The City of Phoenix has been awarded $1.1 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Labor for the YouthBuild program
The DOL (U.S. Department of Labor) announced the award of nearly $76 million in YouthBuild grants to support additional academic and occupational skills training for at-risk youth. The grants range from approximately $700,000 to $1.1 million each and will fund 72 YouthBuild programs in 31 states and the District of Columbia.
YouthBuild Phoenix will enroll 66 youth over the grant period of performance, enrolling 33 youth in each programmatic area. YouthBuild Phoenix looks to create a skilled, well-educated, demand-driven workforce while simultaneously contributing affordable housing and economic vitality to the community. The goal for the youth is to earn a High School Diploma and vocational credential concurrently.
YouthBuild is a non-residential, community-based alternative education program that provides classroom instruction and occupational skills training in construction and other in-demand occupations to 16-24 year-olds who have been in the juvenile justice system, are aging out of foster care, have dropped out of high school, or are otherwise at-risk of failing to reach key educational and career milestones. The grants will serve an estimated 4,800 participants over the course of the next three years.
This is the first round of YouthBuild grants awarded under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The law, which went into effect on July 1, 2015, led to several changes to YouthBuild including putting a greater focus on improving the quality and energy efficiency of buildings serving low-income and homeless individuals and families; enabling students who leave the program to re-enroll more easily; and supporting further program alignment with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.