Stacy Woodruff (WPTI Workforce Field Building Hub) welcoming attendees at the HRA Partnership Convening in February 2017.
In mid-2016, the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) issued three Requests for Proposals for employment services contracts –CareerCompass, CareerAdvance and YouthPathways – that are closely aligned with the City’s Career Pathways strategy launched in late 2014. Shifting from a one-size-fits-all approach, the new programs connect people on Cash Assistance with jobs, training or education matched to their needs, skills and career goals.
Upon the release of the RFPs, Workforce Professionals Training Institute (WPTI) ran, with support from the New York City Workforce Funders, the “HRA Bootcamp” to assist the workforce field in responding to the restructured employment services RFPs. The Bootcamp engendered close collaboration with City agencies, intermediaries, educational institutions, private contractors, and community based organizations, fielding unprecedented collaboration, information sharing, and newly-forged partnerships.
Attendees at HRA Partnership Meeting discussing the technical assistance needs of the Career Services programs launch.
The WPTI Field Building Hub has continued to work with HRA and its selected Career Services vendors to identify and address technical assistance needs as the new Career Services programs launch. Recognizing the importance and necessity of partnerships to ensure Cash Assistance clients can access a full array of services and resources, in early 2017 the Field Building Hub, in partnership with Grant Associates, hosted a partnership convening with nearly 100 staff from over 50 workforce, educational, and social service agencies . Currently, the Hub is engaging HRA vendors, subcontractors, partners, agency representatives, and clients to assess early program implementation, identify system wide challenges, and design technical assistance solutions responsive to those issues.