Community Partners
The UCLA Center for Labor Research and Education plays a unique role as a bridge between the university and the labor community in Southern California. This role has grown in the past few years with the dramatic changes that have overtaken the Southern California workforce and economy.
As part of the university, the Labor Center serves as an important source of information about unions and workers to interested scholars and students. Through its extensive connections with unions and workers, the Labor Center also provides labor with access to UCLA’s resources and programs. An advisory committee comprised of about forty Southern California labor and community leaders (representing more than one million members in the public and private sectors) provides advice and support for the center.
The Labor Center also has a vibrant outreach office just blocks from the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, dozens of major union headquarters and worker centers, and in the heart of a diverse immigrant community.
The Labor Center is a vital resource for research, education, and policy development to help create jobs that are good for workers and their communities, to improve the quality of existing jobs in the low-wage economy, and to strengthen the process of immigrant integration, especially among students and youth.
IDEA provides data and analyses in response to specific questions posed by the people who are most directly affected by schooling—students and their parents. To make these data and analyses useful, IDEA shares its knowledge of research methods and facilitates connections among members of grassroots organizations, media professionals, researchers, and policy makers. IDEA’s research has focused on such varied topics as 1) equity litigation seeking to provide prepared teachers and adequate facilities, resources, and learning opportunities to schools serving disadvantaged students; 2) the impact of school resources, structure and culture on the school success and college access of African American and Latino/a students; 3) activities through which parents and community members hold the education system accountable for ensuring the quality and equity; 4) supports for urban teachers seeking to become leaders of reform networks, developers of community-based urban curriculum; advocates for students; and organizers of teacher-community reform alliances; and 5) efforts to increase college access, retention, and success of low-income students of color; 6) the role of youth research in developing academic and civic skills and shaping public policy.
Founded in 1978, LOSH is a nationally recognized center promoting safe workplaces through teaching and education, research, and policy advocacy. LOSH collaborates with workers, unions, community organizations, employers, academics, students, governmental representatives, and health professionals. Initiatives include health and safety training and education for low-income, minority, immigrant and young workers; public advocacy; and participation in industry-wide research relating to occupational and environmental health policy issues in California.
The Center for Labor Research and Education (Labor Center) is a public service and outreach program of the UC Berkeley Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (formerly the Institute of Industrial Relations), and an affiliate of the UC Miguel Contreras Labor Program. Founded in 1964, the Labor Center conducts research and education on issues related to labor and employment. The Labor Center’s curricula and leadership trainings serve to educate a diverse new generation of labor leaders. The Labor Center carries out research on topics such as job quality and workforce development issues, and we work with unions, government, and employers to develop innovative policy perspectives and programs. We also provide an important source of research and information on unions and the changing workforce for students, scholars, policymakers and the public.
Centro Latino for Literacy is a non-profit organization that teaches adult Spanish speakers basic literacy and vital skills to achieve their goals and create a healthier society. Located in Pico-Union, just west of downtown Los Angeles, Centro Latino provides Pre-ESL Basic and Functional Spanish language literacy courses.
Palo Alto Adult School was established by the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) in 1921. The adult school offers a robust program and annually serves a student population of approximately 8000 students. The school is committed to excellence by providing a broad range of affordable, high quality education programs. Our goal is to meet the diverse lifelong learning needs of our community.
Street Level Health Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of underserved urban immigrant communities in the Bay Area. The organization is an entry point to the health care system for those most often overlooked and neglected, namely the uninsured, underinsured, and recently arrived.
Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit health plans, serving more than 8.7 million members, with headquarters in Oakland, Calif. It comprises:
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.
- Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries
- The Permanente Medical Groups.
At Kaiser Permanente, physicians are responsible for medical decisions. The Permanente Medical Groups, which provide care for Kaiser Permanente members, continuously develop and refine medical practices to help ensure that care is delivered in the most efficient and effective manner possible.