$1.1 Million Will Help Youth For Next Three Years

HOUSTON (June 16, 2009) – HoustonWorks USA today announced the award of a $1.1 million  YouthBuild Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.  This grant, over the next three years, will provide HoustonWorks USA the ability to create new programs aimed at Houston’s youth to assist them with academic instruction, vocational skills, occupational skills, community service and leadership development.

Academic Instruction:

-        Academic instruction will begin with Pre-GED/GED classes designed for persons who cannot read, write and use mathematics independently. Pre-GED and GED content will be provided through published materials by Steck Vaughn and supplemented with instructional strategies on effective communication, writing, decision-making, problem solving, goal setting, teamwork, leadership development and cooperative learning.

Vocational Skills:

-        While attending Pre-GED/GED classes, the trainees will also begin receiving vocational instruction through the Core Curriculum: Introductory Craft Skills, a Contren Learning Series. The Core Curriculum is recognized and endorsed by both local and national construction companies as an important instrument in developing occupational competencies for the construction industry.

Occupational Skills:

-        Upon completion of the Core Curriculum, the trainees will transition into the occupational skills training portion of the YouthBuild project. HoustonWorks USA is collaborating with Houston Habitat for Humanity to provide occupational skills training. For a period of no less than six month and no longer than eight months, the trainees will work with Houston Habitat for Humanity staff to construct new homes for low-income residents. Trainees will begin to utilize the skills developed in the Core Curriculum and learn the practical application of these skills on a “real world” construction site.

Community Service:

-        HoustonWorks USA has entered into a partnership with the City of Houston to perform minor repairs for aged persons. These repairs may include cleaning up debris from the property and making minor home repairs. These activities will be scheduled on Friday and Saturday and will give the trainees not only another opportunity to practice their new found construction skills but also provide them with an opportunity to give back to their community.

Leadership Development:

-        Leadership development will begin at the outreach and recruitment process, as staff look for trainees who are serious about changing their path in life. These leadership opportunities will include participation on a Policy Committee that is responsible for making decisions about the operation of the YouthBuild Project. Trainees selected by their peers will have an active role in the decision-making process. Participation on the Policy Committee will not only give a voice to the trainees, as means of developing unity, and reinforce the idea that they are actively engaged in a transformative process that they have some control over, but it will give them the opportunity to confront various viewpoints when making decisions and arrive at a balanced or consensus decision.

“Receiving of this grant continues to demonstrate the solid reputation of our organization,” said Larry V. Green, Esq., CEO HoustonWorks USA.  “With these additional funds, HoustonWorks will be able to create additional programs for Houston Youth which will be a benefit to all Houstonians.”

HoustonWorks USA has a long and successful history of operating Federal and non-Federal grants and projects. In 1996, HoustonWorks USA was awarded a Quantum Opportunity Program grant, a $1 million research and development grant to measure the effectiveness of intensive case management in keeping youth in school and providing support for completing their education.

In 1997, HoustonWorks USA was awarded a $6 million Kulick Youth demonstration grant, followed three years later by the $44 million Youth Opportunity (YO) grant targeting six census tracts in the new Enhanced Enterprise Community within the City of Houston. The Kulick and YO grants helped the organization identify best practices, or “what works” in youth employment by characterizing the task of finding jobs for youth as a process of youth development, not as an end result.

About HoustonWorks USA:

Founded in 1984, HoustonWorks USA is the leading provider of services focusing on job placement, continuing education and vocational training.  Serving more than 900,000 annually, HoustonWorks USA provides job seekers with a variety of workshops including job search techniques, interviewing skills and resume writing, or use the resource library with Internet access and postings of local, state and national job openings.  Training is also available in career fields such as healthcare, business, computers and education. HoustonWorks USA manages several of the largest Workforce Solutions offices in the Houston and the surrounding region for the Houston Galveston Area Council.  These offices offer a wide range of services for job seekers as well as employers looking for trained workers.  HoustonWorks is a 501(c) 3, tax-exempt organization.  Visit www.houstonworks.org for additional information.

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