New Program Funded By Comcast Connects Formerly Unhoused With Job Opportunities After Being Housed Through Inside Safe
LOS ANGELES – Continuing unprecedented efforts that have resulted in the first decrease in homelessness in years, Mayor Bass announced a new program to help formerly unhoused Angelenos stay off the street by providing job training, support and other services. CareerConnect is intended to bolster existing employment services which have already helped more than one hundred formerly homeless Angelenos in Inside Safe secure jobs and employment opportunities. Over the last two years, more people have come inside than in the years before with unprecedented urgency.
“We have taken a new approach over the last two years that pairs housing with services in a way that allows Angelenos to get their lives back on track,” said Mayor Bass. “These results are possible because of strong partnerships that create opportunities for the City to deliver services in new ways. We are continuing that important work with the CareerConnect program, which will help connect Inside Safe participants with job training, support and services. Thank you to the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Comcast for awarding L.A. with the Talent for Tomorrow: Digital Equity Challenge Award so that we can train Angelenos with the computer and online skills needed to thrive.”
CareerConnect will be funded by the U.S. Conference of Mayors Comcast Digital Equity Award, which selected the City of Los Angeles to receive $250,000 for its efforts to expand workforce readiness and make digital and online skills more accessible to people experiencing homelessness.
“Mayor Bass is investing in economic development that lifts people up instead of leaving them behind,” said U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran. “The Talent for Tomorrow Challenge grant will allow Los Angeles to grow their CareerConnect program and build on their success. Not only are they focusing on housing people who have been on the streets, but they are now providing them with the tools they need in order to fully succeed in life. By providing digital access and skills training, the city will be able to build a stronger, more diverse, more equitable and inclusive workforce. The Conference is grateful to have a committed partner in Comcast, as we work to create economic opportunity and communities where Americans can thrive.”
"We’re thrilled to congratulate the City of Los Angeles, through their CareerConnect Program, on their well-earned grant award from Comcast and the U.S. Conference of Mayors,” said Alan Goldsmith, Vice President of Comcast Business. “This recognition is a testament to their commitment to empowering individuals with the digital skills and resources they need to succeed in today’s economy. The work they do in workforce development and fostering digital equity is crucial in bridging the digital divide. By working together in public-private partnerships, we better ensure that everyone, regardless of background or geography, has the opportunity to develop the skills needed for today's and tomorrow's jobs."
CareerConnect will bolster the City’s existing Job Connectors initiative, which has already provided 1:1 job counseling and assistance with resumes, interviews and applications to 400 formerly unhoused Inside Safe participants to help them get “job ready.” More than 500 job applications have been submitted thus far by Inside Safe residents. The Job Connectors Initiative was launched in August of 2023 to support the integration of the City's WorkSource centers with interim housing and other housing initiatives.
“Piloted in 2019, HACLA’s Digital Ambassador Program is rooted in the Community Health Worker/Promotora Model as a means to address the social, economic and health disparities created by the Digital Divide. The program quickly expanded during the pandemic, where access to the internet was mission-critical to accessing services, food, education, health and work," said Jenny Scanlin, Chief Strategic Development Officer at HACLA. "This CareerConnect investment allows HACLA’s Digital Ambassador Program to expand from serving housed individuals to serving individuals on their way to housing stabilization. We look forward to getting our unhoused Angelenos connected.”