DC Youth and Young Adult Update 9-27-2024

News at NYEC: 

• WIOA Programs can Help Participants Register to Vote: As we approach the 2024 election, NYEC wants to remind its members that the Department of Labor (DOL) issued guidance in 2022 sharing that programs receiving WIOA funds may engage in voter registration activities. Specifically, DOL stated that the following partners of American Job Centers may engage in such activities: WIOA Title I Youth, YouthBuild, Indian and Native American, National Farmworker, and Reentry Employment Opportunities programs and Job Corps operators.  

Legislative Branch:  

• Congressman David Scott (D-GA) Introduces Legislation to Amend the National Apprenticeship Act: The bill would amend the National Apprenticeship Act to include the immediate recruitment, employment, and on-the-job earn as you learn training of young African Americans, and to promote the development of equitable hiring standards necessary to safeguard the diversity of apprentices in the national apprenticeship system.  

• Congressman Joseph Morelle (D-NY) Reintroduces the HOPE Act: The bill would help modernize and streamline how eligible recipients access services to reduce food insecurity, increase access to affordable housing, expand access to banking services, and more. 

Executive Branch: 

• Workforce Information Advisory Council Hearing November 6, 2024: The WIAC meets to gather information and to engage in deliberative and planning activities to facilitate the development and provision of its recommendations to the Secretary in a timely manner. There are three agenda topics for this meeting. One, review and approve recommendations the WIAC members discussed at the previous meeting held September 9 and 10, 2024. Two, discuss topics for future consideration of the WIAC. Third, determine a workplan for developing the next set of WIAC recommendations. The meeting invitation will be posted here in the days leading up to the event.  

• Biden-Harris Administration Announces Awards of Approximately $71 million in Workforce Development Grants: Funds will be used to improve job quality, expand access to good jobs in critical sectors and prepare workers for good-paying jobs. The  funding comes from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program, Critical Sectors Job Quality Grants Program and Workforce Pathways for Youth program, which will support 27 organizations serving 14 states and the District of Columbia.   

Federal Funding Opportunities: 

 

Previously Shared 

• The Department of Education Seeks Funding Applicants for the Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education Program: The funding aims to support organizations that work directly with gang-involved youth to help them pursue higher education opportunities. Applications are due September 30th, 2024. 

• HUD Grant: Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing: Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) empowers communities that are actively taking steps to remove barriers to affordable housing and seeking to increase housing production and lower housing costs over the long term. Applications due October 15, 2024. 

• National Rural Transit Assistance Program: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for $3,250,723 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Rural Transportation Assistance Program funds through a competitive cooperative agreement award. FTA is soliciting proposals under the agency’s Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program to select an entity to administer a National Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP). The National RTAP will carry out activities to design and implement training and technical assistance projects and other support services tailored to meet the specific needs of transit operators in rural areas, including tribal transit services. Applications due November 12, 2024. 

• 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. 

• 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. 

• 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: 

• Tennessee: A federal judge upheld Tennessee’s “bathroom law”, which requires public schools to prohibit transgender students from using the gendered bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity. This decision allows the “Tennessee Accommodations for All Children Act,” signed in 2021, to remain in effect. The law mandates schools to provide “reasonable accommodation” to transgender students and staff, but explicitly excludes access to multi-use restrooms or changing facilities.  

• Missouri: To combat the nationwide shortage of skilled workers, industry leaders are using WIOA dollars to fund innovative educational programs, like the one in North Kansas City. This program offers free, five-week courses where students gain diverse industry skills and then choose a specific career path. Graduate Ariana Tormes highlights the program’s impact, emphasizing the rapid development of new educational and healthcare facilities that provide crucial resources to the community. 

For The Youth: 

• Youth Conservation Corps Opportunities 

• Who can apply: Ages 15–18 

• Schedule: summer 8–10 weeks, non-residential (except at Yellowstone) 

• Interest areas: conservation work projects, environmental education programs 

• Application period: Apply to the park that interests you or check out your state’s YCC program 

• Contact: NPS Youth Programs via e-mail 

Resources: 

• How Community Members, Advocates, and Policymakers Can Make the Most of the Remaining American Rescue Plan Dollars for Children and Youth: This blog post from the Children’s Funding Project highlights the urgency for communities, advocates, and policymakers to strategically utilize the remaining American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds dedicated to children and youth. With deadlines approaching, the article emphasizes the importance of thoughtful planning and collaboration to ensure these funds create lasting positive change.   

• How to Support Employees with Non-Apparent Disabilities: When employers consider disability, they often picture visible examples. However, not all disabilities are readily apparent. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines disability broadly, encompassing both mental health and physical conditions that significantly impair major life activities. This includes many “non-apparent” disabilities, often invisible to others. As a result, individuals with non-apparent disabilities must disclose their conditions to receive support and accommodation. To learn more about how workplaces can assist individuals with non-apparent disabilities, visit Workforce GP’s Related Content section.