TO: HONORABLE MAYOR FROM: Nanci Klein
AND CITY COUNCIL Jon Cicirelli
Jill Bourne
Jim Shannon
SUBJECT: CALIFORNIANSFORALL YOUTH DATE: January 11, 2022
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM
Approved Date
01/13/22
RECOMMENDATION
(a) Adopt a resolution accepting $13,976,741 grant from California Volunteers for the CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development initiative to continue and expand the Resilience Corps Program.
(b) Adopt the following 2021-2022 Funding Sources Resolution and Appropriation Ordinance Amendments in the General Fund:
(1) Increase the estimate for Revenue from State of California by $1,911,903; (2) Establish the CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Program – Climate Change Pathway City-Wide Expenses appropriation to the Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department in the amount of $1,466,316; (3) Establish the CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Program – Learning Loss Mitigation Pathway City-Wide Expenses appropriation to the Library Department in the amount of $420,263; and
(4) Establish the CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Program - Administration City- Wide Expenses appropriation to the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs in the amount of $25,324.
(c) Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute agreements with San Jose Conservation Corps, San Jose Public Library Foundation, and as needed with Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful, Trash Punx, Our City Forest, Veggielution, San Jose Downtown Association, Goodwill of Silicon Valley and Guadalupe River Park Conservancy to implement the program in a combined amount not to exceed the grant award.
COUNCIL AGENDA: 1/25/22
FILE:
ITEM:
22-026
2.9 HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
January 11, 2022
Subject: CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program
OUTCOME
The recommended action accepts grant funding in the amount of $13,976,741 that the City of San Jose (“City”) will receive from California Volunteers State Office to continue the Resilience Corps Program over multiple fiscal years.
BACKGROUND
A key component of the Mayor’s March Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2021-2022, as approved by the City Council, centered upon the creation of the Resilience Corps Program. This inter-departmental program, funded primarily with American Rescue Plan (ARP) resources, provides a variety of paid work experience opportunities, featuring a living wage and ranging in term from 25 to 30 weeks. These different employment pathways and opportunities focus on environmental stewardship, learning education recovery, and small business marketing support.
San Jose residents living in low-resource census tracts or those that were very low-income were prioritized for these paid work experience opportunities.
Following the City Council’s June 23, 2021, approval of the Resilience Corps employment pathways—environmental, learning loss mitigation, and small business—a comprehensive outreach effort was conducted to identify program participants that reside in San Jose low- resource census tracts. These outreach components featured a multi-lingual approach that included social media, outreach through City Council offices, nonprofits, universities and community colleges, and community-based partners, as well as extensive in-person outreach at various neighborhoods, community centers, libraries and parks located in low-resource census tracts (“LRCTs”).
The table below provides a summary of enrollments to-date and aggregated client participant data as delineated by the recently launched employment pathways.
Pathways Enrollments BIPOC* LRCT**
Environment and
Guadalupe River
&Coyote Creek
106 97% 93%
Learning Loss Mitigation 53 86% 72%
Small Business
Marketing Support
40 92% 93%
Total 199 93% 85%
* Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Note the breakdown for respondents identified as Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) were 66% Hispanic, 15% Asian, 5% Native American, 4% Black/African American, and 3% multi-racial.
** Low-Resource Census Tract
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
January 11, 2022
Subject: CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program
These 199 Resilience Corps participants have initiated their internships on different start dates, with most having started 18 to 24 weeks ago. To date, the Resilience Corps Program features an 89% participant retention rate for those that initiated and still are continuing their work experience.
It is important to note, that in addition to the recently launched Resilience Corps initiatives presented above, the City’s on-going Food Boxing and Vaccine (Champion) outreach efforts were also included within the Resilience Corps budget and brand.
• Food Boxing efforts began shortly after the onset of the COVID pandemic and was initially managed by the Emergency Operation Center, with San Jose Conservation Corps (SJCC) as the lead agency for the program. In July 2021, the City’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department (PRNS) assumed the lead for the food boxing effort, with SJCC still serving as the contractor. Currently, there are 110 individuals hired for food boxing work.
• For the Vaccine effort, the City’s Human Resource Department led the effort to hire Non- Clinical Resilience Corps Vaccine Champions. In August 2021 this employment pathway reached a peak of 157 individuals who were hired directly by the City as Temporary and Unclassified workers, and then deployed for logistical support at various vaccination sites. The City currently supports 47 Vaccine Champions as they continue to be deployed to vaccine sites for children ages 5-11 and booster shots for adults. Vaccine support efforts commenced in March 2021 and are envisioned to continue at some scale until March 2022.
The three new Resilience Corps initiatives–Environment and Guadalupe River & Coyote Creek, Learning Loss Mitigation, and Small Business Marketing Support–launched over the July- August 2021 timeframe. An overview of the objectives, operating framework, and key partnerships of these three recently launched employment pathways are described below.
Environment and Guadalupe River & Coyote Creek Pathway
PRNS is the lead for this employment pathway and has contracted/leveraged its long-standing relationship with SJCC to provide program management, case management, supportive services, job readiness training, and on-the-job training for participants. To date, 106 program participants have been enrolled, with 97% BIPOC and 93% living in low-resource census tracts.
Trainings provided by SJCC and its partners include Community Emergency Response Team training, hazardous materials waste handling certification, basic tool safety, Occupational Safety and Health Administration management elements, CPR/first aid, environmental education (wildfires, water conservation, and climate change), bioretention area rehabilitation and maintenance, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, leadership, and college career navigation support. Additional trainings pending include California Naturalist Certification, and additional entrepreneurship and leadership training.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
January 11, 2022
Subject: CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program
Employment activities focus on preparing program participants for a career in environmental and park stewardship and include up to 900 hours of comprehensive job training that seek to build the skill sets needed to secure employment with the City of San Jose and maybe other City partners such as CalFire and CalTrans.
Projects completed to date include fire breaks and reducing fire fuels for defensible space in and around Alum Rock Park, managing vegetation along the Guadalupe River trail, rehabilitating bioretention swales in parks, removing invasive species and planting native gardens that are drought tolerant. Additional work is planned to plant trees in parks in neighborhoods with high heat island index and have crews work at the City’s Family Camp at Yosemite to reduce fire fuels and plant trees for a healthier forest. SJCC also has partnered with various community organizations to host program participants and support the cleanup of watersheds and surrounding areas, trails, and parks. Partner agencies include Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful, Trash Punx, Our City Forest, Veggielution, San Jose Downtown Association, and Guadalupe River Park Conservancy.
Learning Loss Mitigation Pathway
The Learning Loss Mitigation Pathway or Learning Pathway (Pathway) program is led by the San José Public Library (“SJPL”, “Library”) with the San José Public Library Foundation (SJPLF) as the employer of record. The SJPL oversees all reporting, program planning and development, and partnership management, whereas SJPLF provides program management, case management, and a series of training and workshops for Resilience Corps participants. This employment pathway has leveraged partnerships with the San José Learns Grant Program for implementation. Participants have been recruited through local colleges and universities, as well as the following community partners:
• Evergreen Community College
• Foothill de Anza Community College, Multicultural Center • Norcal College Promise Coalition
• San José City College
• San José State University: McNair Scholars, Chicanx Studies Department, Chicanx/ Latinx Center, College of Education, Educational Opportunity Program, Gender Equity Center, Guardian Scholars, the BLOC, Guardian Scholars and MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center
• Silicon Valley Debug
• Somos Mayfair
• Young Women’s Freedom Center
In 2021, the Pathway program enrolled 53 participants, youth ages 18-27, with 86% being BIPOC and 72% from low-resource census tracts and the rest of 28% are very low income.
This Pathway focuses on accelerating K-12 learning recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Program participants (as has been the case with those in Resilience Corps) have been placed with
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
January 11, 2022
Subject: CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program
well-established expanded learning program providers. Host agencies include Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, Boys & Girls Club of Silicon Valley, Bay Area Tutoring Association, PRNS’s City Kids (R.O.C.K.) program, and SJPL’s Homework Club and after school programs.
Most of these locations are in low-resource census tracts supporting schools in six Local Education Agencies (Franklin McKinley School District, Alum Rock Union School District, Mt.
Pleasant Elementary School District, Berryessa School District, Alpha Public Schools, and Downtown College Prep). Host agencies are aligned to common core anchor standards, prioritizing whole child learning opportunities, including emotional learning, academics, physical activity, and follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) public health and safety guidelines and best practices.
Employment activities focus on a range of expanded learning program activities that include the implementation and supervision of 21st-century skills that students need to be successful in school, career, and life—critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, and citizenship. Participants also provide recreational care and support quality learning experiences for school-age children from TK – 8th grade. Participant placement support capacity building as well as lower student ratios.
Learning Loss Mitigation Pathway participants receive professional development and training opportunities that expose them to expanded learning pedagogy, career pathway support, and professional skills. Participants attend workshops that provide information related to careers in education and expanded learning, like postgraduate programs, becoming a credentialed teacher, or substitute teaching options. They receive training related to trauma-informed care, protective factors, and CDC guidelines as well as trainings to better support students’ academic success.
Participants also receive training related to work readiness services including resumé development, interviewing skills, and skills for working remotely.
Small Business Marketing Support Pathway
Led by the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affair’s (OEDCA) work2future program, this pathway seeks to assist small businesses to develop a digital marketing and on-line presence. work2future has contracted with Goodwill of Silicon Valley to provide digital marketing training and case management services.
To date, the program has enrolled and trained 40 participants, with 93% residing in the City’s low-resource census tracts and 92% being BIPOC. This pathway has exceeded its original enrollment goal of 20 participants, with 31 of the 40 participants funded with ARP resources and nine with work2future’s formula federal funding.
Program participants have been placed with San Jose small businesses or revenue producing arts and cultural organizations. These placements were made based on the employer’s marketing and language needs. Program participants work up to 25 hours per week, for 25 weeks. To prepare the interns for post-program employment, work2future staff and contractors are working to schedule a resume and mock-interview workshop.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
January 11, 2022
Subject: CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program
ANALYSIS
As part of State of California’s 2021 budget, California Volunteers received $150 million to support a youth jobs program in California’s 13 largest cities. Funds were allocated to each city depending on its specific share of the population.
The purpose of the CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Program is to strengthen city capacity to address key areas of climate, food insecurity, learning loss, and local COVID-19 recovery while increasing youth employment and providing training and hands-on experience towards a career.
The City was allocated $13,976,741 from this Program which will allow the Resilience Corps Program to continue over a two-year period as well as expand and enhance current training and employment opportunities for underserved young adults
The City intends to focus on climate change and learning loss mitigation.
A. Climate Change
This pathway focuses on undertaking environmental projects in parks, trails and watersheds to improve the community’s climate resilience and expanding upon the Environmental pathway. In addition to the efforts described above, this pathway may also feature program participants assisting with water conservation efforts, including education and outreach to residents and businesses about rebates and other programs to incentivize reduction in water usage, and clean-up activities in watersheds, waterways, and other illegal dumping or litter hot spots.
The lead sub-grantee partner would be the San Jose Conservation Corps (SJCC) which has over 40 years of experience in providing the services and directing the work. PRNS would serve as the City lead. As with the Resilience Corps Program, SJCC will partner with various community organizations to host program participants and support the cleanup of watersheds and surrounding areas, trails and parks. Examples of partner agencies may include Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful, Trash Punx, Our City Forest, Veggielution, Goodwill of Silicon Valley, San Jose Downtown Association, and Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, which may also serve as subgrantee partners. The model may include internship placements of participants into City departments and programs to give participants exposure to City employment and relevant experience for future job pursuits and help build a pipeline for important and hard-to-fill City jobs like Park Rangers.
The estimated launch date would be April 2022 with an initial cohort of approximately 50 participants and the program eventually serving 153 participants by 2023. As currently envisioned, the 153 participants will be new enrollments. The Program will all be funded using the money received from the grant from the California Volunteers State Agency.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
January 11, 2022
Subject: CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program
B. Learning Loss Mitigation
This Learning Loss Mitigation Pathway focuses on accelerating K-12 learning recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience Corps participants will continue to be placed with well- established expanded learning program providers, with most of these locations focused on low-resource census tracts or high COVID impacted neighborhoods. Host agency partners will continue to prioritize alignment with common core anchor standards, whole child learning opportunities including emotional learning, academics, and physical activity which follow CDC public health and safety guidelines and best practices.
SJPL will continue to serve as the City lead for this Pathway and SJPLF would be the sub- grantee partner. The program will continue to partner with various expanded learning providers, hosting program participants. Participants will continue to support student learning in expanded learning settings prioritizing academic support and whole-child learning.
Examples of partner host agencies may include organizations like Boys & Girls Club of Silicon Valley, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, Think Together, City departments, and Local Education Agencies.
The proposed start date is June 2022 to coincide with the launch of a summer-based educational support program. An anticipated 125 participants would be enrolled at this time.
Composition of the number of participants, new and existing, are to be determined but funding will be solely from the CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program grant. Upon completion of the program, participants will receive support in securing employment opportunities.
The recruitment process will involve leveraging the City’s extensive outreach strategies and partnerships utilized during the launch of the initial phase of the Resilience Corps program. This included a comprehensive outreach effort targeted to residents in the City’s low-resource census tracts. These outreach components will feature a multi-lingual approach that includes social media, outreach through City Council offices, nonprofits, universities and community colleges, and community-based partners, as well as extensive in-person outreach at various neighborhoods, community centers, libraries and parks located in low-resource census tracts.
The funding allocation for the grant is as follows: PRNS - $10,200,000 to support the Climate Change Pathway, SJPL - $3,624,795 to support the Learning Loss Mitigation Pathway, and OEDCA - $151,946 to support overall design, outreach, and implementation of the program. In implementing this initiative, additional staff will be utilized to help administer the programmatic and fiscal activities of the program. All funds must be expended by the end of June 2024.
Participant Eligibility and Other Key Program Elements – Participant eligibility criteria imposed by the State include the following:
• Ages 16-30 years old
• Individuals who have not participated in the #CaliforniansForAll College Program or AmeriCorps; may have difficulty finding employment; are low-income; are unemployed
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
January 11, 2022
Subject: CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program
and/or out of school; are or were justice-involved; are transitioning from foster care; or are engaged with the mental health or substance abuse system
The City has also proposed to include individuals from low-resource census tracts and first- generation college students as additional eligibility criteria.
As required by the State, no less than 75% of the total applicants should meet at least two of the criteria described previously.
Per the State guidelines, participants cannot be placed with for-profit entities and as such the small business pathway mentioned above is not eligible under this program.
The program will allow participants to earn no lower than 80% of the City’s living wage - currently, $25.31 without benefits and $24.07 with benefits. The living wage is adjusted each year in July and the same minimum 80% floor would continue to apply in subsequent years.
The program will also provide services across the pathways that include supervision and case management of program participants, transportation assistance, clothing, tool belts, retention incentives, and contractor provided materials, supplies and other program operating costs to provide the critical resources to allow participants to readily access and reap the full benefits of the training and work experience opportunities available. All supportive services would be customized to the needs of the specific participant as assessed by the assigned case manager.
Furthermore, a variety of job readiness, professional development and other trainings will be provided to the youth.
Indirect administrative costs incurred by the city and/or subgrantees should not exceed 10% of the grant amount. Expenditures on wrap-around services for participants can be allocated for up to 40% of the grant amount. This can include services like transportation stipends/awards, job readiness training, and case management, or other services likely to help participants succeed in the program and/or gain employment after completion of program. Lastly, a minimum of 50% is required to be allotted to participant salaries and benefits.
CONCLUSION
With the $13,976,741 funding from the California Volunteers State Agency, the City will be able to expand upon the successful initial phases of the Resilience Corps Program and continue to support community and economic recovery through December 2023.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
No additional follow-up actions with the City Council are expected at this time. Staff will continue to communicate informational updates about the program.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
January 11, 2022
Subject: CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program
CLIMATE SMART SAN JOSÉ
The recommendations in this memo aligns with one or more Climate Smart San José energy, water, or mobility goals.
PUBLIC OUTREACH/INTEREST
This memorandum will be posted on the City’s Council Agenda Website for the January 25, 2022, City Council Meeting.
COORDINATION
This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office and the Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Department.
FISCAL/POLICY ALIGNMENT
This action supports Initiative 7 of the City’s Economic Development Strategy, “Prepare Residents to Participate in the Economy through Training, Education, and Career Support.”
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION/INPUT
No commission recommendation or input is associated with this action.
COST SUMMARY/IMPLICATIONS
The funds received from California Volunteers State Agency will be used to support the expansion and continuation of the Resilience Corps Program. The funding allocation for the $13,976,741 grant is as follows: PRNS - $10,200,000 to support the Climate Change Pathway, SJPL - $3,624,795 to support the Learning Loss Mitigation Pathway, and OEDCA - $151,946 to support overall design, outreach, and implementation of the program. In implementing this initiative, additional staff will be utilized to help administer the programmatic and fiscal activities of the program. All funds must be expended by the end of June 2024.
The 2021-2022 Modified Budget currently includes $17,750,000 for the various Resilience Corp Program pathways leveraging American Rescue Plan funds. Acceptance of the grant would provide the City a total of $13,976,741 over three fiscal years for the City’s Resilience Corp Youth Workforce Program. The continuation and expansion of the current Resilience Corps Program as described in the Analysis section will be funded solely from this grant and no
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
January 11, 2022
Subject: CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program
American Rescue Plan funds are expected to be needed in 2022-2023. As grant funds are expected to be fully spent by December 2023, the potential extension of this program into future years will need to be assessed as part of the 2023-2024 budget development process. At this time, only $1,911,903 will be recognized and allocated in the current fiscal year. The remaining $12,064,838 will be recognized and allocated as part of future budget development processes.
The California Volunteers State Agency will provide the funding on a reimbursement basis.
Remaining funds will be carried over into subsequent years until project completion by December 2023.
BUDGET REFERENCE
The table below identifies the fund and appropriation adjustments as recommendation as part of this memorandum.
Fund
#
Appn
# Appn. Name
Total
Appn
Recommended
Budget Action
2021-2022
Adopted
Operating
Budget
Page
Last Budget
Action (Date,
Ord. No.)
001 R100 Revenue from State of
California
$ 14,447,410 $1,911,903 Page 284 10/19/202,1
80261
001 NEW CaliforniansForAll
Youth Workforce
Program – Climate
Change Pathway
N/A $1,466,316 N/A N/A
001 NEW CaliforniansForAll
Youth Workforce
Program – Learning
Loss Mitigation
Pathway
N/A $420,263 N/A N/A
001 NEW CaliforniansForAll
Youth Workforce
Program –
Administration
N/A $25,324 N/A N/A
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
January 11, 2022
Subject: CaliforniansForAll Youth Workforce Development Program
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-010, City Organizational & Administrative Activities resulting in no changes to the physical environment.
/s/ /s/
NANCI KLEIN JILL BOURNE Director of Economic Development City Librarian and Cultural Affairs
/s/
JON CICIRELLI JIM SHANNON
Director of Parks, Recreation, Budget Director
and Neighborhood Services
I hereby certify that there will be available for appropriation in the General Fund in the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 moneys in excess of those heretofore appropriated there from, said excess being at least $1,911,903.
JIM SHANNON
Budget Director
For questions, please contact Jeff Ruster, Assistant Director of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs, at 408-535-8174.