June 28, 2022 - Mother Lode Job Training (MLJT) has been awarded a project grant to work in close partnership with Resiliency Village (RV) to elevate employment and income growth opportunities for people facing homelessness.  Project REBOOT (Return to Employment and Bold Opportunities Outside Trauma) is funded by the Workforce Accelerator Fund 10.0, which is supported by the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) in coordination with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) with Department of Labor funding totaling $250,000. The fund’s goal is to impact economic and racial equity by creating pathways to good quality jobs for workers from disadvantaged or low-income communities, ultimately bringing successful strategies to scale, and embedding them into the workforce system.

Using a unique approach combining the labor needs of the business community with the human services necessary for success, MLJT and Resiliency Village will bring employment services to 46 individuals facing homelessness in our region, which includes Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, and Tuolumne counties. Project REBOOT, which runs through December 2023, will focus on providing intensive services to help Resiliency Village residents gain skills, certificates, and high wage employment in an innovative and trauma-informed approach.

With the assistance of Resiliency Village, MLJT will provide direct outreach to homeless individuals, including resume and job placement assistance, information, and access to scholarships for job training, and supportive services like transportation, clothing, and digital access for employment purposes. Resiliency Village residents will receive intensive job training and paid work experience services in conjunction with the trauma-informed counseling and support that Resiliency Village expertly provides.

“By combining the workforce development interests of the region with the profound needs of the unhoused, REBOOT offers a unique opportunity for innovation and rebirth in the Mother Lode, one that we hope can be replicated in other regions.” Dave Thoeny, Executive Director of Mother Lode Job Training.

“We are excited to partner with MLJT on a project that can help rebuild lives and move people toward self-sufficiency.  The dignity of meaningful employment is an important component in reaching the goal of stable housing.  Community partnerships are vital to the success of non-profit work, and we are grateful for this opportunity.” Mark Dyken, Executive Director of Resiliency Village.

The mission of Resiliency Village is to improve the quality of life for unsheltered and otherwise traumatized citizens. RV provides fundamental on-site services, creative art therapies, skill-building, and the model of a healthy lifestyle, supporting the opportunity for a self-sustaining future through housing, healing, and hope.

Since 1983, Mother Lode Job Training has been providing no-cost workforce development services for job seekers and employers through one-stop job centers located in Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, and Tuolumne counties.  

Individuals who are interested in participating or have questions should contact our main office at (209) 533-3396 or visit www.mljt.org/contact to find their nearest job center.
Source: MLJT