Award of $5.5 million in “Pathway to Justice Careers” grants to provide career readiness training for at-risk and court-involved high school students

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor awarded an additional $5.5 million to help youth between the ages of 16 to 21 who are at risk of dropping out of public or alternative high school gain skills to serve their communities in justice careers. Six non-profit organizations received funding for pilot programs that provide at risk youth mentoring and career exploration in justice and emergency services, including police officers, firefighters, lawyers, and paramedics. This is the second set of grants awarded for this initiative, which was first announced in April 2016. 

The goal of these projects is for students to graduate from high school prepared to enter the workforce, post-secondary education or a registered apprenticeship. These grants will provide students: exposure to the world of work, mentoring to encourage students to complete their high school diploma or equivalency, and supportive services like transportation and books to sustain their involvement in the program and in school. The students will be mentored by justice and emergency services personnel, including judges, attorneys, sociologists, and forensic scientists.

“Preparing our youth for the challenges and opportunities of the future is our foremost duty as a nation,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. “Regardless of their circumstances, every child in America deserves the chance to aspire toward their highest and best dreams. These grants will help our youth lead better lives and put them on a pathway toward fulfilling careers of service.”

The grants announced today build on other efforts, including the department’s “Face Forward” initiative to help justice-involved youth overcome early barriers to employment through occupational training and credentials that will help them open the door to career success. This grant’s goal also aligns closely with President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative which seeks to close opportunity gaps still faced by too many young people and often by boys and young men of color.

A list of the grantees follows.