On August 3, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a bill (S. 3534) that would amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220) by authorizing the YouthBuild program.
YouthBuild’s programs would “enable disadvantaged youth to obtain the education and employment skills necessary to achieve economic self-sufficiency in occupations in demand and postsecondary education and training opportunities…foster the development of employment and leadership skills and commitment to community development among youth in low-income communities, and to expand the supply of permanent affordable housing for homeless individuals and low-income families by utilizing the energies and talents of disadvantaged youth.”
The bill would authorize the secretary of the Department of Labor to make grants to community-based organizations, state and local housing agencies, and Indian tribes for education and workforce opportunities, including job skills training, such as apprenticeships, internships and other paid and unpaid learning opportunities; instruction for individuals with limited English proficiency; secondary education services, including tutoring and dropout prevention activities; financial aid counseling; drug and alcohol abuse prevention; adult mentoring; and participant training in the construction or rehabilitation of permanent or transitional housing for homeless individuals and low-income families.
