Job Programs for Reentry Populations - Fire Camp Expansion

JUSTICE CARE OPPORTUNITY

County Spending Category
1.3 Care First, Jails Last
Federal Expenditure Category
Assistance to Unemployed or Undermployed Workers (e.g. job training, subsidized employment, employment supports or incentives)
Project Launch Date
01/31/2024
Anticipated End Date
12/31/2026
Project Contacts Indicators & Metrics Target Populations Project Description Goals & Objectives

Project Contacts

Indicators & Metrics to Date

  • Number of Workers Enrolled in Sectoral Job Training Programs
    0
  • Number of Workers Completing Sectoral Job Training Programs
    0
  • Number of People Participating in Summer Youth Employment Programs
    0
  • Enrollments
    0

Target Populations

  • Systems Impacted Individuals
  • Systems Involved Individuals

Project Description

The Los Angeles Training Center (LATC) is focused on providing training and hands-on work experience for transition aged youth with prior justice and/or foster system involvement. The LATC will provide youth with housing, training, education, career counseling, as well as other needed services with the assistance of County Departments and community-based providers. This project will position participants for employment in the fire service. The program identifies and outreaches to youth who are interested in working in the fire service. Prior to pandemic, the CDCR supported in-custody fire training camp programs at various locations throughout the State. During the pandemic, the State moved to release as many incarcerated people as possible from the prisons. This reduced the number of eligible participants for the in-custody fire camps. This did not reduce the number of people with justice system involvement who are interested in this career path, but it meant that they did not have the opportunity to experience the training and work while incarcerated. Without these services and training, post-release reentry populations who are highly vulnerable and subject to economic downturns, no longer have access to employment opportunities are more likely to experience homelessness, to recidivate, and to face the negative health consequences of a COVID infection. Similarly, the program seeks to serve youth who are exiting the foster system. The pandemic made the impact of losing important support and resources even more serious for this population. Linking this population to housing, career training, and other services will help to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic. According to Youth.gov, youth 16 to 27 in lower-income families remained more likely to be unemployed in greater numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic than other youth in their same age category. Moreover, up to 56% of low-income youth between 18-24 experienced a loss of employment income within their household during the COVID-19 pandemic, further widening those barriers. The LATC will provide a pathway for these youth to transition into adulthood. This project serves a bridge to address the negative economic impacts of the pandemic and ensure that populations most in need are able to recover equitably.

Goals & Objectives

Goal Description Provide access to employment opportunities in the fire service for at least 120 reentry transition aged youth with prior justice and/or foster system involvement.

Objective Description - Enroll at least 120 eligible participants in the program by the end of 2026.

Activity Description Engage local community-based organizations and County partners such as Probation, DCFS, and Parole to identify potential participants.

Activity Description Conducting outreach to potential participants through targeted information campaigns to include flyers, literature, phone calls, etc.

Objective Description Enter into a contract with a service provider to oversee engagement, enrollment, and participant training and a second provider who will oversee the on-site residential services and participant supportive services by the end of 2023.

Activity Description Contracting with a service provider who will manage applications and enrollment of participants. o This service provider will work to let all eligible participants know about the opportunity, screen all eligible applicants for the program, and manage the training of the participants.

Activity Description Contracting with service providers who will provide residential and participant supportive services at the site.

Objective Description - By 2026 the program will provide training and services that link transition-aged youth who have experience in the justice and/or foster care systems to fire training and support services that will mitigate the impact of the pandemic over time

Activity Description Develop a training curriculum aimed at providing entry-level skills to participants so they are job-ready at graduation.

Activity Description By 2026, increase the program capacity to 60 participants per year.

Goal Description Improve the health and wellbeing of program participants by training and certifying them in fire service skills and providing them with support services.

Objective Description By the end of 2023 at least 2 service providers will be contracted to provide life skills, job training, re-entry supportive and restorative services.

Activity Description Provide job training and supportive restorative services to program participants.

Activity Description Provide coaching and life skills services to program participants.

Activity Description Provide career counseling services to program participants

Activity Description Provide assistance with applying to open jobs to program participants

Goal Description Increase the housing stability of program participants by providing on site free of charge housing options for active participants who have experience in the justice and/or foster care systems in order to support program completion.

Objective Description By the end of 2023 Camp Gonzales facilities will be available to provide housing to participants.

Activity Description Complete site renovations to Camp Gonzales site by end of 2024.

Objective Description By 2024 up to 60 participants can be housed in Camp Gonzales.

Activity Description Provide housing for program participants for the duration of the training to ensure that participants have stable housing and can focus on their education and training.