Workforce and Education

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Workforce and Education : Support YouthBuild

YOUTHBUILD AT RISK

Dear Friends of YouthBuild:

YouthBuild programming is in jeopardy!

The House of Representatives has passed a bill eliminating YouthBuild from the US Department of Labor. (The bill is H.R. 1, the Continuing Resolution establishing the full federal budget for FY'11.) The Senate will be deciding next week how to respond to the House bill.

Important points about YouthBuild Brockton and YouthBuild Fall River:

We serve a very challenging population and help them with their gang, drug dependency, and court related issues so they can become productive, tax-paying members of society.
Over 800 at risk students have been served by the programs in the past 12 years
Over 65% have attained their GED credential
Currently almost 40% of graduates from both programs are going on to postsecondary education following the program
Our students serve their communities - we have built 13 single family houses in Brockton and Fall River in the past 12 years for purchase by low income families. In addition, we have renovated 8 rental units and worked on countless community service projects with partner agencies.
Two years ago we started offering the industry recognized HBI-PACT (Home Builders Institute Pre-Apprenticeship Carpentry Training) certification at both programs. 100% of the students have attained the certificate
Graduates are averaging over $10/hour in placements gained through the program.
In Brockton we are implementing cutting edge 21^st century educational techniques to help the students think critically and succeed in post secondary education and beyond.
In Fall River we have started our own green business, which builds and installs advanced energy window panels utilizing state-of-the-art green techniques. This business now hires graduates as employees.

SOME WAYS YOU MIGHT HELP:

1.      CALL THE LOCAL OFFICES OF YOUR SENATORS.
         (Go to http://www.congress.org/ and enter your zip code to find out their contact information.)
         They need to hear from you immediately if you do not want them to support HR 1.
         HR 1 will decimate the opportunity structure for low income people
        and will kill jobs in the non-profit and public sectors.

2. SIGN THE PETITION FOR YOUTHBUILD. Click this link.
YouthBuild Alumni have organized a petition and will be grateful for all the help they can get.

3. MOBILIZE YOUR NETWORKS.
Everyone needs to weigh in. We have about four weeks to save the things that matter to us.

4.      CALL YOUR HOUSE MEMBER.
         Although the House has already passed this bill, over the next weeks there will be more action.
        Supporters of HR 1 will be more likely to compromise later if they have heard from constituents.
         The roll call vote showing how all Representatives voted can be found here.

The full list of House cuts is available here:

http://republicans.appropriations.house.gov/_files/ProgramCutsFY2011ContinuingResolution.pdf