DC Youth and Young Adult Update 8-02-2024

By NYEC | August 2, 2024

 

 

  • News at NYEC: 
    • NYEC’s Youth Days Will Take Place September 11-13. Time is running out to register! NYEC is inviting practitioners, community and organization leaders, 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 mix of virtual preparation and in-person interaction in Washington, DC. The virtual advocacy training sessions begin this month, so reserve your spot now! 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 Encourages Members to Educate their Members of Congress about the Importance of Investing in Opportunity Youth: As we shared last week, the House Appropriations Committee advanced its Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill, which includes many federal programs of importance to NYEC. If enacted, the bill would significantly cut or eliminate crucial federal programs that support opportunity youth. The bill proposes to eliminate WIOA Youth funding and cut Apprenticeship and the Reentry Employment Opportunities program by nearly 50 percent. Now is the time to contact your members of Congress to share why it’s crucial to robustly invest in programs that support opportunity youth. You can find an email/call template here. If you need contact information for your members of Congress, you can either directly call their DC office or email [email protected]. 

    Legislative Branch: 

    Executive Branch: 

    • White House Issues Press Release on How Investing in Equity Fosters the Goals of Investing in America: The press release details how investing in historically left-behind communities has a significant, long-lasting positive impact on workers and the economy. Racial and economic inequality have high economic cost; an estimated $1.15 trillion in GDP could have been generated in 2019 if racial earning gaps were eliminated. The economy has progressed in this regard, with Black unemployment hitting a record low in April 2023. Investing in geographic inequality can also foster economic opportunity. For example, the economic benefits of policies that add jobs in targeted places are at least 60 percent greater in “distressed” regions than in “booming” ones. To this end, Investing in America and the Inflation Reduction Act focus on communities reliant on fossil fuels for clean energy investments.  

    Federal Funding Opportunities 

    From The States: 

    • Florida: Amidst a heat advisory covering much of Central and Southwest Florida, Tampa Bay area Congresswoman Kathy Castor called for federal action to protect outdoor workers from the dangers of extreme heat. With nearly half a million Floridians working in outdoor jobs, Castor urged the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to finalize a proposed rule mandating heat protections in both indoor and outdoor workplaces. Such measures could significantly reduce heat-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths, safeguarding vulnerable workers while highlighting the growing need for federal intervention in the face of escalating climate change-driven heatwaves. 
    • Kentucky: The Kentucky Citizen Foster Care Review Boards are inviting the public to participate in a series of virtual town hall meetings this month to discuss ways to improve outcomes for families and children in the state’s foster care system. Following the first meeting on August 1st, additional regional meetings are scheduled for August 6th, 13th, and 16th. Registration is required to attend. Feedback collected during these meetings will inform the Kentucky Citizen Foster Care Review Board’s annual recommendations to key decision-makers, including the Supreme Court, governor, and legislature. 

     

    For The Youth: 

    • USAID Payne International Development Fellowship Program (Deadline: August 15, 2024): Apply for the USAID Payne Fellowship Program, which offers graduate students the opportunity to pursue a career in international development and foreign service. The fellowship provides funding for graduate education, professional development, and mentorship, aiming to develop a diverse cadre of USAID Foreign Service Officers. The program includes summer internships in Washington, D.C., and at USAID missions abroad, providing hands-on experience in international development. 

    Resources: 

    • National Voter Registration Day: The National Voter Registration Day website offers state-specific guides for organizing voter registration drives. These guides, created by Nonprofit VOTE and the Fair Elections Center, provide detailed rules and regulations for each state. They aim to help organizations plan effective voter registration events while ensuring compliance with local election laws. For the most accurate and current information, users are encouraged to consult their state or local elections office. 
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