(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray announced that the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County has been awarded a $2 million Department of Labor grant. The Youthful Offender Registered Apprenticeship, Alternative Education, and Project Expansion Grant was secured through the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. Senator Murray has used her positions on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) and the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee to help fund this program.
The goal of the Youth Offenders Grant program is to improve the long-term career prospects of young offenders who face severe barriers to both educational opportunities and in entering the workforce. These obstacles have been disproportionately felt in minority communities. In 2000, minority youth made up about 32 percent of the U.S. population, but 58 percent of youth in juvenile facilities.
”I am thrilled to announce that the Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council will receive $2 million to help at-risk youth have a greater chance for success in life," Murray stated. "This funding will help provide youth offenders a real second chance at success in life, and I would like to commend King County for providing such an important service to our community."
“This funding will make a huge difference for young people in our community," said Kris Stadelman, CEO of the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County. “It allows us to expand a successful model to more sites, so many more youth can access services that are proven to stop the cycle of criminal activity and lead to a promising future."
The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County will use this funding to establish two new “one-stop” career and education centers in King County that will provide services to 200 youth aged 14 to 24 who are offenders or at high risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system. These new locations in downtown Seattle and in South King County will replicate a well-established and successful center called YouthSource that is currently overseen by the WDC in Renton. Like YouthSource, the new sites will provide intensive case management, support services, leadership development, academic support and occupational skills training. The grant will also support a Juvenile Justice Liaison at the Juvenile Court, and case coordinators at the youth centers who are dedicated to system linkages with the justice system.
The WDC is the lead applicant and fiscal agent in a partnership that includes the King County Superior Court/Juvenile Court, the King County Work Training Program, Seattle Public Schools, the Puget Sound Educational Service District, YouthCare, the Minority Business Association and Tabor 100, the cities of Auburn and Federal Way, and the United Way of King County.
Senator Murray has been a vocal proponent of workforce development priorities, and is currently Chairman of the HELP Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety.
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