This issue brief highlights three areas to consider in developing workforce policies for young parents between the age of 18 and 24 in a post-pandemic world. These touchstones include: accelerated pathways, such as Integrated Education and Training, Accelerated Study in Associate Programs, and guided pathways to focus on skill gaps to prepare for in-demand jobs; expansion of digital inclusion programs to address disparities in broadband access, availability of digital devices, and computer literacy skills; and provision of high-quality childcare for workforce program participants.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) youth program includes financial literacy education as one of 14 program elements. This set of resources provides tools and guides for financial literacy education as well as pertinent research reports and curriculum. The resources cover creating budgets; setting up checking and saving accounts; managing spending, credit, and debt; understanding credit reports and credit scores; and protecting against identify theft.

This brief from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation presents graphics to illustrate variations among state TANF policies that are identified in the Welfare Rules Database. Visual depictions include comparisons on initial eligibility, benefit amounts, work and activity requirements, and ongoing eligibility and time limits for TANF recipients.

The Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin will host a virtual seminar on October 15, 2020 from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. CT. The seminar will discuss metrics, covering financial well-being, secure and stable housing, family stability, health, supportive communities, education, and work, that embody the comprehensive definition of economic and social mobility developed by the U.S. Partnership on Mobility from Poverty. Urban Institute’s Greg Acs will lead the seminar’s discussion.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather information on programs providing services to help youth ages 16 to 24 progress on education and employment pathways. This project focuses on young people who are out of work and/or out of school, especially those from lower income families and communities. The information gathered will be included in a public compendium highlighting selected programs. Note: Not all submissions will be included in the compendium.

Submitted programs must:

• Serve youth ages 16-24 (may also serve adults).
• Target young people who are out of school and/or work or have the following risk factors: low-income family or community, is a parent, is justice-involved, is now or was in foster care, experiences homelessness, has a disability.
• Provide services supporting education or employment goals.
• Currently operate in the United States.

Submit written comments by September 28, 2020 to ReconnectingYouthRFI@hhs.gov.

Low-income young workers in service-sector jobs have felt first-hand the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. This report explores how 10 states participating in the New Skills for Youth Initiative addressed designing and implementing pathways for high school students. It reflects findings from interviews with educators, business leaders, student advisors, community partners, and other key stakeholders which took place from June 2017 to June 2020. The report also covers pathway options for younger workers and how they gain work experience through internships, apprenticeships, and other work-based learning opportunities.

This research-to-practice brief presents findings from an initial study of custodial and non-custodial parents enrolled in the Fathers Advancing Community Together (FACT) program, which is offered by Rubicon Programs in Contra Costa County, California. FACT addresses responsible parenting and healthy relationships and delivers economic stability services. The brief notes that FACT parents believe they already possess the necessary skills to be successful parents and acknowledge the importance of personal financial management for long-term economic stability. The survey of FACT parents also identified the challenges they encountered accessing childcare and balancing job seeking while participating in FACT, which led to a restructuring of the program to better serve parents.

This practice guide illustrates case management practices that are appropriate and effective for promoting youth well-being and provides methods for helping youth on probation understand and take responsibility for their actions. The guide highlights how diversion from formal court processing could be used more often with youth otherwise engaging in normal adolescent behavior. Also noted is how probation professionals need to engage with the families of youth in transition and their communities while working in partnership with other public systems and service providers to utilize a strengths-based, trauma-responsive approach for positive adolescent development.

This dataset, updated annually since 2011, represents a holistic perspective of opportunity to suggest that one’s ability to thrive is not limited to economic circumstances. It also includes educational, health-related, and overall community conditions and resources that a person will encounter. The Opportunity Index covers data on these four dimensions and presents a composite measure that weighs Economic, Education, Health, and Community factors for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The index ranks each of the jurisdictions in descending order of levels of overall opportunity. Data is also assessed at an overall level for nearly 2,000 counties (approximately 95 percent of the entire U.S. population). In addition, the study indicators include data broken down by gender and race/ethnicity at an overall level. A technical supplement explains the methodology behind the rankings.

Zero to Three will convene its annual conference on October 5-8, 2020 as a virtual event. The conference will include sessions highlighting the latest research on early life adversity, early childhood programs, and supports for child well-being. Participants are eligible to earn CEUs. There is a fee to attend the event, and registration is required.