DC Youth and Young Adult Update 10-18-2024

By NYEC | October 18, 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. 
  • 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.  
  • Sign on to a Support Letter for WIOA Reauthorization: The letter, which can be found here, calls for broad themes that NYEC would like to see incorporated in a final WIOA reauthorization bill, including increasing data collection on opportunity youth, investing in high-quality training programs, mandating the use of self-attestation, and expand youth apprenticeships. The letter will be sent to the leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the House Education and Workforce Committee. You can sign on to the letter here. The deadline to sign the letter is October 25.  

Legislative Branch: 

  • Congressmen Burgess Owens (R-UT) and John James (R-MI) Join the Bipartisan Opportunity Youth Caucus: With the Congressmen joining on, the Bipartisan Opportunity Youth Caucus now has 5 members, including Caucus co-chairs Congresswoman Michelle Steel (R-CA) and Congressman Troy Carter (D-LA) and Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL). This is an incredibly exciting development as we collectively work to build the Caucus’ membership! If you would like to ask your Congressperson to join the Caucus, please reach out to nathan.hora@nyec.org!  

Executive Branch: 

  • Biden-Harris Administration Announces $70 Million in New Awards for School-Based Mental Health Services: The $70 million investment in FY 2024 funds builds on the $571 million in awards already made for the School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) and Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration (MHSP) programs through Department appropriations and the largest-ever expansion of K-12 mental health programs through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act—which provides $1 billion over five years for these programs. The newly announced awards, combined with the BSCA investments, will support 333 grantees across 48 states to strengthen the pipeline and increase the diversity of school-based mental health professionals. These investments are projected to add 18,000 school-based mental health professionals to the workforce. These funds are being utilized to boost pre-service preparation for prospective mental health professionals to serve in schools, alleviate cost barriers for attendance, expand professional development opportunities, recruit and train mental health professionals from diverse backgrounds, and provide stipends for interns gaining clinical experience in high-need schools.  
  • EPA National Environmental Youth Advisory Council Meeting: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the National Environmental Youth Advisory Council (NEYAC) in 2023 to provide independent advice and recommendations to the Administrator on how to increase EPA’s efforts to address a range of environmental issues as they relate to youth. The NEYAC will convene a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.  

Federal Funding Opportunities: 

Previously Shared 

  • SBA Grant: Microloan Program – National Training Conference: Grants are intended to be awarded to experienced microlending organizations and national and regional nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated experience in providing training support for microenterprise development to assist SBA in conducting a national training conference for Intermediaries participating in the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program to ensure that such Intermediaries have the knowledge, skills, and understanding of microlending practice necessary to operate successful SBA microloan programs. Applications are due November 8, 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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: 

  • Virginia: Alarmed by data showing 40% of Virginia children unprepared for kindergarten, state representatives and community leaders convened on October 4th to discuss the urgent need for improved early childhood education. The Virginia Business Roundtable for Early Education, an initiative of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, brought together diverse stakeholders to address this challenge. Emily O’Brion, a government relations expert, highlighted the crucial connection between quality early childhood care, school readiness, and workforce participation. The roundtable underscored the importance of increased investment and effective public policy to ensure all children have access to the foundation they need to succeed. 
  • Washington: Recognizing that high school graduates need more than ever to succeed in today’s world, the Washington Board of Education is launching “FutureReady,” an initiative to revamp graduation requirements. The board aims to equip students with essential skills like technology literacy, financial literacy, and cultural understanding, which are currently lacking in the existing standards. To support this multi-year effort, the board is requesting $273,000 in funding from the legislature, citing widespread concern among students, educators, and employers about the inadequacy of current requirements. 

For The Youth: 

  • Step Up: Looking for a program that helps teen girls build confidence, explore careers, and develop crucial life skills? Step Up on Campus offers a unique blend of support, mentorship, and real-world experiences to help young women (ages 14-18) succeed in their journey to adulthood. 

Resources:  

  • Public Workforce System Perpetuates Economic Inequality for Black Workers, Report Reveals: While the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 mandates labor market analysis, a crucial element is missing: tracking the outcomes of Black Americans. Without mandatory reporting of racial demographics at the state level, the effectiveness of these programs for Black workers, who make up 13% of the workforce, remains unknown and potentially unequal.  
  • Unlocking Youth Potential: A Guide to Meaningful Engagement (Webinar): Is your organization ready to meaningfully engage the next generation? This webinar from the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP) offers essential tools and strategies for authentic youth engagement. Hear inspiring success stories and learn from a diverse panel of experts, including young professionals and seasoned leaders. Discover how to create impactful partnerships with youth and young adults and elevate their voices in your work. 

 

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