DC Youth and Young Adult Update 11-22-2024

 

 

News at NYEC: 

• Join the National Youth Employment Coalition’s 2025 Annual Forum- Empowering Youth, Transforming Communities, in Minneapolis, MN, from May 12-14, 2025! This event will gather practitioners, youth advocates, and community leaders to explore key topics like youth leadership, holistic supports, living wage employment, and policy & advocacy.  

• Fill out a 6-month Federal Advocacy Calendar!: Interested in being more engaged in federal advocacy? The hyperlinked title will direct you to a JotForm that lists out concrete steps that you can take in the first 6 months of the year to build a relationship with your Members of Congress! NYEC will make it easy to complete each goal of every month by sharing supports, reminders, and more!  

Legislative Branch: 

• Congressman Bob Good (R-VA) Introduces the Developing America’s Workforce Act: The bill would reinstate Trump Administration apprenticeship policies to develop skilled workers for employers to bolster the American economy without piling on more college debt. Specifically, the bill would  

• Codify President Trump’s Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs) 

• Reinstate the Trump-era rule enabling third-party, DOL-approved entities to recognize and oversee private sector apprenticeship programs 

• Help individuals obtain industry-specific skills through on-the-job learning and classroom instruction 

• Provide participants with an industry-recognized credential upon completion of the program, and 

• Provide more flexibility for workers to develop skills on the job that are relevant for the needs of the economy. 

• Congressman Maxwell Frost (D-FL) Introduces the Youth Climate Leadership Act of 2024: The bill would cement the existence of the National Environmental Youth Advisory Council (NEYAC) at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to create more youth advisory councils at relevant federal agencies. The bill was also introduced by Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA).  

Executive Branch: 

• White House Hosts “Classroom to Career” Summit, Celebrates Successful Efforts to Expand High-Quality Career Pathways and Workforce Development Programs in Every Community: President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed approximately 200 education and workforce leaders to the White House for the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Classroom to Career” Summit. At the Summit, President Biden announced that more than $80 billion from his American Rescue Plan has now been committed to strengthening and expanding the American workforce.  

• US Departments of Labor, Commerce Release Skills-First Hiring Guide: Skills-first hiring – also known as “skills-based hiring” – refers to the hiring or promotion of workers around skills, knowledge and abilities that workers can demonstrate they have, regardless of how or where they attained those skills. The guide can be found here. 

 

Federal Funding Opportunities: 

Previously Shared 

• High School Equivalency Program: The HEP is designed to assist migratory or seasonal farmworkers (or immediate family members of such workers) to obtain the equivalent of a secondary school diploma and subsequently to gain improved employment, enter military service, or be placed in an institution of higher education (IHE) or other postsecondary education or training. Applications will be available on September 3, 2024 and will close November 15, 2024. 

• DOL Grant: Workforce Pathways for Youth – Rounds 4 and 5: The applicant must be a national OST non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization, that proposes to serve youth that have been historically underserved and marginalized.  For purposes of this funding announcement, a national organization is defined as an organization that has affiliates operating in at least three states. Applications are due December 3rd, 2024. 

• DOS Grant: Youth Coalitions for Drug Demand Reduction: Applicants will use funds to carry out a project to improve youth engagement in drug demand reduction interventions, expanding access to community mental health services, and supporting drug prevention through school-based in underserved communities. The project should plan for implementation in at least 10 communities, including at least three communities each in Peru’s coast, Andean, and Amazonian regions. Applications are due January 10, 2025. 

• Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 AmeriCorps State and National Competitive Grants: AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations that engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to strengthen communities. AmeriCorps members may receive a living allowance and other benefits. After successful completion of their service, members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award they can use to pay for higher education expenses or apply to qualified student loans. Applications are due by January 23, 2025. 

• FY 2025 National Infrastructure Investments: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 authorized and appropriated $1.5 billion to be awarded by the Department of Transportation for Local and Regional Project Assistance Program Grants under National Infrastructure Investments. This notice of funding opportunity solicits applications for projects funded under the Local and Regional Project Assistance Program, known as the RAISE Grants program. Applications are due January 30, 2025. 

• IMLS Grant: Native American Library Services Basic Grant: The Native American Basic Grants (NAB) program assists Native American Tribes in establishing, sustaining, and improving library services and operations with their communities. As information needs change, Tribal libraries must be able to serve as knowledge and resource centers to benefit their users and the wellness of their communities. The NAB program supports Tribes across the country to address their individual information needs and priorities. Applications are due February 4, 2025. 

• Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program: The purpose of the PROTECT Program is to provide grants on a competitive basis for projects that seek to strengthen surface transportation to be more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, heat waves, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk costal infrastructure. Applications are due February 24, 2025. 

• Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant: The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant programs provide funding for rural projects through local utility organizations. USDA provides zero-interest loans to local utilities which they in turn, pass through to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. Applications are due June 30, 2025. 

 

From The States: 

• Oregon: Oregon’s workforce is aging rapidly. More than 25% of workers are now over 55, double the percentage in 1990. This trend could significantly impact the state’s economy if those workers retire in mass, leaving critical positions unfilled and hindering growth in key industries. The state recently completed a scan to develop a strategic plan that can help address these gaps.  

• Iowa: Iowa is launching a revamped grant program, Teacher & Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship (TPRA) Program 2.0, to boost education career opportunities for students statewide. This streamlined program builds on the success of its predecessor, which has already supported over 1,000 apprentices and 124 districts. Governor Reynolds believes TPRA 2.0 will further benefit aspiring teachers and address the state’s education workforce needs. 

For The Youth: 

• Virtual Mentoring Portals: Developed by leading mentoring experts, iCouldBe’s Virtual Mentoring Portals provide a safe and secure online environment for building strong mentor-mentee relationships. Young people can connect easily, overcome geographical limitations, and enjoy a more flexible mentoring experience. 

Resources:  

• Children’s Mental Health: The Urgent Need for Benefits: Many parents face a hidden struggle: their child’s mental health. One in four workers is grappling with this challenge, facing obstacles like long waitlists and high costs for care. This lack of support affects not only the child but also the parent’s productivity and well-being. This guide from Lyra Health explores the impact of children’s mental health on the workplace, the barriers to care, and the benefits of employer support. 

• Beyond Parental Leave: 14 Ways to Support New Parents in the Workplace: Companies are stepping up to support new parents with a range of initiatives designed to enhance their well-being. From extended parental leave and flexible work options to on-site lactation rooms and mental health resources, these efforts promote a smoother transition back to work and a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.