AFJ offers OSHA 30, Site Safety, Flaggers and Scaffolding Training

In 2023, Avenues for Justice (AFJ) expanded our mental health programming and employment placement services. While we pride ourselves on our decades-long proven track record for advocacy in the courtroom, we know the value of providing wrap around services to meet the many needs of our youth and young adults face. Last month, we highlighted our in-house mental health services, and in last week’s newsletter, we highlighted the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)along with our pilot internship program in partnership with small businesses. This week, we would like to share our successful OSHA-30, Site Safety, Flaggers and Scaffolding trainings, along with our Workforce 1 Job Fair.

Thanks to AFJ’s partner facilitator, Shahiem Mendez, we had an incredibly productive week with over 20Participants receiving at least one certification in OSHA-30, Site Safety, or Flaggers and Scaffolding training. In a city like New York, which has new construction projects constantly springing up, having these three types of certifications expands the job pool for our Participants. 

The OSHA-30 course is essential for certification in construction, manufacturing, factory operations, healthcare and more. Topics covered in the OSHA 30-Hour training include general worksite safety, avoiding common hazards, understanding workers' rights and employer responsibilities. Participants with an OSHA-30 certification are more likely to be hired within the industry and will have more opportunities to advance.

An important supplement to the OSHA-30 course is the Flaggers and Scaffolding training, which is required in many construction sites. This past Tuesday evening, AFJ offered the one-day Flaggers and Scaffolding course at our Harlem community center. 14 Participants received certifications. “A flagger may be necessary to alert traffic, or to stop traffic intermittently, as required by the progress of work in a work zone. The flagging operation provides protection for other workers and the public. A flagger should be alert, neat appearing and act responsibly.” (NYS DOT)

Yesterday, we hosted a Workforce 1 Job Fair at our Harlem community center in partnership with Akeylah Burton, Community Partner Coordinator, from Brooklyn’s Workforce 1Career Center. Workforce 1 helps New Yorkers prepare for and connect to jobs across the five boroughs. All attending Participants were screened for employment opportunities and referred to organizations such as Alliance Building Services, Marriott LIC, NY, and Perfect Building Maintenance. Participants brushed up on important job readiness topics such as interviewing, job retention, resume writing, and the how-to of setting up appropriate email accounts. Twelve Participants attended this workshop and we look forward to reporting the results after interviews have been conducted.

These programmatic advances would not be possible without AFJ’s partner organizations, neighborhood businesses, and employers who are willing to provide our Participants with pathways to workplace experience and job placement. Follow us on Instagram at @avenuesforjustice to see the successes of our Participants in real time!