Celebrating One Year of Action with the Assembly for Workforce Solutions!

The Assembly for Workforce Solutions (AWS) committee gathered on Monday at Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries’ main offices in Liberty. We celebrated a significant milestone: one year of our Steering Committee! This past year has been marked by action, collaboration, and measurable progress. Our goal? To reduce barriers to workforce participation across the Mahoning Valley!

A Year of Progress and Collaboration

AWS was launched to strengthen alignment across workforce, health, and human service systems. In our first year, we moved beyond mere conversation. We focused on coordinated implementation. The anniversary of our Steering Committee highlights tangible outcomes driven by shared purpose and trust among our partners.

“AWS was intentionally designed to be a coalition of action,” said Carol Holmes-Chambers, Goodwill’s Community Solutions Director. “This work is about solving real challenges for real people by working together differently.”

Strategic Priorities and Focused Subcommittees

AWS continues to advance several strategic priorities through focused subcommittees. These groups address key drivers of workforce participation and long-standing service fragmentation. We tackle issues like transportation access, childcare availability, behavioral health supports, and reentry services for individuals involved in the justice system. Each subcommittee brings together cross-sector partners to identify barriers, test solutions, and scale what works!

Centering Community Voice

A unique feature of AWS’s approach is our ongoing commitment to centering community voice and lived expertise. The Community Advisors group plays a critical role in shaping priorities. They inform our design and ensure that our initiatives reflect the realities of individuals and families most impacted by system barriers. Their insights keep our work grounded, responsive, and accountable.

The Community Solutions Campus of the Valley

Progress continues on the Community Solutions Campus of the Valley. This ambitious collaborative effort aims to better align workforce development, healthcare, and human services within one coordinated, place-based ecosystem. Our model is designed to reduce complexity for residents while improving system efficiency through intentional co-location and coordination.

Expanding the Social Information Exchange Network

In parallel, AWS partners are expanding the Social Information Exchange Network (SIEN) through the Unite Us platform. This expansion strengthens cross-sector coordination. It enables shared referrals, closed-loop feedback, and real-time collaboration among providers. This helps reduce duplication of effort and improve outcomes for individuals navigating multiple systems.

A Shared Belief in Our Community

Throughout the meeting, members reinforced a shared belief: the Mahoning Valley already possesses the resources, expertise, and innovative leadership needed to meet its workforce challenges. The work of AWS is about intentionally bringing those assets together. We aim to break down silos and move from parallel efforts to true alignment.

After one year, AWS continues to demonstrate that when organizations work together rather than separately, new possibilities emerge! Individuals seeking employment, families striving for stability, and the region as a whole stand to benefit.

“This isn’t just about workforce participation,” Holmes-Chambers said. “It’s about community well-being. When systems align and barriers are reduced, the entire Mahoning Valley benefits.”

To learn more, visit goodwillyoungstown.org/aws.

Looking Ahead

As we reflect on our first year, we are excited about what lies ahead. The journey is just beginning! We will continue to engage with community members and stakeholders. Together, we will tackle the challenges that lie ahead.

Empowering Individuals and Strengthening Communities

Our mission is clear: we aim to empower individuals and strengthen communities in Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. By providing education, training, and employment opportunities, we help people gain independence and transform their lives.

Join Us in Making a Difference!

We invite everyone to join us in this important work. Whether you are a community member, a job seeker, a shopper, or a donor, your involvement matters! Together, we can create a brighter future for the Mahoning Valley.

Let’s keep this momentum going! Together, we can make a difference!