Building Futures

AMERICAN APPRENTICESHIP INITIATIVE

SEE NOTICE OF AWARD, ATTACHMENT 1 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS, ATTACHMENT D, STATEMENT OF WORK, ABSTRACT.

IN 2019, RHODE ISLAND WAS ONE OF NINE (9) STATES AWARDED PLANNING FUNDS TO ITS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS (RIDOC) THROUGH THE LUMINA FOUNDATION TO EXPAND EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR INCARCERATED AND RE-ENTERING INDIVIDUALS. BRIDGE TO OPPORTUNITY IS DIRECTLY ALIGNED WITH THE STATE PLANNING REPORT, ‘EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY: EXPANDING EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AT THE RI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS’ AND WILL PROVIDE A SEAMLESS CAREER PATHWAY TO THE HIGH-WAGE, IN-DEMAND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.   CONSTRUCTION IS ONE OF RHODE ISLAND’S FASTEST GROWING OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, WITH A PROJECTED 10.9% WORKFORCE INCREASE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.  WITH LIMITED BARRIERS TO ENTRY, THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WILL SERVE AS A MUCH-NEEDED PATHWAY TO ECONOMIC STABILITY FOR UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS. BRIDGE TO OPPORTUNITY WILL ADVANCE EQUITY AND INCLUSION WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BY IMPROVING THE POLICY AND REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT AND IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT FOR THE REENTRY POPULATION.   BRIDGE TO OPPORTUNITY WILL CREATE A FORMALIZED REENTRY PATHWAY FROM CAREER READINESS ASSESSMENT AND CONSTRUCTION TRAINING PRE-RELEASE TO REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP (RA) PLACEMENT AND RETENTION POST-RELEASE. BRIDGE TO OPPORTUNITY WILL PRIORITIZE YOUNGER OFFENDERS WHO ARE MORE LIKELY TO RECIDIVATE; THESE YOUNG ADULT INMATES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED IN THE TARGETED URBAN CORE COMMUNITIES, WHICH COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF THE BLACK, INDIGENOUS, PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC) POPULATION OF RHODE ISLAND. TO ENSURE EQUITY ACCESS, BRIDGE TO OPPORTUNITY WILL BE OFFERED IN FOUR FACILITIES (MINIMUM, MEDIUM, MAXIMUM AND WOMEN’S).   BRIDGE TO OPPORTUNITY BUILDS UPON RIDOC’S EXISTING RELATIONSHIP WITH COMMUNITY-BASED TRAINING PROVIDER, BUILDING FUTURES AND ITS PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE RHODE ISLAND BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL (RIBCTC) AND THE NORTH AMERICAN BUILDING TRADES UNION. SPECIFICALLY, 120 HOURS OF CONSTRUCTION TRAINING WILL BEGIN PRE-RELEASE, WITH INMATES RECEIVING A NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED INDUSTRY CREDENTIAL. POST RELEASE, PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL TRANSITION TO BUILDING FUTURES’ COMMUNITY-BASED PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. BRIDGE TO OPPORTUNITY GRADUATES WILL BE SUPPORTED IN ENTERING RA IN THE TRADES WITH A STARTING WAGE OF $17-$25/HOUR, WHICH WILL INCREASE TO AN AVERAGE OF $38/HOUR + BENEFITS WITHIN 3-5 YEARS.   THE RI REENTRY/CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIP, COMPRISED OF RIDOC, RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING, BUILDING FUTURES, RIBCTC, AND VANTAGE POINT, WILL SERVE AS THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR BRIDGE TO OPPORTUNITY AND WILL ENSURE COLLABORATION, EFFECTIVE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, AND THE ACHIEVEMENT OF PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES. BRIDGE TO OPPORTUNITY WILL INCORPORATE NATIONAL AND LOCAL BEST PRACTICES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL RESULT IN SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT POST-RELEASE, BENEFITING INDIVIDUALS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE RHODE ISLAND ECONOMY.

THE PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED FATHERS BUILDING FUTURES SERVICE PLAN IS TO EXPAND REENTRY EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AND CONNECTIONS. PRIMARY ACTIVITIES FOCUS ON TRAINING PARTICIPANTS IN WOODWORKING AND OTHER JOB SKILLS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND SOFT SKILLS EMPLOYMENT AND CAREER TRAINING WITH SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN A WOOD SHOP. PROGRAM SERVICES BEGIN BEFORE RELEASE AND EXTEND THREE YEARS INTO REENTRY, INCLUDING WRAPAROUND TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES AND REFERRALS WITH DOZENS OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES ARE INCARCERATED ADULT FATHERS WHO ARE A MEDIUM TO HIGH RISK FOR RECIDIVISM AND HAVE EXPECTED RELEASE DATES WITHIN TWO TO THREE MONTHS FROM THE SERVICE AREA OF BERNALILLO COUNTY (SEATING ALBUQUERQUE), NEW MEXICO. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: 1) AT LEAST 60 FATHERS RECEIVE UP TO 4 MONTHS OF POST-RELEASE JOB TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES; 2) AT LEAST 75% COMPLETE PROGRAM AND MAKE PROGRESS TOWARD GOAL PLANS, INCLUDING SECURING STABLE EMPLOYMENT; 3) AT LEAST 30% INITIATE A FINANCIAL SAVINGS PLAN WITHIN 12 MONTHS; 4) AT LEAST 90% COMPLIANCE ON CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS, IF APPLICABLE, WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF RELEASE; AND 5) RECIDIVISM RATES FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL BE LESS THAN HALF OF NEW MEXICO'S THREE-YEAR RECIDIVISM RATE. FATHERS BUILDING FUTURES PROMOTES RACIAL EQUITY AND THE REMOVAL OF BARRIERS TO ACCESS, WHILE IMPROVING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED, MARGINALIZED, AND ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY INEQUALITY. NEW MEXICO IS AMONG THE TOP FOUR STATES IN THE NATION THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST PROPORTION (63%) OF PEOPLE OF COLOR INCARCERATED. WHILE PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM NATIONWIDE, THE OUTLOOK FOR LATINOS IN NEW MEXICO IS DIRE. LATINOS ARE 1.8 MORE LIKELY THAN WHITES TO BE INCARCERATED IN NEW MEXICO AND, AS OF 2019, NEW MEXICO HAD A HIGHER PROPORTION OF LATINOS INCARCERATED (60%) THAN ANY OTHER STATE.EMPIRICALLY, 100% OF PAST PARTICIPANTS IN FATHERS BUILDING FUTURES PROGRAMMING WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR (73% LATINO, 16% BLACK, AND 11% NATIVE AMERICAN). FATHERS BUILDING FUTURES CONDUCTS INDIVIDUALIZED REENTRY CAREER PLANNING WITH ALL PARTICIPANTS WHO DEVELOP THEIR OWN GOAL PLANS, DEMONSTRATES CONNECTIONS WITH AN AVERAGE OF A DOZEN EMPLOYERS AT ANY GIVEN TIME WITHIN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND COLLABORATES WITH STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES TO TRACK AND MONITOR EMPLOYMENT AND RECIDIVISM OUTCOMES. THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE RACIAL EQUITY AND THE REMOVAL OF BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED, MARGINALIZED, AND ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY INEQUALITY.

PROJECT PURPOSE: BUILDING FUTURES WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) TO EMPLOYERS, LABOR UNIONS, AND PROJECT OWNERS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND, FOCUSING ON RHODE ISLAND. TA WILL FOCUS ON STRATEGIES TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION OF WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING, WITH IMPACTS TO BE EXPANDED ACROSS THE REGIONAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM IN RHODE ISLAND. GRANT ACTIVITIES: BUILDING FUTURES? TA WILL INVOLVE A MULTI-FACETED SET OF ACTIVITIES TO INCREASE WOMEN?S PARTICIPATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS: 1) BUILDING FUTURES WILL DEVELOP A PILOT WOMEN?S APPRENTICESHIP READINESS PROGRAM THAT WILL PROVIDE BASIC CONSTRUCTION SKILLS TRAINING AND INTRODUCTION TO CAREERS IN CONSTRUCTION, RUNNING 6 COHORTS OF THIS PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. 2) BUILDING FUTURES WILL ENGAGE ITS CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY COUNCIL, COMPRISED OF UNIONS, CONTRACTORS, PROJECT OWNERS, AND EMPLOYER ASSOCIATIONS, TO SPEARHEAD COLLECTIVE IMPACT APPROACHES TO INCREASING ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION OF WOMEN AND IMPROVING WORKSITE CONDITIONS TO SUPPORT WOMEN?S PARTICIPATION. 3) BUILDING FUTURES? APPRENTICE UTILIZATION PROGRAM WILL TRACK 55+ LARGESCALE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FOR LABOR HOURS PERFORMED BY WOMEN AND MONITOR COMPLIANCE WITH AUP AGREEMENTS, INCLUDING JOBSITE INTERVENTIONS. 4) BUILDING FUTURES WILL USE ITS ROLE AS THE STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY INTERMEDIARY TO DISTRIBUTE BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED TO PROMOTE WOMEN?S INCREASED ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION THROUGHOUT THE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM. THROUGH THIS ROLE, BUILDING FUTURES WILL ALSO PROVIDE TA TO POLARIS, RHODE ISLAND?S MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP, TO REGISTER A NEW MANUFACTURING RAP AND PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, BOTH OF WHICH WILL FOCUS ON WOMEN?S RECRUITMENT. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: ? 90 WOMEN WILL ENROLL IN AND 78 WILL COMPLETE BUILDING FUTURES? WOMEN?S APPRENTICESHIP READINESS PROGRAM. ? 75 WOMEN WILL ENROLL IN AND COMPLETE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP. O 25 WOMEN WILL COMPLETE BUILDING FUTURES? CONSTRUCTION PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM (BF200). O 50 WOMEN WILL COMPLETE POLARIS? PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. ? 51 WOMEN WILL ENTER NTOS/REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP, SECURING FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT AND HIGHER WAGES. O 21 WOMEN WILL BE PLACED INTO TRADE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS (85% OF BF200 GRADUATES). O 30 WOMEN WILL BE PLACED (60% OF POLARIS GRADUATES) INTO: 1. POLARIS? MANUFACTURING REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM (13), OR, 2. OTHER MANUFACTURING NTOS (17).2 ? 19 CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND 16 RIBCTC TRADE UNIONS WILL RECEIVE TA TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION OF TRADESWOMEN. ? 1 INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (POLARIS) WILL RECEIVE TA FROM BUILDING FUTURES? APPRENTICESHIP RHODE ISLAND INITIATIVE TO CREATE NEW NONTRADITIONAL REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP AND PREAPPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS . INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THIS PROGRAM WILL REACH WOMEN FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WHO FACE SIGNIFICANT EMPLOYMENT BARRIERS. OF BUILDING FUTURES? BF200 PRE-APPRENTICESHIP GRADUATES, 78% ARE BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND/OR PEOPLE OF COLOR, 49% ARE JUSTICE INVOLVED, 37% ARE FORMERLY INCARCERATED, AND 100% ARE LOW INCOME AT PROGRAM ENTRY. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: N/A