National League of Cities' Institute for Youth, Education and Families
Abstract
An increasing number of communities are seeking to help individuals faced with multiple employment barriers succeed in the labor force through transitional jobs (TJ) programs. TJ programs offer temporary, paying jobs with support services and job placement assistance to individuals who are not served by more traditional job training and placement programs. These more intensive programs have been shown to be effective with hard-to-employ adults and youth, but not without a cost. TJ programs cost significantly more per client than employment programs for individuals who are more job-ready. This strategy brief is designed to help local leaders seeking funding to develop, sustain, or expand transitional jobs programs. While significant work has already been done on financing TJ for individuals moving off of welfare, there is little information available on financing options for programs that serve other populations. This paper seeks to fill this information gap for three target groups- ex-offenders, homeless people, and youth - by describing federal funding sources and financing strategies that can support TJ programs for these populations
