Des Moines Area Community College recently issued the following announcement.
A new partnership between Youth Policy Institute of Iowa (YPII) and Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) will mean greater financial success for many Iowa youth who have been in foster care. YPII is the lead Iowa agency for the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative and has administered the Opportunity Passport® financial education program in the Greater Des Moines area since 2005. Effective February 1, 2022, Opportunity Passport® will be housed and managed by the Evelyn K. Davis Center for Working Families (EKDC). One of six DMACC centers, EKDC will assume ongoing responsibility for the administration of the program.
Opportunity Passport® is a financial capability and asset building strategy aimed at advancing the economic well-being of young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood. Participants in Opportunity Passport® are provided financial education; connection to, and experience with, the banking system through a personal savings account; and the opportunity to receive matching funds for the purchase of education, housing, health care, transportation, and other specified assets.
EKDC, a offers a variety of programs and services to help families and individuals improve their economic position, including financial coaching and employment services. The YPII/DMACC partnership provides an opportunity to coordinate services and leverage additional resources to increase the long-term growth potential of the combined programming. EKDC is supported by DMACC and funders including United Way of Central Iowa, Polk County, and the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines.
“The opportunity to work with young people to build assets, manage debt and achieve their goals is something that our team is excited to be part of. We are looking forward to integrating the many services here at EKDC with training our young people to learn the skills, knowledge, and tools needed to manage money effectively,” said Ahmed Agyeman, Director at Evelyn K Davis Center for Working Families at DMACC Urban Campus. Among the services offered at EKDC are the Polk County Financial Empowerment Center, Job Coaching and Support, Youth Employment and Experience, Computer Skills, Career Readiness, and Men on the Move Closet.
YPII is working with funders and partners to ensure a seamless transition and will provide financial support and technical assistance to EKDC through 2022 to help ensure continuity of the program. Robert Bibens, who has managed the program at YPII for the last six years, will move to DMACC and work with the EKDC team to adapt and implement Opportunity Passport® policies and protocols consistent with the national model while incorporating the strengths of the EKDC and DMACC. Current program participants will retain all benefits of the program.
The move also means easier and more equitable access for participants in the heart of the city, inclusive of DMACC students. “I’m excited about this new opportunity,” said Bibens. “The partnership with DMACC and EKDC will make Opportunity Passport® more accessible to a larger number of youth and young adults. Moreover, participants will benefit from connections to the financial coaching opportunities and employment programming offered at the Evelyn K. Davis Center.”
Funded in part by United Way of Central Iowa, Opportunity Passport serves approximately 140 young people in the Des Moines area each year. Since its inception, the Iowa Opportunity Passport® program has helped participants across the state purchase more than $1.25 million in assets by matching their individual savings $1 for $1 toward those purchases.
For more information, contact: Joanna McCaffery, Youth Policy Institute of Iowa, jmccaffery@ypii.org
Original source can be found here.
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