TACOMA – A Tacoma Public Schools Board of Directors member will lead a new partnership of agencies providing career, educational and development services for at-risk young adults.
Kurt Miller started as director of the Resources for Education and Career Help (REACH) partnership April 13. The agencies will be located in Tacoma Goodwill’s new Milgard Work Opportunity Center, under construction at South 27th Street and Tacoma Avenue South.
“My past experience working with nonprofit agencies and on the school board gives me the confidence to be able to move this vision forward and serve the young adults we must reach,” Miller said.
The partnering agencies include; Bates Technical College, Clover Park Technical College, Tacoma Community College, Tacoma Community House, Vadis, Tacoma Public Schools, Centro Latino, Job Corps, Metropolitan Development Council, Work Force Central and Tacoma Goodwill. Miller was chosen from a regional search of more than 200 candidates.
“Kurt Miller has built respected relationships over the years with many of the agencies already involved in REACH,” said Don Rennegarbe, executive director of Tacoma Community House, who participated in the selection process. “He has shown an amazing ability to work with young adults as well as community leaders.”
Rennegarbe said he and new Tacoma Community House Executive Director Liz Dunbar will find Miller an effective administrator who can leverage experience to expand services. Miller has been working as development director for the Pacific Harbors Council, Boy Scouts of America. He has spent the past five years as director of Educational Initiatives, Northwest Leadership Foundation.
In that capacity, he managed a $2.5 million state grant that created TEACH Tacoma, providing after-school programs through a partnership of agencies. He has been a member of the Tacoma school board since 2003.
REACH work
REACH is already working. Among Miller’s first tasks is placing up to 400 young adults, ages 16-24, in jobs for six weeks between June-August. The program is part of $2.5 million in federal stimulus money coming to Pierce County as part of a Youth Empowerment Program.
Miller and his staff are already searching for employers to participate in the program and for youth to fill the positions. For more information contact David Larsen at 253.383.3951 or reachtacoma@yahoo.com. The deadline for applications is May 29.
The REACH partnership is the centerpiece of Goodwill’s Milgard Work Opportunity Center. It will feature a “job fair” atmosphere with one-stop opportunities for young adults to receive services they need. About 25 direct youth case managers and support staff will be located in the facility.
“Through new and innovative programming, REACH will expand resources for youth in a facility that will support life-skills training, GED classes, and more,” said Richard Corak, Workforce Development Services director for Tacoma Goodwill. “Partners will go from individually serving about 650 youth annually to serving 2,500 within the first full year of operations.”
Ed DeJesus, a nationally recognized expert in the field of empowering youth, has worked with the partners to create REACH. He said the key is to “sell the importance of the work experience.”
“Everyone wants an example of one-stop centers for youth,” said DeJesus, founder of The Youth Development and Research Fund. “This new facility will be one of the country’s top models.”
