The U.S. Department of Labor will host a virtual webinar on July 29, 2021, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, on the characteristics of quality credentials and the types of available credentials. Speakers from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration will identify resources and tools that workforce development stakeholders can use to find relevant credentials to support them in determining the credentials that may count in meeting grant performance outcomes.

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation has issued a Call for Papers for the Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS) 2022, to be held in-person from June 1-3, 2022 in Washington, DC. The Call invites proposals for full conference sessions, individual presentations, and roundtables on the following topics: TANF programs, policies, and populations; employment and mobility in the labor market; youth well-being and the transition to adulthood; strengthening families, fatherhood, marriages, and relationships; evaluating social programs, building evidence, and using data; and approaches to alleviate poverty and expand opportunity. A virtual information session on preparing and submitting a proposal will be held on July 22, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. Proposal submissions are due by August 27, 2021.

Workplace mentors can impart their knowledge, skills, and wisdom to apprentices, helping them gain confidence and competence. This guide has four modules and FAQs to support mentors in their relationships with apprentices in youth registered apprenticeship programs. There is also a list of resources that mentors and employers can use when implementing youth apprenticeship programs and information on the benefits of mentoring.

The Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Community Services (OCS) announced a funding opportunity for the Community Services Block Grant CARES Act Rapid-Cycle Impact Projects. The funding will support the CARES Act goal of adapting service models to meet urgent community needs while testing proposed projects’ strategies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Support will be provided for communities to utilize a rapid-cycle learning or continuous quality improvement approach to strengthen the effectiveness of a grant-funded program or service strategy. Up to 20 grants will be awarded. Applications are due by July 26, 2021.

This report reviews how the COVID-19 pandemic recession has had a disproportionately negative economic impact on women and persons of color in the workforce, particularly those working previously in the service industry. This impact points to a need for a workforce development approach that supports workers who must switch industries and occupations due to the potential for long-term unemployment and lower labor demand.

This Annie E. Casey Foundation annual publication provides data on child well-being among states and in multiyear comparisons from 2010 to 2019. Data in this review covers economic well-being, education, health, and family and community, including state rankings for these categories. There is also a separate section on how families fared during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

This U.S. Department of Labor tipsheet identifies resources for workforce programs that provide educational, occupational, and other skills training and services to prepare homeless and runaway youth for current and future job opportunities. The tipsheet includes strategies for serving homeless and runaway youth, models of collaboration, and Federal and non-Federal resources.

The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals will host a webinar on July 27, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET to discuss how to create, implement, or improve workforce development programs for job seekers with prior criminal justice involvement. Key objectives include learning about best practices for service delivery of holistic evidence-based workforce development programs for this population; the process of networking with community partners, researchers, employers, agencies, and individuals for collaboration; and the importance of establishing trust from these job seekers at the design stage for buy-in and retention. A registration fee is required.

This collection of resources includes research, promising programs, tools, and guides that can be used to support returning citizens and those with a criminal record to enter registered apprenticeships. The compendium features programs targeting returning citizens: the Next Chapter IT Apprenticeships; the Flintridge Center Apprenticeship Preparation Program; Greyston Bakery; the VICE Media Group Media, Production, and Technology Apprenticeships; Jails to Jobs (California); and the Iowa Department of Corrections Apprenticeship.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 supports recovery from the economic and health impacts created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Conference of State Legislatures will host a webinar on June 24, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. ET which will review the intersection of the Recovery Plan Act, youth and young adult homelessness, and education. Additionally, speakers will discuss opportunities to support the education and basic needs of youth and young adults and to increase their economic security.