Latest news with #youthPrograms
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Four Michigan congressional lawmakers call for reversal of Job Corps cuts
After the Trump administration ordered the pause of operations at Job Corps centers across the country, including three in Michigan, local lawmakers are now pushing for its reversal. On Monday, four Michigan Democratic congressional leaders sent a joint letter to the labor department, calling the service disruption "abrupt" and destabilizing. "This abrupt, sudden, very cruel closure of these programs, all three centers in Michigan, has left students devastated without housing and without a clear sense of what will be next," said U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib. When announcing the decision, Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer cited the program's mission of building a pathway for young adults to create a better life through education, training and community. She says the move came after a "startling number of serious incident reports, and our in-depth fiscal analysis reveals the program is no longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve." Impacting more than 700 students across the state, Rep. Rashida Tlaib says the decision is already driving the hundreds of program participants in the Detroit, Flint, and Grand Rapids areas between the ages of 16 and 24 into homelessness and dangerous situations. "These are real lives. These are not just numbers, and folks can't just come and just cross a line and say, 'We don't want this program anymore,'" said Tlaib. Congressman Tim Walberg, a 5th District Republican who also serves as the chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, sent CBS News Detroit a statement in response to the move: "Multiple reports and investigations have exposed Job Corps' failures to keep young people safe or prepare them for success in the workforce. Job Corps is supposed to help young people, but it is clearly failing at that task." Tlaib shared that congressional leaders are working on getting a potential injunction to reverse the decision. "This is what many of my neighbors and residents ask me to spend money on. They said, 'We want resources back in our community.' This has been a program that has saved lives, that has helped people thrive," said Tlaib. The Department of Labor says it remains committed to ensuring that all participants are supported through the transition and connected with the resources they need to succeed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Career counselor at Little Rock Job Corps says federal pause on operations nationwide leaves students with nowhere to go
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – When hearing the news that Job Corps centers nationwide will no longer operate after June 30, career counselor Rickeisha Babbs first thought of the high-risk students currently enrolled in the career-training and educational programs. 'For a lot of them, that's tragedy. A lot of them have nowhere to go. A lot of them have nowhere to turn to,' Babbs said. Federal Proposal Made to Close Ouachita Job Corps She said around 75% of the 160 students enrolled in the program live at the center. 'Those are going to be youth that have an income that's below the federal poverty level. We see a lot of youth that did not succeed in traditional youth settings,' Babbs said. Because of the pause of operations set by the U.S. Department of Labor, Babbs says by June 5th students living at the center will have to be gone. And all operations paused will be paused by June 30th. This is the income needed to 'live comfortably' in Arkansas, report says Temporary or not, Babbs feels this experience will have a long-lasting effect. 'I think for a lot of them it feels like a repeat of what they've already experienced in their lives. And that's abandonment,' Babbs said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Outdoor equity grant helps Colorado nonprofit that gives children of color a chance to enjoy the outdoors
Jessica Newton knows what it's like to be the only person of color in the outdoors. "I was the only chocolate person on the trails, and my daughter and I used to go out with her friends, and we'd never we never saw anyone that looked like us," said Newton. "Everyone deserves to be in the outdoors." That's why she started Vibe Tribe. It's a nonprofit whose sole focus is teaching young people of color and LGBTQ kids how to get outside and provides them with the opportunity to experience it firsthand. "It really allows for us to drive hundreds of kids into the outdoors, providing education, providing a safe place to explore and opportunities to do to be a kid and to be in the outdoors again," said Newton. But she had some help. For three years now Vibe Tribe has received an Outdoor Equity Grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. It's a program that funds organizations and projects that improve access, representation, meaningful participation, and quality experiences for youth and their families in the Colorado outdoors. Jessica says Vibe Tribe has put the money they received to good use. "We hire staff, we have to have culturally related staff to be able to relate to our youth. Right? So we want them if they're Spanish speaking, we provide adventure guides that are bilingual," said Newton. "We provide gear and equipment for our youth. That way they don't have to worry about backpacks. They don't have to worry about science kits. They don't have to worry about trekking poles. They don't have to worry about boots." She isn't the only one that thinks that. Vibe Tribe was awarded the 2024 Starburst Award from the Colorado Lottery for how the spent the money they received. Jessica says the money and the programs her nonprofit have been able to provide for the community are changing lives for Colorado kids. "It helps them graduate. It helps them explore into career opportunities that are in the outdoors as well," said Newton. If you're a group that's interested in applying for one of those grants the deadline to submit an interest form is June 2, 2025.
