Community Workforce Access
Connecting people, opportunity, and systems.
DAIP works with community, workforce, education, human resources, and employer partners to expand access to career information, training opportunities, professional networks, and employment resources. Our approach centers trusted relationships, culturally responsive outreach, community voice, and practical pathways for people who have historically faced barriers to employment and advancement.
Community Outreach
Sharing timely workforce information through trusted networks, community gatherings, and accessible formats.
Navigation & Referrals
Helping people understand options and connect with appropriate employment, training, and support resources.
Cross-Sector Partnerships
Bringing community organizations, workforce systems, HR professionals, educators, and employers into stronger alignment.
Community Feedback
Identifying barriers and bringing lived experience into the policies, practices, and systems that shape economic mobility.
Why This Work Matters
Persistent gaps require coordinated action.
Employment growth alone does not guarantee equitable access, stability, or advancement. Rhode Island and national data continue to show meaningful differences by geography, race, ethnicity, and disability.
Rhode Island
$78,787
Median household income in Providence County, compared with $87,796 statewide. Providence County’s poverty rate is 14.8%, compared with 12.2% across Rhode Island.
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts
National Racial Gaps
6.0% vs. 3.7%
In August 2026, the unemployment rate was 6.0% for Black workers and 4.8% for Hispanic workers, compared with 3.7% for White workers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Disability Gaps
8.3% vs. 4.1%
In 2025, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was about twice the rate for people without disabilities. Employment was also substantially lower across age groups.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2026 Employment Situation and 2025 disability labor force annual averages. Data accessed September 2026.
