DC Youth and Young Adult Update 03-7-2025

By NYEC | March 7, 2025

 

 

 

 

News at NYEC:  

  • NYEC Testified Before Congress! NYEC testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee at the hearing, “Strengthening WIOA: Improving Outcomes for America’s Workforce.” This was a tremendous opportunity to advocate for the needs of opportunity youth at the federal level. Our Board Chair, Robert Sainz, provided an expert testimony on how NYEC and partner organizations are working hard to get WIOA reauthorized. We invite you to watch the full committee hearing here! 
  • 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 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 support, reminders, and more!  

Legislative Branch:  

  • 119th Congressional Committee Updates: 
  • Rep. Biggs Introduces H.R.1825: U.S. Representative Andy Biggs (AZ-05) introduced H.R.1825, a resolution to direct the Secretary of Education to eliminate the Office of Enforcement within the Office of Federal Student Aid.  
  • Rep. Allen Introduces H.R.1446: U.S. Representative Rick Allen (GA-12) introduced H.R.1446, a resolution to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to identify or develop assessments to measure the prior knowledge, skills, competencies, and experiences of an individual.  

Executive Branch:  

Federal Funding Opportunities with upcoming deadlines: 

No new federal funding opportunities 

Previously Shared  

  • DOJ Grant: OJJDP FY25 Strategies To Support Children Exposed to Violence: This funding opportunity seeks to provide funding to communities to develop coordinated and comprehensive community-based approaches to help children and their families who are exposed to violence (CEV) build resilience, restore their safety, heal their social and emotional wounds, and prevent future violence and delinquency. Applications are due March 10, 2025.  
  • DOJ Grant: OJJDP FY25 Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers Program: This program furthers DOJ’s mission by supporting and strengthening four regional children’s advocacy centers (CACs) that will deliver coordinated training and technical assistance within and across the regions to CACs, members of multidisciplinary teams, programs, and organizations to improve the investigation and prosecution of child abuse and neglect and the provision of children’s advocacy center services to child victims and their families. Applications are due March 12, 2025. 
  • HHS Grant: Statewide Family Network: The purpose of this program is to provide resources to enhance the capacity of statewide mental health family-controlled organizations to support, train, and mentor family members/primary caregivers who are raising children, youth, and young adults with serious emotional disturbance (SED) and/or co-occurring disorders (COD). Applications due March 17, 2025. 
  • FY25 U.S. Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation: This Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) funding opportunity seeks to provide funding to improve public safety and victim services in tribal communities. CTAS provides federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia an opportunity to apply for funding to aid in developing a comprehensive and coordinated approach to public safety. Applications are due March 18, 2025.  
  • USDA Grant: Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification: Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification (YFSEC) Program for Fiscal Year 2025 supports national efforts to deliver timely, pertinent, and appropriate farm safety education to youth seeking employment or already employed in agricultural production. Application are due March 20, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: Building a Community of Practice for Women in Strategic Trade: This grant exists to create a professional network and community of practice to advance women working in strategic trade through sustained mentorship. Experienced international strategic trade experts and practitioners will guide early- or mid-career women in the strategic trade field through a sustained six-month mentorship. Applications are due March 25, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: BJA FY25 STOP School Violence Program: This funding opportunity aims to support school safety by implementing solutions to enhance school climate, establish school-based behavioral threat assessment and intervention teams to identify violence risks, introduce technologies like anonymous reporting tools, and apply other evidence-based strategies to prevent violence. Applications are due March 27, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: BJA FY25 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program: This funding opportunity seeks to fund programs that support collaborations to improve public safety responses and outcomes for people with mental health disorders (MHDs) or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (MHSUDs). The goal is to improve safety and well-being for adults with MHDs (including people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) or MHSUDs who come into contact with the criminal justice system. Applications are due April 3, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: OVW Fiscal Year 2025 Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program: The Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program, referred to as the Tribal Governments Program, assists Tribal governments (or their authorized designees) to respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking in Tribal communities. Applications are due April 8, 2025.  
  • DOJ Grant: NIJ FY25 Graduate Research Fellowship: This funding opportunity seeks to support doctoral students whose dissertation research is relevant to preventing and controlling crime, advancing knowledge of victimization and effective victim services, or ensuring the fair and impartial administration of criminal or juvenile justice in the United States. Applications are due April 15, 2025.  
  • USDA Grant: Community Connect Grant Program: The Community Connect Grant Program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide service at or above the Broadband Grant Speed (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) to all premises in rural, economically-challenged communities where broadband service (10 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up) does not exist. Applications due April 21, 2025. 

From The States: 

  • Illinois: Despite Illinois’ relatively good standing in youth mental health nationally, a staggering 50% of young people with depression in the state are not receiving any treatment. This highlights a critical gap in our mental health system, especially given the current climate where anxiety and depression are reaching unprecedented levels among youth. Andrea Durbin, CEO of the Illinois Collaboration on Youth, points out that LGBTQ youth and those from immigrant families are particularly vulnerable. She emphasizes the urgent need for compassion, empathy, and understanding, urging adults to recognize their responsibility in protecting and supporting these young people. This situation underscores the critical need for increased investment in mental health resources, improved access to care, and a greater focus on prevention and early intervention.  
  • Arizona: Pima County teens and young adults can gain valuable workplace skills and earn money this summer through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). This program offers paid internships at over 50 county locations, providing participants aged 14-21 the opportunity to explore potential career paths while earning $15.75 per hour. Participants work 30 hours per week, gaining valuable experience and knowledge. With approximately 1,000 positions available for over 2,000 expected applicants, interested youth are encouraged to apply by the March 31st deadline. 

For The Youth: 

  • Career Advice for Young People: Your early career is a pivotal time, a foundation upon which your long-term success will be built. The habits you cultivate and the skills you acquire in these formative years will significantly impact your future trajectory. It’s essential to prioritize a holistic approach, focusing not only on your professional development, but also on your personal growth. This includes developing crucial soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and adaptability, as well as cultivating self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Actively seeking mentorship from experienced professionals can provide invaluable guidance, support, and perspective, empowering you to make informed decisions about your career path. These mentors can offer insights into industry trends, help you navigate workplace challenges, and provide constructive feedback to accelerate your growth. Remember, your early career is a journey of exploration and learning. Embrace the opportunities to grow both personally and professionally and leverage the support available to you. Indeed is committed to helping young navigate this critical stage and achieve their career aspirations through a series of webinars. 
  • The National Youth Employment Coalition is now accepting applications and referrals for the 2025 Youth Advisory Council (YAC)!This opportunity is open to young leaders across the country, ages 14-26, who are passionate about shaping policies, leadership development, and ensuring that youth voices are at the forefront of decision-making. 
  • Why Apply? 
  1. Gain leadership and advocacy experience 
  2. Collaborate with peers and professionals nationwide 
  3. Receive a stipend for your contributions over a 9-month term 
  4. Make a referral or complete the application HERE by March 21st. 

Resources:  

  • Defining Social Capital for Young People: This report provides a practical framework for measuring and improving social capital among youth and young adults of color from low-income backgrounds. It’s part of the Social Capital Assessment and Learning for Equity (SCALE) project, which aims to develop effective ways to measure social capital in programs that support these young people in pursuing higher education and employment. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the report is based on a thorough review of research and practical resources on social capital, with a focus on how to measure it in real-world programs.  
  • AI In the Workplace: Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, business leaders have been eager to integrate AI technologies, but how are employees responding? Join Gallup experts for a client webinar exploring the latest findings on AI in the U.S. workplace. They examine current AI use among leaders and employees, attitudes toward adoption, and key factors for successful AI implementation. Gain valuable insights to prepare your workforce for the future of work. 
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