The NTJN Wants Your Input!

The National Transitional Jobs Network invites all current and developing Transitional Jobs programs to participate in our 2008 census survey. With your input the NTJN will be able to develop new resources to serve TJ programs and advocate for policy change that supports the growth and development of the TJ model nationally. If you have not already, click here to fill out the short (5-10 minute) survey today!

Farewell

Please join us in congratulating Andrea “Andy” Ray, the Youth Transitional Jobs Coordinator, as she has taken a Chicago-based position with The Workforce Alliance as their Regional Field Director. Andy has been a valuable asset to the National Transitional Jobs Network with her work around growing the field of new programs and partners to further the development of Transitional Jobs programs for the hardest-to-employ. Her efforts have brought new understanding of the workforce and developmental needs of at-risk youth, and we are indebted to her for growing our collective understanding of the needs of youth and the field. Andy's leadership and guidance in NTJN technical assistance efforts have further positioned the NTJN to meet its mission of strengthening and expanding the field of Transitional Jobs.

Job Announcement

The National Transitional Jobs Network is seeking to hire a full time Technical Assistance Coordinator. The Technical Assistance Coordinator will serve as the lead staff person in the NTJN's rapidly growing technical assistance programming. As such, the Technical Assistance Coordinator will lead the day-to-day technical assistance (TA) activities of the NTJN including fielding TA requests from existing and prospective programs across the country, managing TA consultants, developing TA materials and resources, organizing learning opportunities for TJ programs such as cross-site meetings, trainings, and TA calls, and participating in planning national conferences.

We appreciate your assistance in helping us find the most appropriate candidate to fill this exciting position. Please forward this announcement to those in the workforce development field or share this announcement with qualified candidates from other nonprofit networks.

Transitional Jobs Task Force in Action!

In May, the Northeast Ohio Transitional Jobs Task Force (NOTJTF) partnered with Ohio Representative Sandra Williams (District 11) to coordinate its first legislative briefing on employing the hard-to-employ through Transitional Jobs programs. The National Transitional Jobs Network was on hand to support their efforts and describe what is happening at the national level with regards to Transitional Jobs.

The event was successful in bringing together and educating elected officials about the value of Transitional Jobs programs for hard-to-employ Ohioans. Task force coordinator, George Coulter has been busy responding to elected officials in Ohio who are supportive of Transitional Jobs efforts in the state and has this to say about NOTJTF efforts, "Ohio's future is inextricably linked with ensuring that every citizen has the opportunity and tools to provide for his or her family. For people who are hard-to-employ, Transitional Jobs provide an excellent stepping stone to more advanced employment and, therefore, higher wages. At the same time, they help employers fill gaps with people who want to work. In short, Transitional Jobs are a win-win."

The Northeast Ohio Transitional Jobs Task force is located at the Center for Community Solutions in Cleveland, Ohio. Contact George to be connected to the efforts of the Northeast Ohio Transitional Jobs Task Force today!

Contact Information:       George Coulter

                                    Human Capital/Economic Development Fellow
                                    Center for Community Solutions
                                    216.781.2944 ext. 450

                                    gcoulter@CommunitySolutions.com

Funding for Homeless Youth TJ Programs

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1980 to organize with individuals directly affected by homelessness and advocate together for systemic change. CCH believes housing is a human right and that homelessness is a societal ill that can be solved. One of CCH's many campaigns is No Youth Alone: A Campaign to End Youth Homelessness. Through the Campaign, CCH introduced the No Youth Alone initiative to the Illinois Legislature (HB 4455) on January 17, 2008, and has been working to secure $7 million in the Illinois State Budget for homeless youth Transitional Jobs programs and an additional 318 beds for youth shelter and transitional housing in the state. CCH's efforts have resulted in a $1.7 million increase in the Illinois State budget for Fiscal Year 2009; however, the budget has yet to be finalized. NTJN had the opportunity to interview Daria Mueller, a CCH Policy Specialist, regarding their vision for connecting homeless youth to TJ initiatives in Illinois and ensuring that the effort has state-supported funding.

NTJN Asked: Why Transitional Jobs for youth experiencing homelessness? What is the need?

In Illinois, the teen unemployment rate is very high, and youth with barriers to employment have an even harder time succeeding in work or school. In 2005, CCH conducted a survey with the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Survey Research Laboratory and found that that nearly 40 percent of homeless youth needing help finding employment did not receive it. In addition, 40 percent of homeless youth surveyed were currently employed while 38 percent were unemployed and looking for work. A follow-up survey released in 2007 revealed that employment was one of the top unmet needs for youth experiencing homelessness. Transitional Jobs is a promising employment strategy for youth with barriers to employment. When we considered the collateral barriers to employment that experiencing homelessness creates for youth, it was evident that we needed to bring our partners together to advocate for an intensive employment solution. Transitional Jobs makes sense because of the unique combination of elements that supports a youth experiencing homelessness to enter and succeed in the labor market.

NTJN Asked: How did CCH move from an idea to an action plan for state funds? Who were the stakeholders? Why were they important? What about sponsors? Why did they feel these funds and program opportunities were important for youth?

Our efforts are always informed and driven by research, best-practices in program development, and coalition building.

In 2005 and 2007, CCH released survey data from its work with UIC Survey Research Laboratory, which indicated that employment services was one of the top unmet needs for youth experiencing homelessness in the state.

With this information and with the support of our Youth Coalition Group, we began to look locally and nationally at employment programs for people experiencing homelessness and more broadly, at employment programs specifically designed for people with barriers to employment. It was evident to us and our partners that we needed to respond to the employment need of homeless youth through an advocacy agenda that included Transitional Jobs programs. Already, there were small TJ programs developing for youth in the region, and our efforts could ultimately strengthen and expand these and new initiatives to serve more youth.

As with any good advocacy effort, CCH worked with various stakeholders in the state to build support for this effort. Our partners included homeless youth providers, employment providers, advocates, representatives from the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services, and youth themselves. It was important that we include a broad set of voices and build partner support for this effort as a true coalition. It was also important that the voices of youth were at the center of our efforts. As we began to talk with elected officials in the state about our vision, it was apparent that they understood that employment services for homeless youth was important social and economic issue within the state. We worked in Springfield and across the state to build support and foster relationships with elected officials and used the media to draw attention to the employment needs of homeless youth.

The chief sponsors for the CCH bill were Illinois Representative Greg Harris (District 13) and Senator Dan Kotowski (District 33).

NTJN Asked: What advice would you share with other people interested in developing state-supported TJ initiatives for youth?

• Start with research to inform your efforts, and collect information, research, and best practices to support your goals.
• Build a solid, broad coalition of partners.
• Be prepared to have a strong presence in your state capitol.
• Be patient. These efforts take time to grow and mature.
• Use the media to support your efforts, draw attention to the issue, and persuade.

For more information, please contact:

Daria Mueller
312.435.4548 ext. 234
daria@chicagohomeless.org

Click here to learn more about the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.

Click here to view the bill status of Illinois HB 4455.

Second Chance Act of 2007

On April 9, 2008, President Bush signed The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. Law No: 110-199) into law. The law aims to reduce recidivism by amending the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize, rewrite, and expand provisions for adult and juvenile offender reentry demonstration projects to provide formerly incarcerated persons with a second chance at life. The Second Chance Act reauthorizes – but does not appropriate funds for – $300 million in grant programs to support the following: adult and juvenile offender state and local reentry demonstration programs; grant projects to provide training, mentoring, and transitional services; reentry courts; and substance abuse treatment, education and training, and mentoring services.

In May, the Center for Law and Social Policy released a legislative brief that outlines the provisions of the Second Chance Act, highlighting the eligibility requirements for receiving grant funds and details on how those funds can be spent.

Click here to read the brief.

For more information on how Second Chance funds can be used to support Transitional Jobs, click here to read the NTJN’s May 2008 Newsletter.

Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Family Act of 2007

The Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Family Act (S 1626, HR 3395) was first introduced in the Senate in 2006 by Senators Bayh (D-IN) and Obama (D-IL), with a companion bill introduced in the House by Representative Davis (D-IL ) on August 3, 2007. The legislation seeks to amend Title IV of the Social Security Act to ensure funding for grants to promote responsible fatherhood and strengthen low-income families, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for non-custodial parents paying child support, and increase funding for domestic violence activities in marriage and fatherhood employment programs. The findings section of the bill specifically notes that, “Transitional jobs programs can serve as the first step in a career pathway by giving unemployed individuals with multiple barriers to employment, valuable work experience and related services,” and the bill would provide for demonstration grants to states for the development of Transitional Jobs programs to promote economic opportunity for low-income workers. On April 25, the bill was referred to the House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry. The bill has remained in the Senate Finance Committee since June 2007.

Click here to download the Center for Law and Social Policy’s legislative brief outlining the provisions of the Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Family Act.

Click here to download the complete text of the legislation from THOMAS.

In a new paper titled “Congressional Action Needed to Ensure Low-Income Adults Receive Critical Employment and Training Services under Workforce Investment Act,” Allegra Baider of the Center for Law and Social Policy discusses the chronic underfunding of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the nation’s federally-funded workforce development system. The paper provides an analysis of the structural issues within the law that are contributing to the steadily declining share of low-income adults who receive intensive and training services under WIA. The paper concludes by making a number of recommendations for the 110^th Congress to consider in reauthorizing WIA, including:

• Targeting intensive and training services to low-income and low-skilled workers and individuals with barriers to employment;
• Removing the sequence of service provision; and
• Providing dedicated funding and support for successful program models, such as Transitional Jobs.

This paper is a good read for anyone interested in advocating for the reinvestment in the nation’s workforce development system to ensure that low-income workers have access to the critical training services they need to successfully transition into the labor market. 

Click here to download the paper.

On June 19, the House Appropriations Committe Subcommitte on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education will markup the Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations legislation, with full committee markup on June 25. Click here to learn how you can take action to ensure that our nation's workforce development system is fully supported for all workers.

Women Employed, a Chicago nonprofit dedicated to improving the economic status of women and the removal of barriers to economic equity, released a new program resource titled, "Strategies for Success in Career Development: The Career Coach Curriculum Guide.” This online tool is designed to assist program providers who work with adult learners to help them make the connection between the importance of education and career development. The curriculum is organized into 16 modules, covering such topics as browsing potential career choices to find the best “fit” and making short- and long-term plans. Individual modules can also be intergraded to supplement an existing program’s curriculum. Although Strategies for Success focuses on career development, the curriculum is also intended to help participants learn and apply skills that are equally transferable to the workplace, including: identifying barriers and strategies for overcoming them, setting priorities, making decisions, and developing time-management strategies.

For more information, click here to download the Strategies for Success introductory guide, or visit the Women Employed website to download the complete curriculum.

Registration is now open for Job Development Bootcamp: Lessons from the Battlefield. This 4-day intensive training opportunity is being offered by the Workforce Professionals Training Institute on Wednesdays, August 6, 13, 20, and 27, in New York City. Job Development Bootcamp is designed to improve the skills of every job developer by providing them with the tools needed to engage employers effectively, create true partnerships, and overcome employer resistance to hiring applicants with limited experience or significant barriers to employment. This training will also explore advanced strategies for integrating labor market data and forecasting skills into your job development toolkit, and will feature special presentations by labor market experts, panels of employers, and seasoned job developers. Register by July 23 to receive the Early Bird rate!

Click here for more information and registration details.

The National Institute of Corrections is hosting a live, 8-hour satellite/Internet training program on September 24 and 25 specifically designed for individuals working with women involved in the criminal justice system. Women and Work: Gender Responsivity and Workforce Development is an interactive training designed to engage participants in a national dialogue regarding emerging knowledge specific to formerly incarcerated women, and career theories and practices that help improve outcomes for women. The training will include a review of policies and procedures that have a direct impact on women and their reentry efforts, as well as a review of various assessment tools and instruments that support employment attainment and retention. Additional discussion topics will include: emerging practices on the risks and needs of women; intervention strategies and case management models; career theories and assessments tools; collaborative relationships that support effective reentry; and a "4th hour" action plan to integrate and expand upon the information presented.

Click here for more information and registration details.

The Workforce Alliance (TWA) is holding an Audio Update on Thursday, June 19 to discuss key changes to the Food Stamp and Employment Training (FSET) Program under the recently passed Food Stamp and Energy Security Act of 2007 (HR 2419), better known as the Farm Bill. The Audio Update will address new FSET reforms that remove restrictions on program participation for working individuals and expand the scope of post-employment support services allowable under the program. In addition, leading experts in the field will discuss how FSET can be used to expand education and training programs and provide enhanced services for program participants.

Click here to register for the Audio Update, or visit the website for a download after the event.

Email us your Transitional Jobs program technical assistance
questions to be featured in the newsletter:
ntjn@heartlandalliance.org

Fair Use Policy
Please feel free to forward our alerts as long as you credit the National Transitional Jobs Network with a link to our website: www.transitionaljobs.net.

To unsubscribe to this Newsletter, please email: ntjn@heartlandalliance.org

The NTJN is hosted by Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights
4411 N. Ravenswood
Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: 773.728.5960 x.6286 Fax: 773.506.6649