The DC Department of Employment Services, through its Office of Workforce and Federal Programs Out of School Youth Program is requesting applications from qualified organizations to provide services to a minimum of 50 District youth, ages 18-24, through its Pathways for Young Adults Program (PYAP).
Donor Name: DC Department of Employment Services
State: District of Columbia
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/22/2023
Size of the Grant: up to $250,000
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
The Department of Employment Services (DOES) connects District residents, job seekers, and employers to opportunities and resources that empower fair, safe, and effective working communities. DOES provides a wide range of complimentary programs and services to jobseekers, including job development, job search assistance, self-directed job search, vocational training, apprenticeship, unemployment insurance, transitional employment, and referrals to supportive services and educational programs. DOES prepares unemployed and underemployed participants for employment opportunities in high growth industries, through workforce readiness, career exploration, and experiential, hands-on programs. DOES, a proud partner of the American Job Center, is an equal opportunity employer/service provider. Translation and interpretation services are available upon request to persons with limited or no English proficiency. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to persons with disabilities.
DOES seeks to provide an opportunity to qualified organizations that are able to equip youth participants to successfully obtain employment opportunities in high-demand growth industries.
Applicants should propose programming that provides youth with the following:
- Academic preparation for a high-demand growth industry;
- Applied technical training;
- Industry specific work experience and preparation (Medical, Information Technology, Culinary; Arts, Construction, HVAC and CDL Class A, etc.);
- Acquisition of a nationally recognized credential in the identified industry;
- Assistance with unsubsidized placement; and
- Retention for up to twelve (12) months.
DOES is dedicated to educating youth participants about workforce readiness, high-growth industry career exploration, and academic enrichment through experiential, hands-on programs. This is done by providing programs that are developed to prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to generate wealth and effectively manage it, how to create jobs that make their communities more robust, and how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace. All programs administered by grantees should reflect these core tenets.
Pathways for Young Adults Program (PYAP)
Grantees will be expected to operate up to two (2) cohorts of participants, with a maximum of 25 youth total during this period. Each cohort will engage in a maximum of 28 weeks of instruction, training, and subsidized internship experience that leads to full-time unsubsidized employment.
The PYAP design includes three (3) program phases:
- Phase I: Work Readiness and Financial Literacy Traininng
- This phase shall include a nationally recognized work readiness training, financial literacy training, career exploration, soft skills development, and workforce preparation. A minimum of four (4) weeks should be allotted for this phase of the program. Work readiness training will not serve as a credential.
- Phase II: Occupational Skills Training
- This phase shall include intense occupational skills training in preparation for the related industry certification examinations, and structured activities designed to provide high-level exposure to the proposed industry. All required materials and fees for certification preparation and receipt shall be provided by the Grantee. Following the Occupational Skills Training phase, the grantee will be evaluated on having 70% of youth enrolled in their program achieve a nationally recognized credential in their respective industry. A minimum of twelve (12) weeks will be allotted for this phase.
- Phase III: Internship Experience and Placement
- This phase shall require all Grantee to serve as mentors or guides assisting the participants with maintaining solid working relationships with internship employers. Grantees are expected to develop and secure internship experiences for participants (these cannot include District government agencies unless there is prior approval from the DOES Office of Out-of-School Youth Program). Following the internship phase, the grantee will be evaluated on placing 70% of youth enrolled in their program in full-time unsubsidized job placement, or other WIOA defined placements. A minimum of six (6) weeks with a maximum of twelve (12) weeks will be allotted for this phase.
Funding Information
The total amount of funding DOES anticipates being available for the award is up to $250,000.
Period of Performance
The “Pathways for Young Adult Program” grant will operate for one year from the date of award.
Eligibility/Target Population: Out-of-school youth (OSY)
- An OSY is an individual who is:
- Not attending any school (as defined under State law);
- Between the ages of 18 to 24; and
- One or more of the following:
- PYAP participants must have a high school diploma.
- A youth who is within the age of compulsory school attendance but has not attended school for at least the most recent complete quarter of the school year calendar;
- A recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is a low-income individual and is either basic skills deficient or an English language learner;
- An offender;
- A homeless individual, a homeless child or youth, or a runaway;
- An individual in foster care or who has aged out of the foster care system or who has attained 16 years of age and left foster care for kinship guardianship or adoption, a child eligible for assistance under sec. 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 677), or in an out-of-home placement;
- An individual who is pregnant or parenting;
- An individual with a disability; or
- A low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment.
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria are as follows:
- Applicants shall meet all applicable eligibility requirements listed in this RFA. Applications that do not meet the eligibility will be considered unresponsive and will not be considered for funding under this RFA. Organizations that are eligible to apply for this grant include public and private non-profit and for-profit organizations with demonstrated effectiveness providing the requested services and meeting the needs of the target population, including:
- Non-profit, community, and faith-based organizations;
- Community colleges or other post-secondary institutions;
- Public, charter, or alternative secondary schools;
- Trade associations or chambers of commerce;
- Private, for-profit service providers; or
- Labor unions, labor-management partnerships, or registered apprenticeship programs.
For more information, visit DCDOES.
