This project provides funding for heartland conservation alliance to recruit, train, and place unemployed and underemployed at-risk youth in the foster care system who are aging out of the foster care…

The Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 awarded a $198,195 cooperative agreement to Heartland Conservation Alliance, Inc. under the Brownfields Job Training Cooperative Agreements program (CFDA 66.815). The funding will support providing training and job placement services to at-risk youth aging out of the foster care system in Kansas City, Missouri zip codes 64126-64130.

Heartland Conservation Alliance will partner with Cornerstones of Care to recruit, train, and place 54 individuals in environmental remediation careers through a hands-on, 180-hour curriculum. Training will include OSHA 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response certification and focus on restoring vacant lots and brownfields. Anticipated outcomes include 38 graduates and 27 trainees placed in environmental jobs addressing brownfields and hazardous waste in the targeted Kansas City communities. The program aims to provide sustainable employment while improving community involvement and environmental justice.

This project provides funding for heartland conservation alliance to recruit, train, and place unemployed and underemployed at-risk youth in the foster care system who are aging out of the foster care system in kansas city, missouri in environmental careers with skills needed to safely conduct remediation work at solid and hazardous waste-contaminated sites, as well as appropriate training in green remediation technologies, storm water management, emergency planning and chemical safety. The goal of this training program is to provide area youth with a foundation in natural resources science and environmental management through classroom and hands-on training at projects within the blue valley watershed (specifically within the 64126, 64127, 64128, 64129, 64130 ZIP codes). Activities:this project will provide participants with skills and certifications necessary to enter environmental careers. Activities to be performed during this project including recruiting and training at-risk youth in the foster care system who are aged 17 to 23. Students will also be engaged in an intensive sustainable landscape and land restoration curriculum with an emphasis on remediation. Training will include classroom and on-line sessions, including OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 40-hour hazwoper and 10-hour safety certifications, and field experience focused on restoring vacant lots and other brownfieldssubrecipient:the subaward is to cornerstones of care (COC), the primary training partner for the build trybe program for at-risk youth aging out of the foster care system. COC will provide outreach, recruit and screen candidates, transportation to facilitate completion of mobile aspects of the training, technical training and skill building including guiding through the 40-hour hazwoper and OSHA-10 training, job counseling to inform placement and/or pursuit of further education, job placement, host graduation celebrations for 14 cohorts, track graduates for a minimum of one-year post graduation, plus contribute to curriculum development, project management and maintaining partnerships. In the event of covid-19 restrictions, COC will modify procedures to follow CDC guidelines for health precautions plus provide appropriate supplies and internet connectivity to continue training seamlessly.outcomes:this project will provide training to at-risk youth in the foster care system within the within the 64126, 64127, 64128, 64129, 64130 ZIP codes in partnership with cornerstones of care's build trybe program. The anticipated deliverables for are 54 individuals recruited, trained, and certified, 38 graduated, and 27 placed in environmental careers in areas of kansas city impacted by brownfields and solid or hazardous waste sites and facilities. This will be accomplished by delivery of 6 classes and hands-on learning sessions in the field for a total of 180 hours of intermediate level training including certification of 54 students in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 40-hour hazwoper training. The training will be offered fourteen times during the performance period of the agreement. To meet the needs of the at-risk youth, from the original application, the cohort size was reduced from six to four students for more one-on-one training to enhance graduation and placement rates; cohorts increased from nine to 14 to train 56 and meet goal of 54; to train 180 hours and the extra cohorts within the same period of performance, training was condensed from 12-weeks to 10-weeks and 15 hours trained per week to 18 hours. Expected outcomes from this project include: help residents of communities take advantage of jobs created by the assessment and cleanup of brownfields and the assessment, cleanup, and management of solid and hazardous waste sites and facilities while addressing environmental justice concerns; provide training that leads to sustainable employment in the environmental field; improve community involvement and stimulate the development of constructive partnersh