The NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) has updated its procurement and implementation timeline for its new Advance & Earn program in response to advocacy from a wide coalition of organizations representing service providers. The RFP is now scheduled to be released tomorrow May 1, with responses due eight weeks later on June 26. Contracts are anticipated to start November 1 to allow for start-up with direct services starting February 1, 2020. In order to ensure a continuation of services, DYCD is working to extend contracts for Intern & Earn and the Young Adult Literacy Program (YALP) for one additional cohort of each program.
This change comes after several organizations - the Human Services Council, the NYC Employment & Training Coalition, the Workforce Field Building Hub, the New York Association of Training & Employment Professionals, JobsFirstNYC and United Neighborhood Houses - sent a letter to DYCD leadership expressing concerns about the planned contract start date and program designs that would have impacted the quality of the programs and put responding providers at fiscal and legal risk. We are grateful to our colleagues and DYCD leadership for their partnership on this issue.
The Advance & Earn program will combine YALP and Intern & Earn (formerly Young Adult Internship Program [YAIP]) to offer a continuum of services from literacy instruction through advanced training and job placement or college enrollment supported by comprehensive support services tailored to individual needs. The intent of the Advance & Earn program is to provide opportunity youth at any skill level - from fourth-grade reading through possession of an HSE or high school diploma or even some college credits - with the tools needed to gain skills as they move along a continuum of services. The final goal for each participant is attainment of employment in a job with career opportunities or enrollment in postsecondary education or advanced training.
Please feel free to contact me at jortiz@nycetc.org or 646.203.4636 with questions.
