ACTION REQUESTED:
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Communication from the City Manager, Director of Public Works and Chief Innovation Officer with a Request to AUTHORIZE the City Manager to EXECUTE a GRANT AGREEMENT with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the APPRENTICESHIP PLUS YOUTH PROGRAM, in the Amount of $205,000.00.
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BACKGROUND:
Best Practices
In 2015, City staff from the Public Works Department and Innovation Team traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to learn about their best practices around green infrastructure installation and maintenance. A key component of their maintenance regime is a program called PowerCorpsPHL, an AmeriCorps program which provides opportunity youth with the training and skill development necessary to pursue careers in related industries. City staff were inspired by the model and returned to Peoria with the intention of scoping the potential for a similar program locally. Following extensive engagement with the IDEAS Committee, One Water Committee, and other outreach through neighborhood associations and community groups, this model was deemed a high priority for the Innovation Team's slated list of initiatives.
Feasibility Study
A feasibility study of organizations that could potentially house and operate a corps program was undertaken by a non-profit organization representing corps across the U.S. called The Corps Network (TCN). TCN determined through this process that no organization had the existing capacity to develop and implement a corps program in Peoria. An alternative was outlined that suggested the City of Peoria consider housing the program internally by adding capacity through dedicated program staff. This option would allow the City's Public Works Department to have responsibility over fieldwork completed by program participants. In addition to the feasibility study, TCN provided the City with a framework for designing an effective corps program. The City used this framework, and the recommended Advisory Com...
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