
• U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo Announces Order to Harness Potential of America’s Workforce: Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced a Department Administrative Order (DAO) to create a Commerce Department policy agenda that provides workers with the skills and education necessary to the development of new technologies. The agenda will be employer-led and worker- focused, as well as integrated in the Biden-Harris Investing in America agenda.

Legislative Branch

• Representative Yadira Caraveo (D-CO) Introduces a Bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a national awareness and outreach campaign to improve mental health among the Hispanic and Latino youth: This bill aims to enhance mental health support for Hispanic and Latino youth by creating a national awareness campaign through amending the Public Health Service Act. As of May 16th, the legislation has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) Announces Tentative FY2025 Markup Schedule, Subcommittee Allocations: In two press releases on Thursday, Chairman Cole shared a tentative markup schedule for the Appropriations Committee and Subcommittees and released Subcommittee allocations. The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee received a funding cut of approximately 10 percent. You may find the tentative markup schedule for NYEC’s appropriations priority programs below:
  • June 12: Subcommittee Markup of Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill
  • June 27: Subcommittee Markup of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill
  • July 9: Full Committee Markup of Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill
  • July 10: Full Committee Markup of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill

Federal Funding Opportunities

• The Department of Justice Announces Funding Opportunities for Reentry Services and Programs Focused on Strengthening Education and Employment Outcomes: The Bureau of Justice Assistance is seeking to fund applicants who provide re-entry services and programs aimed at improving education, employment, and community reintegration outcomes for formerly incarcerated individuals. Application due date is July 11th.
• The Labor Department Announces Approximately $35M in Additional Funding Available for 2nd Round of Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grants: Through the second round of Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs grants, the Department of Labor announces $35M in grants to increase access to training for good infrastructure jobs. The grants, administered by the Employment and Training Administration, will seek to enable public-private partnerships to develop, implement and scale worker-centered training programs for manufacturing, information technology and professional, scientific and technical service occupations. Application due date is July 1st.
• The Labor Department Announces $40M in Grants for Workforce Pathways Rounds 4 and 5: These grants are intended for national out-of-school time organizations to expand local work-based learning opportunities, job training and career pathways for underserved youth. The Workforce Pathways for Youth demonstration grant organizes partnerships with state or locally operated affiliate organizations that serve historically marginalized and underserved youth, ages 14 to 21. Priority will be given to organizations focused on Native American Youth. Application due date is July 15th.

From The States:

• First Municipal Clean Elections Program Shows Promise for Local Public Funding (Maine): The implementation of Maine’s first municipal clean elections program in Portland has demonstrated potential for enhancing local public funding mechanisms. This initiative, which aims to reduce campaign spending and increase community involvement, has seen a significant decrease in campaign expenditures compared to previous years. With candidates required to demonstrate grassroots support through small contributions from local voters, the program fosters a more equitable political process. The success of Portland’s approach could serve as a model for other municipalities considering similar public funding systems.
• Universities Restructure DEI Programs in Response to New Legislation (Utah): Recent developments have seen universities in Utah restructuring their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in response to upcoming legislation. Cultural centers are being transformed into broader student success and engagement programs, with staff roles being redefined to ensure compliance with the new anti-DEI law. This transition has led to a reduction in dedicated DEI personnel, as some employees choose not to continue under the revised job descriptions. These changes reflect a significant shift in how universities approach DEI policies and their alignment with state laws.

For The Youth:

• 1st Cohort of the Network of African Youth in Conflict Prevention and Mediation (Deadline: June 14th, 2024): The African Union has launched the WiseYouth Network, an initiative aimed at promoting the critical role of youth in peacemaking across the African continent. If you’re passionate about peace and conflict resolution, this opportunity is for you! The WiseYouth Network focuses on strengthening the role of youth in conflict prevention, mediation, and dialogue efforts. It operates on three pillars: capacity building, advocacy, and deployment.
• United Nations IOM Diversity Fellowship (Deadline: June 3rd, 2024): The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched the Diversity and Inclusion Internship Programme, which provides a transformative experience for young professionals. The program aims to address imbalances by promoting diversity and inclusion. It offers 6-month internships to talented individuals from non- and under-represented member states and persons with disabilities. Interns contribute to IOM’s global mission while gaining valuable experience. The program covers a monthly stipend for accommodation, living expenses, travel, and visa costs.

Resources & A Chance to Act:

• National Center for Homeless Education’s Understanding Doubled-Up (Webinar, Houselessness):
  • Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2024
  • Time: 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM ET
  • Description: Join the NCHE webinar where presenters delve into the concept of doubling-up. This informal term is part of the McKinney-Vento Act’s definition of homeless and refers to shared living arrangements. Some of these arrangements may be considered homeless, while others may not, depending on various factors. During the 45-minute session, attendees will explore these factors in greater detail and can interact with presenters and fellow attendees through Q&A and discussion periods.