Increased Funding and Support for YouthBuild Program: Jobs and Education for Youth.
This act reauthorizes and increases funding for the YouthBuild program, which helps unemployed and undereducated youth gain job skills and complete their education. It introduces new rules for reserving funds for rural areas and Native Americans and expands support for participants to include food assistance and easier access to social benefits. The changes aim to integrate young people into training programs faster and improve their employment prospects.
Key points
Funding Increase: Authorized appropriations for the YouthBuild program gradually increase from $159.5 million in fiscal year 2024 to $203.6 million in 2029.
Expanded Participant Support: YouthBuild programs must now offer meals, food assistance, and help participants apply for federal and state means-tested benefits (e.g., SNAP, child care assistance).
Priority for Rural and Native Communities: If the budget exceeds $125 million, 20% of the excess funds will be reserved for grants in rural areas and for programs benefiting Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.
Faster Service Provision: States and local boards are required to reduce the waiting period for out-of-school youth to receive services to the minimum time possible.
Terminology Update: The term "youth offender" is replaced with "youth justice-involved individual," and "basic skills deficient" is replaced with "foundational skill needs."
Expired
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