National Center On Institutions And Alternatives Inc

SINCE 1977, THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR INSTITUTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES (NCIA) HAS PROVIDED REENTRY SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS AT RISK OF RE-INCARCERATION. THE PURPOSE OF NCIA'S HERBERT J. HOELTER VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER (VTC) IS TO EQUIP UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED ADULTS AGES 18-30, INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS WITH A HISTORY IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, WITH MARKETABLE SKILL SETS, A PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIAL, AND JOB PLACEMENT SERVICES WHICH CAN LEAD TO DESIRABLE, FINANCIALLY VIABLE CAREER PATHS IN HIGH-NEED INDUSTRIES. WITH THE SUPPORT OF OVER 280 EMPLOYER AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDER PARTNERS, AS WELL AS STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, THE VTC EMPOWERS PARTICIPANTS TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE AND FULFILLED MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. OVER THREE YEARS, FUNDS AWARDED UNDER THIS PROGRAM WILL SUPPORT A TOTAL OF 125 SYSTEM-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS AT MODERATE TO HIGH RISK OF RECIDIVISM, PROVIDING VOCATIONAL TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT, AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AT OUR BALTIMORE, MD AND CHARLOTTE, NC VTC LOCATIONS. PRIMARY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1) INTAKE, ASSESSMENT, AND CASE MANAGEMENT; 2) 17-WEEK VOCATIONAL TRAINING; 3) 8-WEEK JOB READINESS TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP, INCLUDING SUPPORT TO ADDRESS CRIMINOGENIC RISK FACTORS; 4) 4-WEEK JOB SEARCH TRAINING, AND 5) JOB RETENTION AND WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS AFTER PROGRAM COMPLETION. THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, PARTICIPANTS HAVE REGULAR TRAUMA-INFORMED MENTORSHIP FROM CASE MANAGERS WHO COME FROM SIMILAR COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS SOFT SKILLS TRAINING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION WORKSHOPS, BARRIER REMOVAL SERVICES, AND REFERRALS TO SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS. THE COMBINATION OF EDUCATION,PARTICIPANTS HAVE NO INCOME UPON ENTRY INTO THE PROGRAM. HISTORIC AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE AN OVERALL GRADUATION AND CREDENTIALING RATE OF 75% AND A 75% JOB PLACEMENT RATE AFTER GRADUATION WITH AN AVERAGE WAGE OF $18/HOUR. SINCE INCEPTION IN 2017, THE VTC HAS SERVED MORE THAN 1,600 INDIVIDUALS, HELPED GRADUATES SECURE 787 JOBS, AND SCALED TO NOW SERVE THE SURROUNDING REGIONS OF BOTH BALTIMORE, MD AND CHARLOTTE, NC. HISTORICALLY, VTC PARTICIPANTS HAVE BEEN 90% REENTRY, 90% AFRICAN AMERICAN, AND 100% LOW-INCOME. WITH THIS TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC IN MIND, THE PROPOSED 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.

THE NATIONAL CENTER ON INSTITUTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES (NCIA) RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS $500,000 IN CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING TO EXPAND ITS VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER (VTC) IN DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE, PROVIDING 50 SECOND CHANCE PARTICIPANTS WITH COMPREHENSIVE WORKFORCE TRAINING, INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS, AND EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT IN HIGH-DEMAND SKILLED TRADES, INCLUDING HVAC/R, COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE (CDL CLASS B), AND AUTOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE. FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS, NCIA HAS EMPOWERED PEOPLE WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD FULFILLING LIVES AND STRONGER COMMUNITIES THROUGH UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT. THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER SERVES UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS FACING SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, INCLUDING RETURNING CITIZENS, VETERANS, INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN POVERTY, AND RESIDENTS FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THROUGH NO-COST TRAINING, INDIVIDUALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT, AND WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS THAT ADDRESS BARRIERS SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, CHILDCARE, AND CAREER READINESS, VTC EQUIPS PARTICIPANTS WITH THE SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE NEEDED TO ACHIEVE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE. FUNDING WILL SUPPORT RECRUITMENT, TECHNICAL TRAINING, INDUSTRY CREDENTIAL ATTAINMENT, EMPLOYMENT PREPARATION, AND POST-PLACEMENT RETENTION SERVICES FOR 50 PARTICIPANTS. STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE HANDS-ON INSTRUCTION, EARN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATIONS, PARTICIPATE IN CAREER READINESS PROGRAMMING, AND RECEIVE ONE YEAR OF EMPLOYMENT RETENTION SUPPORT TO ENSURE LASTING SUCCESS. THE PROJECT'S MEASURABLE OUTCOMES INCLUDE AN 80% TRAINING COMPLETION AND CREDENTIAL ATTAINMENT RATE, 75% EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF GRADUATION, AVERAGE STARTING WAGES OF APPROXIMATELY $20 PER HOUR, AND ONGOING JOB RETENTION TRACKING FOR ONE YEAR. BY CONNECTING PARTICIPANTS TO SUSTAINABLE CAREERS IN INDUSTRIES EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, THE PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN BALTIMORE'S WORKFORCE WHILE REDUCING BARRIERS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO UNEMPLOYMENT, POVERTY, AND RECIDIVISM. NCIA'S VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER HAS DEMONSTRATED A SIGNIFICANT RETURN ON INVESTMENT, GENERATING AN ESTIMATED $19.32 IN COMMUNITY BENEFIT FOR EVERY $1 INVESTED. THIS FUNDING WILL ENABLE MORE BALTIMORE RESIDENTS TO TRANSITION FROM ECONOMIC INSTABILITY TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY, CREATING LASTING BENEFITS FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, EMPLOYERS, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY.