Weekly Roundup of the news on women and supportive services in job training programs.

By Asha DuMonthier

Job training can provide an entry into family-sustaining jobs and careers. Many women in job training programs, however, face obstacles to success. Wraparound services—such as child care assistance, access to public benefits, and transportation or housing assistance—can help adults, particularly those with caregiving responsibilities, to complete programs that will ultimately improve their economic standing.


June 24, 2016

The Chronicle-Telegram: United Way Begins $1M Collaborative to Assist Single Moms

United Way of Greater Lorain County has committed nearly $1 million to help get single moms into higher-paying jobs. Over the next three years, the nonprofit will give $300,000 per year to fund a new collaborative called WE3 — Women Empowered, Educated and Employed. The group connects United Way and Lorain County Community College with 10 other nonprofit government and education organizations.

[…] Elyria Public Library director Lyn Crouse said women would often come in seeking these types of services, but until the collaborative formed, library staff didn’t know where to send them. “Unifying into one resource-sharing network with common applications, knowledge of each other’s programs and services, and the name of a contact person we can call directly to ask on a patron’s behalf is the best way to deliver customer satisfaction and truly help people,” she said.

June 23, 2016

GSA Business Report: Nonprofit gets $4 million grant for job training with child care

A Greenville nonprofit has received a $4 million U.S. Department of Labor grant that will be used to provide both free training and certification for advanced manufacturing jobs and child care for low-income parents in Greenville and Laurens counties. Family Footprint CEO and Founder Natalie Milom said a public-private partnership is starting the initiative that is expected to serve about 700 parents over the next four years.

Milom said the partnership includes advanced manufacturing employers, nonprofit organizations, child care entities…The Secure Families Initiative aims to “close the skills gap for advanced manufacturing companies by providing training and certifications at no cost to low-income parents who desire to work towards a career in this sector,” Milom said in a statement. She said the training “will prepare parents for middle to high-skill positions such as CNC machinists, mechatronics technicians, and welders.”

VT Digger: People’s United Community Foundation Awards $5,000 to Umbrella’s Transitional Job Training Program

Umbrella provides safety, support and services to women and families throughout Caledonia, Orleans and Essex Counties. The organization’s four primary programs offer domestic and sexual violence crisis and prevention, child-care resource and referrals, supervised visitation, and trauma-informed vocational training.

[…] “Job training programs and other support services are critical in helping individuals transition to self-sufficiency,” said Michael Seaver, Officer, People’s United Community Foundation and President, People’s United Bank, Vermont. “Umbrella does an incredible job of breaking down the barriers for low-income women and providing the necessary skills to be successful.”

June 17, 2016

Sun Sentinel: Community Training Group Gets $4 million Federal Grant

OIC of South Florida has received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to help parents with child care so they can advance their careers through job training. […] OIC of South Florida in Oakland Park is a work force, job development and training center.

VT Digger: Vermont Tech Receives $4 Million Federal Grant for Manufacturing Training

The US Department of Labor grant, awarded to Vermont Tech on Tuesday, is the only grant awarded in the nation that will serve an entire state. The grant will help support the Vermont Supported Training Education and Employment Partnership (VSTEEP), a comprehensive, statewide, public/private partnership focusing on building innovative and evidence-based practices, systems and protocols to remove barriers faced by working, low-income Vermont families in accessing and succeeding in education and training to improve their job prospects and put them on a path to economic independence.

[…] VSTEEP partners will assist participants in addressing child care issues and other barriers to training and employment through navigation services, direct assistance and leveraging all available federal, state and private resources.


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