The Department of Labor is making available a $75 million grant to fund YouthBuild, which creates programs to help out-of-school youths finish high school or General Educational Development programs as well as develop occupational skills in industries such as construction, health care and information technology.
"The YouthBuild programs open doors for thousands of at-risk youths in at least two ways," says Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "They are provided with an opportunity to develop job skills for successful careers, and they learn the importance of leadership and making contributions to strengthen communities."
With this grants, the DOL expects to help more than 5,200 young people through 75 grants. These grants are projected to range from $700,000 to $1.1 million each, and they are to be distributed to organizations that oversee education and employment services for disadvantaged youths in their communities.
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YouthBuild, a nonresidential, community-based alternative education program, offers classroom instruction and occupational skills training to 16- to 24-year-olds. These participants are considered at risk of falling out of the labor force. Among the challenges participants have faced are serving time in the juvenile justice system, aging out of foster care, dropping out of school and potentially failing to achieve key educational milestones.
As part of the YouthBuild programs, participants learn necessary job skills while building or rehabilitating housing for low-income or homeless individuals and families in their communities. Following regulations issued in February 2012, YouthBuild's skills training grew past construction and now offers development in high-demand occupations, such as health care and information technology. For nonconstruction skills training programs, they are also required to include leadership development and community service to maintain a connection to their communities through volunteering.
The Jan. 22 edition of the Federal Register is publishing the solicitation for grant applications that outlines how to apply for a grant.
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