Attendees gave a fun personal and professional update
Committee’s work is to identify barriers to employment and align community members and employers to take down those barriers. BIP has released a report “Together We Rise: The Business Case for Economic Inclusion in Baltimore City”. Since the uprising there has been an increase in the awareness of the importance of providing jobs and economic opportunities to city residents. The Committee reviewed and discussed a summary of the report, which is below. The report highlights the importance of investing in residents as well as physical infrastructure. Have to be very clear about what opportunity should like for all community residents.
Opportunity Zones: federal incentive program for designated zones. If an investor invests in an opportunity zone there is an enormous tax benefit if it results in homeownership opportunities, job opportunities etc, with benefits for long-term investment. Have to be clear about what we need from investors so that the investment actually benefits the community. Should be an agenda item at the SWP Board meeting. Karina: what is the collaboration with other workforce development groups? Caryn: in a position where we decide what we focus on. JOTF has prioritized SW Baltimore, so the resources are there.
October 626 Outreach Event:
October 13th from 6pm-6am at Franklin Square Elementary/Middle School
Finalize key services:
-focus on youth and seniors
-add additional resource–vital records and ids (how can we amp that up)
Ivan: networking is a critical component to finding a job, something that the committee can start to think about (mock interviews, networking training, softer job skills support, what else goes getting in to a job). Karina suggested plugging in the Black Chamber of Commerce to provide support and potentially jobs.
South Baltimore Learning Center: Adult Education, SBLC interested in how to work in the area, GED access, pre-GED access, (placement tests?, signing people up?, doing academic pathways for folks?)
Maryland Higher Education Commission
Maryland Consumer Resource Coalition
Expungement is a major need for employers in need of workers
Job fair/employment could be be a follow up event
Should use time to figure out the resources that youth need
Who will reach out to them: Ivan will help put together a list, Karina and Caryn will reach out to the Connect (working with disconnected youth)
Elizabeth will reach out to the workforce roundtable
Start a google working document
New Business
Allie Civic Works: convening roundtables of employers in retail, restaurant, construction industry to have conversations around job quality. Also working with providers to structure their program around what employers are looking for, also training and best practices around equity and inclusion. Now in the process of bringing together businesses to have these conversations. Want to learn about other workforce resources that exist, and want to know the experiences of workers in those industries.
Caryn: would be good for our committee have a questionnaire or a model. Allie shared the template they were working on for defining a ‘good job’/’quality job’–intended for consumers to have information about the workforce for businesses
There is an emphasis on racial equity drawing on ABC’s (Associated Black Charities’) best practices
Also work on proper methods for screening for criminal records etc
Karina: is there a economic/networking connection between businesses that share similar practices/values. Allie: something they would build out in the long term
Karina: Start up Green Smart Cities, eco-district in Baltimore, would put back into use old industrial neighborhoods and address environmental justice issues and issues around community health. Would like to make a push for green jobs–green collar jobs and resources like vertical farms. Allie: Civic Works is working in the green jobs space. Karina will share some information with the Committee
