The Montgomery County Workforce Development Board (MontcoWorks), in partnership with the Delaware County Workforce Development Board, announced they have received an LGBTQIA+ Support Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Bureau of Workforce Development Partnerships. This will allow them to create a more inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ career seekers within the two-county area.
“We are extremely proud to collaborate with our partners in Delaware County as well as our provider EDSI to do our part in ensuring an equitable workplace for all. We are grateful to PA Labor and Industry for recognizing this need and supporting this pilot,” said Jennifer Butler, Executive Director of MontcoWorks.
The grant will fund a needs assessment and asset mapping of LGBTQIA+ resources in Delaware and Montgomery counties. Work on the needs assessment has started and will be complete by June 30, 2023. In addition, grant funds will be used to develop a career seeker curriculum with input from legal experts as well as a series of employer webinars. Grant activities will be facilitated by Educational Data Systems, Inc, service provider for both workforce development boards under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
“As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community myself, I am committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all facets of life,” said Roe Falcone, EDSI’s Director of Strategic Partnerships. “In light of continuing hate crimes against gay and trans individuals throughout the nation, EDSI and the workforce development boards of Montgomery and Delaware counties are striving to eliminate discrimination in the hiring, promotion, and treatment of LGBTQ individuals in the workplace. This grant will provide additional support and resources for those who identify as LGBTQ and promote inclusivity in the workplace.”
This grant will augment the services of PA CareerLink® Montgomery County and PA CareerLink® Delaware County. Both one-stop career centers provide a range of services to employers and career seekers. An LGBTQIA+ Career Navigator will help career seekers connect to one-stop services and additional resources in those counties.
