Millions of Americans cannot afford internet access that would enable them to interview for employment, work remotely, fill out online-only benefits applications, or do telehealth appointments. Equitable broadband adoption depends on people having the financial means to get and maintain internet service, which the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) facilitates. This blogpost by New America focuses on the City of Detroit’s success in implementing the ACP, demonstrating how effective the program can be in helping to bridge the digital divide and providing some lessons for how other cities can increase adoption.

In 2020, the National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) became a sub-grantee for a multi-year national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment & Training (E&T) research cohort project. MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership is a critical service provider for people who earn low incomes, working to build community and eradicate poverty in Mahnomen, Hubbard, Becker, Otter Tail and Wadena (MAHUBE-OTWA) counties. Through NCAP’s webinars, one-on-one meetings, and intensive coaching sessions, the MAHUBE-OTWA team learned how a SNAP E&T Partnership could align with organizational goals and position an agency with workforce development tools to better facilitate economic mobility for clients. MAHUBE-OTWA then worked closely with the Minnesota state SNAP E&T office and officially became a new SNAP E&T third-party provider in October 2022. NCAP’s Q&A with the MAHUBE-OTWA team captures their E&T partnership journey.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that more than 47 million workers voluntarily quit their jobs in 2021. This phenomenon, referred to as the Great Resignation, is the subject of a new study from the Shift Project. Prior research had relied on labor mar­ket data and lim­it­ed anec­do­tal evidence until Why Are Young Workers Leaving Their Jobs? took a dif­fer­ent approach. This new research engaged nearly 3,000 young work­ers and tracked sev­er­al telling fac­tors, includ­ing their rea­sons for quit­ting and their sat­is­fac­tion at each job. This blogpost by the Annie E. Casey Foundation discusses the results of the study, including the motivations for quitting and employment within the service sector.

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) will convene the 2024 Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS) in person in Washington, DC on May 29–31, 2024. RECS 2024 will focus on programs, policies, and services that support families on the path to economic self-sufficiency. Presentations will feature research findings and their policy and practice implications for an audience that includes researchers, practitioners, state and local administrators, federal officials, and policymakers. Join OPRE for a virtual information session on Thursday, June 22, 2023 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET to hear more about the conference, conference tracks, proposal types, tips for preparing a successful proposal, and how to submit a proposal through the website.

The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program was established in the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 and is one the largest efforts by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to improve self-sufficiency among those receiving federal rental assistance. In 2012, HUD commissioned a national random assignment evaluation of the FSS program’s impacts on labor market and other quality-of-life outcomes for households receiving Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs). The FSS program has two key components: case managers who work with participant households to develop individualized self-sufficiency plans and to access other community services, and asset development via interest-bearing escrow accounts. This report by MDRC examines FSS program implementation, participants’ engagement in the program, and program impacts on labor force participation and government benefits receipt five years following random assignment.

Between 1998 and 2003, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development administered the Jobs Plus demonstration in six cities with areas of concentrated poverty and unemployment. The demonstration aimed to increase employment and earnings among public housing residents through a combination of on-site employment-related services and rent incentives. The original demonstration had strong, positive results. In 2014, a new and expanded Jobs Plus pilot program was launched. MDRC developed this report which examines the impact of the 2014 replication program, assessing participation and labor market outcomes in the first 24 public housing agencies that received funding for the program.

This funding opportunity is made available through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR). This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, to deliver Brownfields Job Training programs that recruit, train, and retain a local, skilled workforce. Priorities are to deliver training to unemployed and under-employed residents, so that they may obtain the skills and credentials needed for pathways into full-time employment in occupations related to hazardous and solid waste management as well as sustainable cleanup and reuse, and chemical safety.

EPA anticipates awarding approximately 24 grants nationwide at amounts up to $500,000 per award. Applications are due by August 2, 2023.

The National Association of Workplace Development Professionals (NAWDP) provides workforce development professionals with professional development opportunities that reflect industry demands and individual needs. NAWDP will host two digital learning series during the summer of 2023:

• The Larry Robbin Summer Learning Series will provide insight into working with participants who have challenges finding employment. The series will include four learning experiences covering the topics of recruitment, trauma as a hidden barrier to employment, managing rejection and sustaining job search motivation, and job retention. There is a registration fee for participation.
• The 30 Minutes of Excellence Series will feature short 30-minute sessions on the Job Corps, enhancing accessibility in workforce centers, and Workforce Development Month. There is no registration fee for participation.

Every year, over 600,000 individuals are released from our nation's prisons. Individuals who have limited job opportunities are more likely to be rearrested. The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration will host a webinar on June 13, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET which will discuss innovative strategies on ways to engage and support returning citizens to return to the workforce. The webinar will highlight programs which assist with the challenges they experience and offer the support required for success. Presenters will speak about re-entry and present state and local programs that help prepare the population pre-release. Outreach strategies will also be covered that engage returning citizens post-release to ensure quality jobs are obtained, in turn, reducing recidivism.

The Center for Law and Social Policy’s (CLASP) mental health work has consistently shown that young people strongly prefer to receive support from peers and to receive support in trusted community-based settings, including youth workforce development programs. This blogpost from CLASP highlights a promising program aimed at young adults in Los Angeles (LA) County that will launch in the summer of 2023. It will bring together two sectors that are often siloed: workforce development and mental health services. LA County has 14 Youth CareerSource Centers that serve as hubs for youth workforce development programs. As part of this new program to support mental health, each center will recruit 3 to 5 young people ages 18-24 to participate in a peer youth support certification program. The partnership between the youth workforce system and the county-level mental health system in LA County demonstrates an expansion of mental health care for opportunity youth enrolled in workforce development programs, while also building career opportunities for young people who want to provide much-needed support to their peers.