Dane County Executive Parisi Signs Access to Opportunity Initiative

April 09, 2015
Stephanie Miller, Communications Director, 608-267-8823 or 608-635-5796
County Executive

Initiative Aimed at Reducing Barriers

MADISON- Today, flanked by community leaders, Joe Parisi Dane County Executive signed the Access to Opportunity Initiative aimed at breaking down barriers to success. The County Board passed the resolution on March 26, 2015, 30 to 1.

“My top priority as County Executive is to work with our entire community to ensure that every single resident has access to opportunity, which is why I recently launched my Access to Opportunity initiative,” said Joe Parisi, Dane County Executive.  “Working together, each assuming responsibility for our piece of the solution, we can work toward the day when everyone in our community has the ability to reach their full potential. Together, we can address these shared challenges and better ensure opportunity for all.”

Access to Opportunity was launched three weeks ago to break down barriers to opportunity to success that too many face in our community. The most reliable vehicle out of poverty and toward upward mobility is accessing and maintaining family sustaining employment.

From the County Board Resolution that County Executive Parisi signed:

To begin to address some of these very real barriers to work, the County Executive plans to work with the community, businesses, and other levels of government including the state to:

  • Provide County funds to fund a pilot with the Madison Metropolitan School District to help students afford to take driver’s education.
  • Provide County funds to assist those who have lost their driver’s license to regain their license through the highly successful “Driver’s License Recovery Program” at the YWCA.
  • Provide County funds to support an evidence-based, successful, transitional jobs program operating in Southwest Madison that has demonstrated effectiveness in finding jobs for residents with multiple barriers to employment. Collaborators on this initiative include the City of Madison, the County, local businesses, churches, and community volunteers.

 

For more information about Access to Opportunity go to: https://opportunity.countyofdane.com/

 

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