Career pathways into the work our communities need most

Workforce Development

The I Am Human Foundation builds workforce pathways into health, human services, and community-based careers for people who have been pushed to the margins of the labor market. We train. We place. We pay. We support people through every step of becoming the workforce our communities deserve.

Our workforce development work is rooted in a simple belief. The people most qualified to serve our communities are the people who come from our communities. Lived experience is not a barrier to entry. It is a qualification for the work.

We invest in trans and gender nonconforming people, Black and brown adults, veterans navigating reentry, young people building their first careers, and older adults closing the digital divide. Then we make sure they have the training, the support, and the placement to succeed.

Our Workforce Programs

  • Roots and Rise — Nonclinical workforce training for peer support specialists, community health workers, case management aides, and program navigators. Designed for LGBTQ+ adults of color with lived experience of HIV, housing instability, or justice involvement.
  • Trans Veterans Workforce Initiative — Career navigation and reentry support for trans veterans transitioning out of military service, navigating VA benefits, or rebuilding careers after gender-affirming transition. Includes resume support, federal hiring guidance, and connection to trans-affirming employers.
  • Underserved Youth Workforce Pathway — Job readiness training, internship placement, and career exploration for LGBTQ+ youth and youth of color. Designed for young people facing housing instability, school disconnection, or family rejection.
  • Seniors and Technology — Digital literacy training, device access, and workforce reentry support for older adults of color, including LGBTQ+ elders. Closes the technology gap that locks too many seniors out of healthcare access, civic participation, and economic stability.

Each program offers paid training, wraparound support, and direct placement assistance with affirming employers. Together, they form a workforce development pipeline that serves our community across the full lifespan.

Who We Serve

Communities of color across the full lifespan. We prioritize trans and gender nonconforming people, veterans, young people facing systemic barriers to economic stability, older adults navigating technological exclusion, and people who have been told they are not qualified for the work they were born to do.

Diverse group of Black adults participating in a workforce development training session

Why It Matters

The communities we serve face workforce barriers that have been in place for generations. The same people most impacted by health disparities, housing instability, and systemic violence are also the people most often excluded from the careers that could address those exact issues. We are working to change that. Every person we train and place is one more community member with stability, dignity, and a paycheck, and one more professional inside systems that desperately need to understand the communities they serve.

How to Connect

For questions about our workforce development programs, to learn about partnership opportunities, or to be added to our interest list for upcoming cohorts, email info@iamhumanfoundation.org and reference workforce development. Please include the specific program name in your message if you are interested in a particular initiative.