EARLY CARE & EDUCATION AND YOUTH SUCCESS

• Strategic planning and consultation around MUW’s American Rescue Plan (ARPA) investments from Louisville Metro Government in the areas of Early Care and Education, Youth Success, and Economic Mobility.
• Finalizing a neighborhood impact model – United Neighborhoods – in consultation with Torch Enterprises.
• The Ages & Stages (ASQ) Hub continues to support families in finding resources throughout our community to support their child’s early education needs. This week we were able to support a family whose child had been removed from their preschool because of behavior. We connected the family to JCPS and Seven Counties for evaluations and supported her efforts to find high quality childcare to meet their son’s specific needs.
• Metro United Way now has agreements with 15 child care providers to share their ASQ data so that we can track children’s progress.
• Presented during the Ready 4 K’s Family and Caregiver Engagement Action Network’s first professional development training which had over 40 community partners and child care providers in attendance to learn about a unified approach of sharing resources and messaging to families on kindergarten readiness and transition practice.
• We are developing three separate community conversations for Ready for K partners. These conversations will be held in January, February and March and will allow our community to learn more about Home Visitation (January), Head Start and Early Head Start (February) and Challenging Behaviors (March).
• Collaborating with the Coalition Supporting Young Adults and the Louisville Metro Office of Healthy & Safey (OHSN) YES! Team to support a Neighborhood Youth Board framework and pilot in the California Neighborhood.
• Transitioning to in-person tutoring with partners and students through our Bridgeway Tutoring Initiative.
• We are supporting many of our Youth Success partners (96 in all!) with outcome measurements and data using the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Program Assessment framework and the SEL Measurement tool.
• Working on our new Youth Success RFP with all seven-county staff and volunteers. More details soon!

• Advocated for $40 million in American Rescue Plan funds to upskill and invest in our community’s healthcare workforce in partnership with The Louisville Healthcare CEO Council, AMPED, the UofL Center for Digital Transformation, the Louisville Urban League, GLI, KentuckianaWorks, and TECH-Nique. Metro Council approved these funds, and we look forward to implementing the project along with the coalition over the next two years.
• Finalizing a neighborhood impact model – United Neighborhoods – in consultation with Torch Enterprises.
• Provided investments and partnering with Southern Indiana Works to launch our first Southern Indiana Youth Summer Works Program. This program will offer youth 16-21 the opportunity to gain relevant job skills, while providing talent development opportunities for area employers. Participants receive paid work experience, including job readiness training. Many components of this program will be based on the successful KentuckiaWorks program. Details on how youth can apply for this program coming soon.
• Our YaLift! guaranteed income pilot in the news: How $500 a month in guaranteed income is changing young people’s lives in Louisville
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• We have received additional investments for our Siemer Institute work which provides long term coaching/case management to stabilize families regarding income, housing, and education so children can be successful in school. We will be able to benefit and additional 250 families and 500 children in our community.
• We are partnering with KentuckianaWorks and several other local organizations on a national initiative to promote equity in employment by supporting the creation of inviting workplaces for young people of color. In December, we are planning a moderated/guided conversation between young adult workers and employers to mutually explore a pathway to successful engagement. If you represent an employer that is interested in advancing equity in your workplace and are open to co-learning with other employers and young adults about how to enhance your success in attracting and retaining young adults of color, please contact John Nevitt at john.nevitt@metrounitedway.org This new program will be called “Generation Work.”
• Don’t forget – the Take This! Photovoice exhibition addressing economic security and the prospects of guaranteed income is on display at The Social Practice Lab by appointment until January 31. Located at 1229 S. Shelby St. Louisville, KY 40203. Contact Michael Kopp to arrange a viewing: michael.kopp@thesocialpracticelab.org.