Advocacy Agenda: Boston Workforce Development Coalition

Advocacy Agenda

Fiscal Year 2003

Local/Greater Boston
Massachusetts
Federal
Advocacy Committee
Membership/Advocacy Survey (Microsoft Word)

Local/Greater Boston

Work with member organizations to identify specific local issues that impact upon their ability to provide as effective a service as possible within the greater Boston area Some of the areas previously identified by our membership include:

Work with member organizations to identify specific local issues that impact upon their ability to provide as effective a service as possible within the greater Boston area.

Some of the areas previously identified by our membership include:

Redefining the priorities of the Career Centers, i.e. to ensuring that low income, disabled, immigrants, and others disadvantaged persons are being served.
Strengthening the relationships between community-based organizations and the Career Centers.
Where have all the training dollars gone? How does one access them?
Developing relationships with the Boston based legislators and other community leaders to advocate for the people served by our membership.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Current Legislative Action:

Carefully review the proposed budgets/legislation to determine which will have the greatest impact on the persons served by our members.
Inform and educate members to advocate for the restoration of and or funding these programs, including but not limited to: MASS-FESS, ECCLI, BEST, etc.
Actively work in cooperation with those organizations/coalitions that are currently sponsoring legislation, policy changes or funding formulas that impact upon the lives of low income persons, thereby becoming a stronger voice for these issues.

Ongoing:

Educate: Review the proposed status of workforce development in Mass. and nationally and based upon the feedback of our membership, educate and train them to develop the skills needed to be effective (self) advocates.

Develop Positions: Based on the information provided by our members, advocate for the following:

Support Services, which include but are not limited to: child care; health care; housing; transportation; immigrant rights.
Funding for the full spectrum of training and education options, which include but are not limited to: Adult Basic Education; E.S.O.L.; community (and other) colleges/ certification; community based organizations as an accredited training option; Career Ladders; Post placement/continuing services.

Draft Legislation: After monitoring what has been proposed, contact and obtain input from the membership,(and if a need can be identified), draft legislation that addresses their specific needs, work with Legislators and others to craft, mentor & pass it.

Federal

T.A.N.F.(Transitional Assistance for Needy Families)

Inform and educate the Coalition membership about T.A.N.F. reauthorization and its importance to the work they do.
Urge individual members to contact their representatives to support the type of reauthorization legislation that will be of the greatest benefit to the low income persons served by their programs.
Obtain feedback, develop positions and testify on behalf of member's interests.

W.I.A.(Workforce Investment Act)

Inform and educate Coalition membership about W.I.A. (as it exists today).
Urge individuals members to contact their representatives to preserve or increase funding for FY 03
Provide information to the coalition so that we can testify on behalf of our members regarding reauthorization of WIA in FY 03-04, specifically related to their experiences accessing services/funding and recommendations for change.

Other

Monitor other federal legislation related to workforce development, inform the members, draft and present public policy positions and advocate for it, consistent with the interests of the membership.
Work in partnership with national and state organizations advocating for those positions to ensure their revision/preservation, passage and adequate funding.