Located in:
Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)
Note: Below is information about the employment and training activities carried out under the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) (42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.) that is included in the WIOA Combined State Plan. The complete CSBG State Plan is submitted directly to the Federal agency that administers that program and is collected under OMB Control Number: 0970-0382.
Where CSBG is included in the Combined State Plan, the State CSBG Lead Agency (as designated by the chief executive of the State under the requirements of section 676(a) of the CSBG Act (42 U.S.C. 9908(a)) will coordinate plans for employment and training activities under CSBG as part of a larger antipoverty and workforce development strategy.
As part of the Combined State Plan, the State CSBG Lead Agency must:
(a) Describe how the State and the eligible entities will coordinate the provision of employment and training activities through Statewide and local WIOA workforce development systems; and may
(b) Provide examples of innovative employment and training programs and activities conducted by eligible entities or other neighborhood-based organizations as part of a community antipoverty strategy.
Current Narrative:
a) Describe how the State and the eligible entities will coordinate the provision of employment and training activities through Statewide and local WIOA workforce development systems; and may
CSBG employment and training activities are included as a “required partner” for WIOA One-Stop Career Centers. The State CSBG Lead Agency and the Community Action Agencies statewide have an MOU with comprehensive American Job Centers to coordinate services in their local areas which include employment, referrals, training and workshops, resume writing, job search, high school equivalency testing, transportation and housing assistance. Some Community Action Agencies are located within the American Job Centers which allows the convenient and seamless referral of clients and continuous communication and collaboration.
(b) Provide examples of innovative employment and training programs and activities conducted by eligible entities or other neighborhood-based organizations as part of a community antipoverty strategy.
- The WIOA Job Placement Program places WIOA participants in the Community Action Agencies’ work sites. The eligible entities in turn provide the participants with on the job training, resume writing skills, ethical work practices and transportation assistance for typically 400 work hours. At the end of the job training period, the Community Action Agency has the option of hiring the participant or assisting them in obtaining permanent employment elsewhere.
- Total Community Action has a collective impact initiative focused on reducing the underemployment rate of African American males consisting of a partnership which includes the WIOA One-Stop Operator, the Urban League of Louisiana and Goodwill. This community level change is led by the public/private/business partnership New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA).
- The ASSIST Agency utilizes the Individual Development Account (IDA) Program to provide matching funds for education and training tuition, books, tools and materials for clients who want to obtain education to obtain employment or higher wage paying careers. The agency works with clients who have gone through WIOA to obtain skills to become a commercial truck driver, licensed practical nurse or any of the other occupations that South Louisiana Community College provides training for.
- Cameron Community Action Agency coordinates with WIOA through the "traveling jobs" van which visits Cameron Parish once a month. Cameron CAA is the "one stop" for Cameron Parish which allows persons access to services without having to travel the 54 miles to Lake Charles, LA .