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Subsidized Employment: A Proven Strategy for Supporting Rapid Economic Recovery

May 13, 2021

This advocacy resource makes the case for why Congress must enact an equity-centered national subsidized employment programas a part of COVID-19 economic recovery legislation, as called for in the White House's proposed American Jobs Plan. This resource was produced in partnership among Heartland Alliance, the Center for Law & Social Policy (CLASP), and the National Youth Employment Coalition. Subsidized employment advocates can use this resource to inform visits with elected officials about why subsidized employment must be a part of building back a better, stronger, and more inclusive and equitable economy in the wake of the COVID-19 recession. 

Framework for an Equity-Centered National Subsidized Employment Program

January 12, 2021

Developed in partnership with 16 national organizations, this framework lays out an equity-centered national subsidized employment program that can support an inclusive COVID-19 economic recovery. This framework describes a national subsidized employment program designed to quickly and efficiently get people working when it is safe to do so as well as ensure that people who have been left out of and left behind by our labor market have access to economic opportunity. This framework explicitly centers racial and gender equity. 

Hearts and Minds in Houston: Implementing and Evaluating Cross-Trainings on the Value of Employment for Ending Homelessness

November 3, 2020

Many communities struggle to ensure that people experiencing homelessness have access to appropriate, effective employment services. Through their work with Heartland Alliance's National Center on Employment and Homelessness (NCEH), stakeholders in Houston, TX, identified cross-system training as a promising means to build buy-in and commitment from staff and leaders from both the workforce development and homeless services systems around prioritizing employment outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. NCEH partnered with Houston stakeholders to develop, deliver, and evaluate a training curriculum for personnel from multiple systems aimed at increasing their knowledge and positively changing their attitudes and beliefs about homelessness and employment. This paper discusses the impact of the cross-system trainings and gives recommendations to other communities seeking to build buy-in for similar cross-system coordination work. 

Subsidized Employment Responses to COVID-19: How Cities and States can Prioritize Equity and Efficacy

June 29, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is doing unprecedented economic damage, causing a spike in unemployment that is even more sudden and acute than was experienced during the Great Depression. Bold, immediate action is required to address mass unemployment and mitigate economic suffering. Large-scale subsidized employment initiatives have been used effectively in prior economic crises, including the Great Recession and the Great Depression, to quickly and effectively get large numbers of unemployed individuals back to work,[iii] support the health of businesses, and build necessary infrastructure.Subsidized employment may be part of a future federal stimulus package in response to COVID-19, but cities and states have the opportunity to act sooner to implement subsidized employment initiatives and begin addressing unemployment and economic hardship among their residents. In addition, should a federal subsidized employment initiative be enacted, states and localities will likely have a great deal of flexibility in implementation and should have a plan in place to ensure effectiveness, equity, and efficiency.

Jobs for ALL: Recommendations for Ensuring Equitable Access & Outcomes for Subsidized Employment and Jobs Guarantee Proposals

November 19, 2019

For several years Heartland Alliance has been in conversation with a variety of stakeholders to develop and draft model federal, state, and local policies that establish subsidized and transitional jobs programs. This discussion paper pulls together our insights from programs across the country, research, and participant input to form a set of recommendations to spur debate, dialogue, and action.With over two decades of experience in advocating for, designing, implementing, evaluating, and improving subsidized employment and transitional jobs programs we have a long history of engaging with partners who have implemented variations on these programs across the country and we have spent considerable time learning from and listening to the perspectives of individuals who have participated in these programs. Our evolving perspectives on addressing poverty and inequity, which are grounded in human rights, have contributed significantly to the recommendations we put forth.

How and Why to Integrate Income & Employment-Related Questions Into Coordinated Entry Assessments

February 5, 2019

This resource provides a rationale for and guidance on integrating income and employment-related questions into coordinated entry assessments and a set of sample questions communities can use to assess the employment needs and interests of people experiencing homelessness.

Systems Work Better Together: Strengthening Public Workforce & Homeless Service Systems Collaboration

March 30, 2018

Drawing from in-depth interviews with public workforce and homeless service systems leaders and the work of our five Connections Project sites, this paper identifies common barriers to public workforce and homeless service systems collaboration and recommends how to address these barriers in order to help ensure that homeless and unstably housed jobseekers can access economic opportunity and stabilize in housing.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment & Training: A funding source for jobseekers experiencing homelessness or housing instability

January 18, 2018

SNAP Employment & Training (E&T) funding represents a potentially useful but underutilizedresource for states and communities to deliver employment services to the people who need themthe most. SNAP holds special potential for supporting efforts to prevent and end homelessnessthrough access to employment and earned income.This guide is intended to help community-based organizations and other employment serviceproviders that serve people experiencing homelessness to 1) determine whether SNAP E&Tfunding is a good fit for their organizations, 2) determine whether their state is set up to partner withservice providers to access E&T funding, and 3) learn how to advocate for SNAP E&T access andexpansion to serve homeless jobseekers.

Supporting Job-Seekers Experiencing Homelessness: Best Practices for CoC & Workforce Board Engagement

September 17, 2016

The slides are from a presentation given at the Michigan Summit to End Homelessness in September 2016.

(SLIDES) Income NOW Training Series: Creating Opportunity for Homeless Jobseekers: Connecting Income, Employment, and Housing Supports

March 22, 2016

Presentation slides from the first IncomeNOW training "Creating Opportunity for Homeless Jobseekers: Connecting Income, Employment, and Housing Supports" held on March 22nd and 23rd 2016 in Houston TX. The slides provide information on the importance of earned income as a pathway for individuals and families to exit homelessness, remain housed, and improve overall health and wellbeing.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: A Better Approach to Serving Youth Facing Barriers to Employment

November 16, 2015

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) changes the ways in which states and communities provide employment services to youth through the public workforce system. These older and out-of-school youth will likely face additional barriers to employment and have different service needs when compared with younger and in school youth. To effectively meet the employment needs of out-of-school youth, states and communities will need to change the type, intensity, and scope of the employment services they offer under WIOA.There are lessons that workforce boards and their partners can learn from prior efforts to enhance and expand youth summer jobs programming to better serve at-risk, older, and out-of-school youth as well as community-based programs targeting youth who face serious and significant barriers to employment. This brief draws on some of those lessons to offer practical program design recommendations for enhancing WIOA youth services to better accommodate older and out-of-school youth.

Fostering Success for People Facing Barriers to Employment through SNAP Employment and Training:Promising Employment Program Models, Practices, and Principles for SNAP E&T Participants Facing Barriers to Employment

August 25, 2015

This brief provides information and resources about best and promising employment program models, practices, and principles for serving people facing significant barriers to employment in order to inform SNAP Employment & Training (E&T) state planning, partnerships, and implementation.