Regional partnership will connect justice-involved young adults to training, apprenticeships, supportive services and employment opportunities
CINCINNATI — Justice-involved young adults in the Cincinnati region will have new access to job training, apprenticeships, supportive services and employment opportunities through a federal RESTART grant awarded to a regional partnership led by Midwest Urban Strategies, with the Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio delivering services locally.
Midwest Urban Strategies will coordinate the multi-city initiative, while the Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio and local partners will deliver services in the Cincinnati region. The total amount of funds received for the Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio’s local services is more than $798,000. The funding is designed to connect justice-involved young adults to career opportunities in high-demand industries.
The RESTART (Reentry Employment in Skilled Trades, Advanced Manufacturing, Registered Apprenticeships and Training) initiative supports programs that combine job training, work-based learning, supportive services, mentorship, and employer engagement to improve employment outcomes and reduce recidivism.
“This grant allows us to bring together workforce, justice, education, housing, health and employer partners around one shared goal: helping justice-involved young adults build skills, earn credentials and move into stable careers,” said Beth Yoke, executive director of the Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio. “When people have access to training, support and real career pathways, it strengthens families, employers and the broader community.”
The Cincinnati effort aims to serve 136 justice-involved young adults ages 18 to 24, helping participants connect to prosocial supports, education and employment through a regional network of workforce and community partners.
The project will focus on career development, industry-recognized credentials, work-based learning, mentorship, supportive services, and at least 12 months of follow-up after program completion. These services are designed to help participants move into in-demand fields such as advanced manufacturing, transportation, information technology, skilled trades, and other high-need sectors.
Local partners include the Hamilton County Office of Reentry, AFL-CIO, Building Value, Kable Group, Lighthouse Youth & Family Services, Easterseals Redwood, Elite Welding Academy, and the University of Cincinnati’s College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies.
The Hamilton County Office of Reentry will serve as a key justice system partner by referring eligible clients and collaborating with grant partners to connect participants to workforce and supportive services. Employer and training partners, including AFL-CIO, Building Value, Elite Welding Academy and Kable Group, will support pathways into apprenticeships, entry-level employment and short-term credentials.
Lighthouse Youth & Family Services will provide violence prevention services, mentoring and leadership development components, bringing experience in trauma-informed practices, peer support and mentoring for justice-involved youth and young adults.
Additional direct service partners will help address barriers that can affect participants’ ability to complete training and stay employed, including legal needs, housing, health care, health insurance, mental health services, food and nutrition, education, childcare, family and social supports, substance use treatment, transportation, recreation, financial literacy and occupational training.
The Workforce Council will also coordinate transitional work experiences with employer partners, helping participants build workplace skills and solid work habits before moving into unsubsidized employment.
RESTART grant activities align with the Workforce Council’s mission to strengthen the region’s workforce system by connecting people to opportunity and helping employers access the talent they need. The initiative also supports broader community safety and economic mobility goals by helping justice-involved residents build skills, earn credentials, and access career pathways that lead to long-term stability.
This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Labor through the RESTART initiative. The total funding allocated to the Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio is more than $798,320 and is funded 100% by federal funds.
About the Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio:
The Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio is an independent, nonpartisan organization focused on workforce development and innovation in Cincinnati and Hamilton County. The organization oversees and implements the local area’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds and works with regional partners to strengthen the area’s workforce ecosystem.