At A Glance
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WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO
- Coalition of job training providers, advocates, employers, labor representatives, research institutes, social service agencies and funders advocating for DC workforce system that meets needs of all District residents and that responds to DC economy
- Accomplish goals with multi-faceted strategy including provision of policy materials, technical assistance, advocacy to policy makers and city agencies, public education, organizing, and coalition building
- Serves as nexus among myriad components of workforce system, including K-12 education, adult education, literacy, workforce readiness, job development, job creation, and self-sufficiency
- Represents perspective of community-based organizations who serve under- and unemployed District residents facing the highest barriers to new or better jobs.
- Facilitates coordinated effort to change and strengthen systems, structures, regulations, and laws that affect individual’s ability to find and keep a good job.
Together, we work to ensure that an effective and efficient workforce system is a District priority, and that every DC resident will have the job training and education opportunities necessary to succeed in jobs that pay self-sufficiency wages, and that meet the skill needs of District of Columbia employers.
HISTORY
- Founded as informal volunteer consortium in 1999 by Wider Opportunities for Women (DCJC’s fiscal sponsor), DC Employment Justice Center, and grantees of Moriah Fund
- Original purpose to help nonprofits navigate landscape changed by passage of federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
- Reactivated in 2005 because of potential for change afforded by election of new Mayor and Councilmembers, and appointment of new WIC chair
- Hired first staff member in February 2007
MEMBERSHIP
- Has grown to more than 100 people representing approximately 50 organizations
- Work guided by Steering Committee of active members
- Annual organization dues range from $50 (budget < $250K), to $100 (budget $250-500K), to $200 (budget > $500K)
MEETINGS
- Monthly meetings on 2nd Thursday of each month, 2:30-4:30 pm
- Recent guest speakers – Hugh Bailey, Associate Director of DOES for One-Stop Operations; Lisa M. Mallory, Director, DC Department of Employment Services;
- Workforce Wednesdays program offers monthly seminars on specific skills needed by front-line workforce development professionals
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Led successful effort to preserve local funding for adult job training in District budget. Encouraged DC Council to make $4.6M in unspent funds for FY2010 nonlapsing, and to include additional $4.6M in FY2011 budget. During recent negotiations addressing nearly $190M shortfall in FY2011 DC budget, encouraged DC Council to spare $6.3M in local funds for adult job training. Continuing work to ensure funding available as quickly as possible through RFP process.
- Prepared comprehensive series of recommendations for incoming Mayor Gray and shared with other District leaders. Councilmember Michael Brown incorporated several of our recommendations into his own recommendations paper, which was basis for public roundtable before Committee on Housing and Workforce Development.
- Continues to participate in broad range of formal and informal coalitions relating to workforce development, including Fair Budget Coalition, Defeat Poverty DC, Living Wages/Healthy Communities (working to ensure Walmart’s planned new stores offer good jobs), efforts to increase training for green-collar jobs, actions to increase returning offender participation in District workforce, and Workforce Investment Council (WIC).
- Thanks to funding from Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative (GWWDC), 14 local funders with an interest in workforce development, offered second series of seminars to front-line workforce development professionals.
- Conducted successful Advocacy Training Day, half-day program that taught staff members of community-based workforce development organizations skills needed to advocate effectively on behalf of clients. Plan to hold additional Advocacy Training Day in early 2012.
- Leading small group of community-based organizations facing difficulties because of slow payments on contracts with District government. Strategy involves working with DC’s Chief Financial Officer and DC Councilmembers to restructure dysfunctional contracting system.
PRIORITIES FOR 2011-2012
Structural Priorities
- Transition to more independent status as step toward application for IRS 501(c)3 status within two years
- Increase organizational capacity
Policy Priorities
- Developing dashboard template to permit efficient review of workforce development organization and system effectiveness. Dashboard will include information on several data elements, varying according to organizational mission. Organizations using dashboard will be better able to demonstrate their individual effectiveness to potential clients, to employers seeking well-prepared individuals to fill jobs, and to funders. Aggregated information on effectiveness will help DCJC enhance credibility of all members.
- Supporting an effective First Source/Workforce Intermediary bill, with particular focus on rapid establishment of a workforce intermediary task force;
- Ensuring sufficient funding for job training and related services, as well as transparent and expeditious distribution of funds through an RFP process;
- Encouraging and facilitating improvement of the DC Works! Career Centers, using our collectively-developed recommendations as a basis for our work;
- Working with other District nonprofits to strengthen and improve DC government contracting and payment processes; and
- Helping to ensure an enforceable citywide Community Benefits Agreement with Walmart preserves and encourages good jobs for DC residents.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Marina Streznewski
Coordinator, DC Jobs Council
(202) 464-1596, x116
mstreznewski@wowonline.org
1001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 930, Washington DC 20036