Unite-La Inc

TO ENSURE THE IMPROVEMENT OF EFFECTIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS IN LA.

LA YOUTH AT WORK (LAYAW): OUR L.A. YOUTH AT WORK PROGRAM DEMONSTRATES SUCCESS BEGINS WITH PREPARATION. WE SEE THIS WHEN OUR YOUTH ARE PLACED INTO L.A. AREA JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS. LAYAW IS TRANSFORMING YOUNG, DISADVANTAGED, ADULT LIVES BY INCREASING STABILITY, INDEPENDENCE AND CONFIDENCE. THE PROVEN AND SUCCESSFUL LAYAW PROGRAM, BEGUN IN 1996, WAS BUILT ON WORKING WITH STUDENTS IN PERSON. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC REQUIRED US TO REIMAGINE OUR WORK TO BEST SERVE YOUTH IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT. IN MAY 2020, UNITE-LA LAUNCHED WORKFORCEREADY, AN INNOVATIVE, VIRTUAL PROGRAM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CORNERSTONE ONDEMAND FOUNDATION. WORKFORCEREADY CONSISTS OF A SIX-WEEK CURRICULUM OFFERING WEEKLY ONLINE VIDEO OR DISCUSSION-BOARD ACTIVITY-BASED MODULES. THE LEARNING PATHWAYS AND COURSE SELECTIONS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP YOUTH DEVELOP THE ESSENTIAL, NON-TECHNICAL SOFT SKILLS THAT WILL PROMOTE THEIR SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE; CURRICULUM CONTENT DECISIONS WERE INFORMED BY UNITE-LA'S PARTNER EMPLOYERS. OUR FIRST-YEAR PROGRAM INCLUDED SIX COHORTS, TOTALING 740 YOUTH PARTICIPANTS FROM UNITE-LA PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, WORKFORCEREADY HAS ALLOWED US TO REACH AN EVEN MORE DIVERSE AUDIENCE - BOTH IN TERMS OF RACE/ETHNICITY AND ECONOMIC STATUS - AT A CRITICAL TIME FOR YOUTH IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.

L.A. CASH FOR COLLEGE: L.A. CASH FOR COLLEGE (LA-CFC) PROVIDES DIRECT SUPPORT, INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON FINANCIAL AID TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ACROSS LOS ANGELES. THIS IS DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH A WIDE NETWORK OF NONPROFIT COLLEGE ACCESS PROVIDERS, HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE COUNSELORS AND LOCAL HIGHER EDUCATION ADMISSIONS STAFF. LA-CFC EFFECTIVELY BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN K-12 AND POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION TO CREATE SEAMLESS ONRAMPS INTO HIGHER EDUCATION FOR FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE-GOING STUDENTS. LA-CFC FOCUSES ON ACTIVITIES THAT PROVIDE WIDE-SCALE IMPACT AND A LEVEL OF SUPPORT, EXCITEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT THAT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR A SINGLE SCHOOL OR NON-PROFIT. PROGRAMMING IS YEAR-LONG, WITH FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS BEGINNING IN THE FALL SEMESTER AND CONCLUDING IN THE SPRING. PRIOR TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, L.A. CASH FOR COLLEGE ALWAYS HELD ITS LARGEST EVENT IN-PERSON EVERY FALL WITH THE L.A. CASH FOR COLLEGE: COLLEGE & CAREER CONVENTION, WHICH BROUGHT THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS TO ONE LOCATION IN ORDER TO HELP PREPARE THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR THE COLLEGE APPLICATION AND FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION PROCESSES. THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR, AS A RESULT OF COVID-19, L.A. CASH FOR COLLEGE REIMAGINED ITS PROGRAMMING AND OFFERED STUDENTS A VIRTUAL SERIES OF ONLINE WORKSHOPS ON FINANCIAL AID, COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR STUDENTS, CAREER EXPLORATION PANELS, AND RESOURCES TO ENSURE THE PANDEMIC DID NOT SLOW DOWN THEIR COLLEGE DREAMS. THIS ASSISTANCE WITH COMPLETING FAFSA AND CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT APPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL AID TOOK PLACE IN THE FALL AND SPRING. ADDITIONALLY, OUR SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS PROGRAM ALSO MOVED TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT, AND WAS RENAMED DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS. THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO SERVE AS AN IMPORTANT INCENTIVE FOR FAMILIES TO ACCESS GRANT AID FOR WHICH THEY ARE ELIGIBLE.

PUBLIC POLICY: THE POLICY TEAM AT UNITE-LA MAKES SURE OUR LOCAL AND STATE LEADERS ARE PUTTING THE NEEDS OF THE UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED FIRST AND DO SO BY CONTINUING LONG-STANDING AND BUILDING NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS TO MOBILIZE PRIVATE SECTOR LEADERS ON CRITICAL ISSUES IMPACTING THE WELLBEING OF THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY CONDUCT BUSINESS. POLICY WORK AROUND TOPICS SUCH AS EARLY CHILDCARE AND EDUCATION, IMMIGRATION, OPPORTUNITY YOUTH AND MANY OTHERS ENSURE THAT BUSINESS LEADERS ARE NOT ONLY AWARE BUT CAN ALSO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO KEY SOCIETAL ISSUES SO THAT ALL YOUTH HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED IN LIFE.