• Providing Data-Informed Workforce Development Programs and Training
• Expanding Access to Supportive Services that remove barriers to employment
• Fostering Connections and Collaboration in the Workforce Development Ecosystem
• Supporting Human Resources Practices that Benefit North Philadelphia Residents

The Lenfest North Philadelphia Workforce Initiative was founded in 2018 through a grant from the Lenfest Foundation and support from Temple University. In this first year, LNPWI embarked on a Period of Discovery to better understand the barriers to sustainable employment for North Philadelphia residents, the gaps in the workforce development system that needed to be addressed, and the strengths of the system that should be uplifted. During this Period of Discovery, LNPWI took a community-driven approach to its exploration, engaging community residents, education & workforce development providers, employers, and workforce leaders to share their candid feedback and knowledge about the workforce development system, employment trends in the City, and how Temple University can best support its neighbors in securing employment with family-sustaining wages. This period of discovery resulted in the creation of LNPWI Strategic Plan, Driving Workforce Development Solutions for North Philadelphia, which identified priority populations of individuals who experience higher barriers to employment and outlined key areas for strategic investment and programming. 

Since then, we have been working towards our mission by providing workforce-related programs and resources to local residents that respond to unmet needs. 

In addition to our program offerings, we also partner with stakeholders, including other workforce development providers and employers, to strengthen the workforce development system’s ability to connect all North Philadelphia residents with career pathways that result in meaningful, family-sustaining employment. Some of LNPWI’s milestones to date include:

• July 2019: Investing $1.8M to support innovative workforce development programs across the North Philadelphia target area 
• November 2019: Forming the Opportunities for Workforce Leadership (OWL) Collective–a strategic partnership between education & workforce development providers dedicated to strengthening the workforce development ecosystem of North Philadelphia
• January 2020: Introducing a community outreach worker position to meet residents where they are, share information on upcoming training and employment opportunities, and connect one-on-one with residents to hear their employment-related concerns. 
• January 2020: Introducing a career coach to the team, to work with North Philadelphia Residents on achieving their individual career goals and connecting job seekers with employment opportunities. 
• February 2020: Launching a self-funded MyPlace Campus offering evening and weekend hours in order to provide literacy assessment and adult education referrals to individuals outside of standard business hours
• June 2020-December 2020: Collaborated with the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia to articulate the Career Pathways Ecosystem Model to serve as a framework for the work of LNPWI and the OWL Collective
• April 2020: Invested an additional $1.88M to continue supporting our funded partners projects serving North Philadelphia. 
• August 2021: Engaged long-time partners, the Philadelphia Housing Authority, the Pan-African Studies Community Education Program (PASCEP), the College of Education, and Temple's Information Technology Services (ITS) Tech for Philly Initiative to open the Opportunities for Workforce Leadership (OWL) Hub, which provides in-person access to education, job readiness, employment, and digital inclusion resources. 
• November 2021-November 2022: Collaborated with the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, and the Employer Council for Local Hiring to research and publish the Employer Council Deep Dive Report. 
• April 2022-February 2023: Convened a committee of OWL Collective members and North Philadelphia residents to engage in a 6-month-long strategic planning process, which resulted in a strategic plan to drive the work of the OWL Collective through 2025.

LNPWI offers programs and resources to job seekers that provide individualized support at every step of their career pathway. We seek to serve anyone who is unemployed, underemployed, or underpaid including Youth, Adults, Returning Citizens, Individuals with Disabilities, English Language Learners, Immigrants, & Veterans. 

• Career Coaching - LNPWI’s Career Coaching offers one-on-one support, guidance, and referrals to reach your career goals. Build a resume, prepare for an interview, and more!  
• Workforce Webinar Series - The Workforce Webinar Series is hosted on Zoom every other Friday and is the perfect place to learn the latest skills and tips to help you succeed in any workplace. 
• New Choices NOW Program - The New Choices NOW Program is a free 10-week professional development/workforce readiness seminar that assists participants with their employment and educational goals, provides job referrals, and connects participants with employer leaders.  
• Job Fairs and Hiring Events - We work with local employers year-round to connect residents with great job opportunities at Employer Hiring Events, community job fairs, and at our Annual Neighborhood Job and Resource Fair.
• Community Outreach - We attend community events and meet with residents to share information and resources, connect people with needed programs and services, and learn more about what resources residents need most.

To learn more about our upcoming events and programs, check out our Eventbrite Page or reach out to us at [click-for-email]

• The Opportunities for Workforce Leadership (OWL) Collective - This collaborative partnership's goal is to build stronger bridges between talented job seekers in North Philadelphia, workforce development providers, and employers and to improve employment outcomes for North Philadelphia residents. Click here for a list of member organizations. 
• Temple University Employer Council for Local Hiring - This subgroup of the OWL Collective works to promote and increase the hiring of North Philadelphia talent within Temple University, Temple University Health System, vendors that do business with Temple, and other large employers in the region.
• The Opportunities for Workforce Leadership (OWL) Hub - In collaboration with Philadelphia Housing Authority, PASCEP, and Temple IT Services, LNPWI manages this new center in the heart of North Philadelphia (1915 N. 11th Street) where residents can access education, workforce, and digital literacy resources and digital equipment. 

LNPWI uses a community-informed, data-driven approach to exploring workforce development and labor issues in North Philadelphia. These explorations are used to inform LNPWI and our partners' practices and strategic investments. Many of our resources are produced in collaboration with our community partners and members of the OWL Collective.

• The Opportunities for Workforce Leadership Collective Strategic Impact Report (Spring 2023)
• Employer Council Deep Dive Report (Fall 2022)
• Voices Across North Philadelphia Report (Summer 2022)
• In the Era of COVID-19: Assessing Workforce Development Impacts on an Individual and Community Level (Summer 2020)
• Digital Literacy Solutions for North Philadelphia - The OWL Collective (Spring 2020)
• Driving Workforce Development Solutions for North Philadelphia (Fall 2019)
• Voices from the Community Booklets (Spring 2019)

The Opportunities for Workforce Leadership Hub - 1915 N. 11th Street, Philadelphia PA 19122

Email:       lnpwi@temple.edu

Social Media:  @TempleLNPWI

Our work is made possible thanks to the generous support of The Lenfest Foundation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Philadelphia Works, Philadelphia Youth Network, Pennsylvania Department of Education, PA Women Work, City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Housing Authority, West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (through a grant from the JP Morgan Foundation) and Temple University.