INCREASING WORKFORCE SYSTEM FUNDING

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Invest in all workers.

Structuring funding at the Federal and State level that is consistent, adaptable and relevant to the changing needs of the economy safeguards everyone’s professional progress, no matter what situational changes they encounter during their careers.

We also believe that funding social enterprise, entrepreneurship, and worker-owned businesses creates unique opportunities for people who have trouble securing stable jobs.

Learn more about our current initiatives below.

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Equitable Economy

There are not enough jobs in the places where people need them most. We believe that entrepreneurship, social enterprise, and worker-owned businesses hold unique opportunities for people who have trouble securing stable jobs.

  • We support economic development strategies that prioritize hiring locally and from workforce training organizations, including social enterprises.

  • We support community benefits agreements that are enforceable by community members.

  • We participate in the Chicagoland Cooperative Economy Coalition with the goal of promoting worker-owned cooperatives as an employment strategy for marginalized job seekers.

  • We push to ensure that huge public investments in areas like infrastructure include set-asides for job training and workforce development for low-income communities of color.

  • We advance accountability and job quality in local economic development.

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Food Assistance

Equitable food access should be a right for all, regardless of circumstance. We coordinate with human services to offer robust employment and training services for SNAP participants.

  • We advocate to increase resources for SNAP E&T, and promote coordination between our human services and workforce development system to build a skills-based employment strategy for SNAP participants in Illinois. Check out our Pathways Not Punishment Policy Report on SNAP E&T.

  • We supported the passage of SB1791 to transition SNAP E&T to a fully voluntary program in Illinois.

  • We collaborate with the SNAP Advocates table to fight against work requirements that penalize SNAP recipients for market conditions they cannot control.

Learn more about our other policy planks: