Green Jobs Readiness Partnership
The big picture
JOIN is investing in a partnership that prepares low-skilled job seekers for employment in weatherization and green building. The partnership brings together a network of neighborhood centers, a workforce investment board, and a green business association to create customized learning pathways that move low-skilled adults into green job pathways.
The problem
While green jobs are expected to grow in the next few years, low-skilled adults are not well positioned to move into these green jobs because they lack both the information on where the jobs are and the basic skills to access technical training programs.
The solution
Our partnership is building an index of green job training programs and career pathways and then providing customized support to move low-skilled workers into these pathways. Each partner is adding unique value:
- The Federation of Neighborhood Centers, and its members Diversified Community Services, Lutheran Settlement House, and United Communities, are identifying and assessing low-skilled job seekers and designing literacy, readiness and support programs to prepare job seekers for green jobs.
- The Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia is mapping out the green economy’s workforce needs and helping to connect participants to jobs at local businesses.
- The Philadelphia WIB is managing the partnership and creating “feeder” arrangements with relevant training programs and the publicly funded workforce development system through PA CareerLink.
Together, these partners are creating a coordinated system that prepares low-skilled job seekers to fill fast-growing, mid-skilled green jobs. The partnership’s most important innovation is leveraging the power of neighborhood-based centers that have a deep and trusting relationship with low-skilled adults. In this model, the neighborhood center serves as the key bridge between those who need work, the publicly funded workforce development system, and the employers.
This partnership is generously supported by Living Cities.
Partners
This partnership brings together the work of six organizations who share a common interest in the prosperity and vitality of Greater Philadelphia:
Living Cities
Founded in 1991, Living Cities is an innovative philanthropic collaborative of 22 of the world’s largest foundations and financial institutions. Living Cities’ members are not simply funders. They participate at the senior management level on the board of directors, and contribute the time of 80-plus expert staff toward crafting and implementing Living Cities’ agenda, which is focused on improving the lives of low-income people in America’s urban areas. Over the past 18 years, Living Cities’ members have collectively invested over $600 million which has, in turn, leveraged more than $16 billion in tangible community assets.
Lutheran Settlement House
Lutheran Settlement House (LSH) is a non-profit, community-based organization committed to the empowerment of disadvantaged individuals and communities. LSH provides social, educational, employment, and counseling services to adults, youth, families, and seniors in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.
Diversified Community Services
Diversified Community Services seeks to enable children and families to realize their full potential and achieve self-reliance in safe neighborhoods. Given DCS’ roots and 150 year old history, it is an anchor organization in South Philadelphia. Officially incorporated in 1970 through the merger of the Western Soup Society (1840s) and the University of Pennsylvania Settlement Houses and Camps (early 1900s), DCS has evolved into the largest human services agency in Point Breeze. With 130 employees operating from multiple sites, DCS serves over 8,000 children, youth and families in a year through a wide array of services that are easily accessible and close to home.
United Communities
United Communities Southeast Philadelphia is a non-profit agency in the settlement house tradition. Its mission is to work in partnership with its various communities for social and economic justice. The agency strives to build self-sustaining communities through: Advocacy that promotes member participation and leadership; Economic programs for enhancing community development; Social programs supporting individual and family well-being; and Educational Opportunities that advance skill development and knowledge building.
Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia
The mission of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN) is to build a just, green, and thriving economy in the Greater Philadelphia region. We accomplish this by educating and growing a broad base of local, independent businesses and educating policy makers and the public. Over the past eight years, SBN has become a national leader in the local business movement and an influential force in the green economy. SBN’s membership is made up of more than 500 companies representing over 5,000 employees in the Philadelphia region. SBN also convenes the Green Economy Task Force, a coalition that includes 400 stakeholders and 230 partner organizations, including local government, labor, green businesses, workforce development agencies, youth-serving organizations and community-based organizations.
Federation of Neighborhood Centers
The Federation of Neighborhood Centers (Federation) was created in 1906 to help build stronger neighborhoods by strengthening families and civic life. Its mission is achieved by working with member agencies – a network of 12 community-based anchor institutions that collectively provide culturally sensitive programs and services to more than 75,000 children, youth, adults and families in 45 neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia per year. Using a three-pronged approach, we strengthen and promote our members through policy development, advocacy, and capacity-building activities. Learn more at the Federation’s website, http://www.federationnc.org.
Philadelphia WIB
Founded in 1999, the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board is a volunteer commission appointed by the Mayor of Philadelphia with the legislated responsibility to govern the public workforce system in the city, including the CareerLink Centers. The organization that supports the commission – Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, Inc. – provides expertise in all facets of workforce development, and works to align the skills of the region’s labor force to meet the needs of industry, ultimately supporting the region’s growth and prosperity. The organization’s vision is a thriving and inclusive regional economy and its mission is to advocate and advance a demand-driven opportunity agenda that effectively prepares Philadelphians to compete in the economic mainstream.
