Tab#12 - Local Youth Panning Guidance for Local
Workforce Investment Areas and Local Areas Defined By HB470

1. Local Plan Submission

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) provides that funds for youth activities may be made available to Local Workforce Investment Areas and Local Areas as defined in House Bill 470 ( HB470) on April 1, 2000. This allows funds to be expended for planning youth activities and early implementation of youth activities. 

To access these funds, each Local Workforce Investment Area and Local Areas as defined in HB470 must submit a youth plan with agreement of the county commissioners or mayors. 

All local areas, including Ohio Option local areas and non-Ohio Option areas, are requested to follow the following procedures when submitting their local youth plan: 

• Organize the plan in sections following the guidelines below;

• Number the pages of the plan;

• Include a table of contents (including attachments) with page numbers;

• Begin each section on a new page;

• Set the left hand text margin at one inch to allow for hole punching;

• Type text with a font size of 12 or greater;

• Pages of original and copies should be held together with binder clips or three ring notebooks; and

• Place a list of the attachments and the attachments at the end of the plan.

2. Plan Development Process 

This local planning process applies to local areas within the Ohio Option area as well as to those areas implementing the WIA outside the Ohio Option. Youth plans must be in compliance with the planning guidance and be submitted in accordance with these instructions. 

The local youth plan provides a framework for collaboration with business leaders and other partners to build a workforce investment system that addresses customer needs, delivers integrated customer-friendly services, and is accountable to its customers. 

In keeping with the intent of the WIA provisions for Youth Activities, Local Boards should design a local youth transition plan that provides for comprehensive services to eligible in-school and out-of-school youth. Local areas should design youth programs that connect youth with a full range of services and community resources that lead to academic and employment success. 

In addition, local areas must establish a youth council, intended to broaden participation in the design and delivery of youth services. These youth councils are essential in ensuring the provision of coordinated services that meet the needs of youth, as well as of the local community. Thus, it is important that they represent a wide range of community services, representatives of youth services agencies, parents, and other individuals and organizations that have experience with youth. The youth councils will be central to developing the local youth transition plan. 

Local Boards should focus on a comprehensive strategy in accordance with WIA when developing their youth transition plans. Local service providers are expected to offer a comprehensive array of services to eligible youth incorporating all of the ten required program elements, including follow-up services for a minimum of 12 months. The focus of summer employment opportunities for youth should shift from a stand alone effort to being one of ten required program elements which must be made available through local program operators. In addition, summer employment opportunities must be directly linked to academic and occupational learning. Each eligible youth served with these funds should be provided an objective assessment of academic, basic and occupational skill levels in identifying service strategies for participation. In establishing youth activities under WIA, service providers are also expected to link programs more closely with local labor market needs, provide a stronger connection between academic and occupational learning, and establish programs which prepare youth for post secondary education or unsubsidized employment opportunities as appropriate. 

The Local Workforce Investment Areas and Local Areas as defined by HB 470 must advise local service deliverers to adopt the WIA eligibility guidelines when enrolling youth in their programs, and provide assistance to local boards for establishing the local youth councils, youth connections with One-Stop delivery, and performance accountability. 

3. Youth Plan Approval Process

The state will begin reviewing local youth plans upon receipt in an effort to assist those areas that may have any deficiencies in their local plan. Technical assistance will be provided to all local areas and, where feasible, upon request of individual local areas. 

4. Plan Content

Youth plans that do not follow this planning guidance risk not providing necessary information for approval of the plan. Therefore we request that you follow the guidelines closely. 

The youth plan must: 

1. Identify the criteria to be used by Local Boards in awarding grants for youth activities including criteria to be used by the Local Boards to identify effective and ineffective youth activities and providers. 

2. Identify how the local area has defined the sixth youth criterion for eligibility. Ohio has delegated the responsibility for defining the sixth youth eligibility criterion to the Local Board.

3. Describe your strategy for providing comprehensive services to eligible youth including any coordination with foster care, education, welfare and other relevant resources. Include any activities to assist youth who have special needs or barriers to employment, including those who are pregnant, parenting, or have disabilities. Describe how coordination with Job Corps, youth opportunity grants (if there are any in your local area), and other youth programs will occur.

4. Describe how your Local Board will meet the provisions regarding youth program design. In particular discuss the following:

   a) tutoring; 

   b) alternative secondary school services;

   c) summer employment opportunities; 

   d) paid and unpaid work experience; 

   e) occupational skill training; 

   f) leadership development opportunities; 

   g) supportive services; 

   h) adult mentoring; 

   i) follow-up services; and 

   j) comprehensive guidance and counseling.

    

5. Assurances

1. The Local Workforce Investment Areas and Local Areas as defined by HB 470 must or will assure they will establish fiscal control and fund accounting procedures to ensure the proper disbursement of, and accounting for all funds received through the Workforce Investment Act.

2. The Local Workforce Investment Areas and Local Areas as defined by HB 470 must or will assure that it shall keep records that are sufficient to permit the preparation of reports required by the Act and shall maintain such records, including standardized records for all individual participants, and submit such reports as the State may require.

3. The Local Workforce Investment Areas and Local Areas as defined by HB 470 must or will assure that it will collect and maintain data necessary to show compliance with the nondiscrimination provisions of the Act.

4. The Local Workforce Investment Areas and Local Areas must or will assure that funds will be spent in accordance with the Workforce Investment Act, regulations, written Department of Labor Guidance, written Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and all other applicable Federal and State laws.

5. The Local Workforce Investment Areas and Local Areas as defined by HB 470 must or will assure that veterans will be afforded employment and training activities authorized in the Workforce Investment Act, to the extent practicable.

6. The Local Workforce Investment Areas and Local Areas as defined by HB 470 must or will assure they will comply with any grant procedures prescribed by the Secretary which are necessary to enter into contracts for the use of funds under WIA; including, but not limited to the following:

General Administrative Requirements

29 CFR part 97 -- Uniform Administrative Requirements for State and Local Governments (as amended by the Act) and OMB Circular A-110 as applicable;
29 CFR part 96 (as amended by OMB Circular A-133) - Single Audit Act;
OMB Circular A-87 -- Cost Principles (as amended by the Act), OMB Circular A-122 and A-22 as applicable.

Assurances and Certifications

SF 424 B – Assurances for Nonconstruction Programs;
29 CFR part 31, 32 – Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Assurance (and Regulation);
CFR part 93 – Certification Regarding Lobbying (and Regulation);
29-CFR part 98 –Drug Free Workplace and Debarment and suspension;
Certifications (and regulation)

6. Signature Page

This youth plan represents the _______________________________ Workforce Investment/Policy Board's and youth council's efforts to maximize resources available under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 and to coordinate these resources with other State and Local programs in the following geographical workforce investment area: _________________________________ counties/cities.

This youth plan is submitted for the period of April1, 2000 through June 30, 2000 in accordance with the provisions of the Workforce Investment Act. We further certify that we will operate the Workforce Investment Act Program in accordance with this plan and applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

Local Board Chair : 

_______________________ ________________________ ___________
      Original Signature            Name (printed or typed)          Date  

Chief Elected Official: 

_______________________ ________________________ ___________
      Original Signature            Name (printed or typed)          Date 

_______________________ ________________________ ___________
      Original Signature            Name (printed or typed)          Date 

_______________________ ________________________ ___________
      Original Signature            Name (printed or typed)          Date 

_______________________ ________________________ ___________
      Original Signature            Name (printed or typed)          Date  

Youth Plan

TEMPLATE

1)	Identify the criteria to be used by Local Boards in awarding grants for youth activities including criteria to be used by the Local Boards to identify effective and ineffective youth activities and providers.
	Criteria that may be used when awarding grants for youth activities:
	•	Demonstrated performance of the service providers:
		-		how many participants obtained GEDs?
		-		how many participants enrolled in vocational training or enrolled in two or four year degree programs?
		-		how many youth entered employment?
	•	Past experience operating youth programs;
		-		how many years experience does the provider have in operating youth programs?
		-		do they concentrate on youth programs or do they operate other types of programs?
	•	Qualifications of staff
		-		does the staff have the necessary degrees/education to work with youth?
		-		how long has the staff been involved in youth programs?
	•	Capacity to do skill and leadership development;
		-		does the provider have the capacity to provide skill and leadership development?
		-		if not will they contract the services to a qualified provider?
	•	Relationship with employers;
		-		how does the provider work with employers?
		-		have they worked with on-the-job training in the past?
		-		have they provided customized training?
	•	Variety of options for completing competency certification;
		-		how will youth who are not attached to the education system complete competency certification?
		-		are there ways for them to complete competency certification without returning to the system where they have failed?
	•	Follow-up support over a sustained period of time.
		-		does the provider have sufficient staff to provide 12 months or more of follow-up services?
		-		will they maintain contact with employers to ensure the youth are satisfactory employees?
		-		will they contact the youth to see if they are experiencing problems with transportation, child care, etc?
		-		will they contact the schools to see if the youth is still attending and making satisfactory progress?
2)	Ohio has delegated the responsibility for defining the sixth youth eligibility criterion to the Local Board. Provide the criteria that will be used to determine eligibility for the sixth youth criterion. The six criteria are:
	a)	Deficient in basic literacy skills
	b)	A school dropout
	c)	Homeless, a runaway, or a foster child
	d)	Pregnant or a parent
	e)	An offender
	f)	An individual who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program, or to secure and hold employment.
	In accordance with direction from the Governor’s Workforce Policy Board, the sixth criteria (f) is to be defined locally and local areas are encouraged to define it broadly. Local areas should consider groups of youth who may not fit in one of the other five categories. Examples of youth that could be served are:
	•	School documented at-risk youth;
	•	A youth involved with the juvenile justice system;
	•	A youth with a history of substance abuse.
3)	Describe your strategy for providing comprehensive services to eligible youth including any coordination with foster care, education, welfare and other relevant resources. Include any activities to assist youth who have special needs or barriers to employment, including those who are pregnant, parenting, or have disabilities. Describe how coordination with Job Corps, youth opportunity grants (if there are any in your local area), and other youth programs will occur. WIA brings a new emphasis to services to youth within the workforce investment system. The provision of workforce training and related activities needs to be driven by the needs of the youth within the community. These needs are to define the development of youth program services and activities. WIA expects a comprehensive strategy of services to youth which includes multiple partners and strong connections to, and integration with, local one-stop delivery systems. It is anticipated that the local Youth Council will play a strong role in developing youth strategies for the local plan. Below are some key issue areas that need to be addressed.
	•		What is the comprehensive framework for the local youth program?
			How will it be integrated into the one-stop system? How will WIA Title I youth activities be coordinated with other youth programs such as foster care, education, welfare, school-to-work, youth apprenticeship programs, TANF youth programs, Job Corps (where appropriate), youth opportunity grants, and others? How will youth be provided access to available services?
	•		How will the local area provide the required ten elements of a youth program as defined by WIA?
			Tutoring; Alternative secondary school services; Summer employment opportunities; Paid and unpaid work experiences; Occupational skill training; Leadership development opportunities; Supportive services; Adult mentoring; Follow-up services; and Comprehensive guidance and counseling;
	•		What is the local definition of "deficient in basic literacy skills?"
	•		What process will the local area use to ensure 30% of the WIA youth funds are utilized to provide services to out-of-school youth?
	•		What criteria and process will be used to award grants for youth activities and how will the local area identify ineffective youth service providers?
	•		Address how services will be provided to special needs youth. Will child care classes, or assistance with baby sitting be provided? What accommodations will you make for youth with disabilities? Will you work with the Rehabilitation Services Commission to make these services available? How will you prepare youth with serious barriers to employment to enter the world of work? How will you provide work experience, job shadowing, or mentoring to assist them?
	•		Do you have relationships established with employers in support of youth service strategies? If not, how will these relationships be developed?
4)	Describe how your Local Board will meet the provisions regarding youth program design. In particular discuss the following: The response to this question should describe how you will work with youth providers to make each of the ten program elements available to youth who need these services. We have listed some of the activities you may want to include in your services.
	a)		tutoring;
	Providing individual instruction to youth that enables them to complete course work in order to obtain a diploma or GED.
	•		Study skills training;
			-	how to organize materials;
			-	note taking
			-	methods for retaining new information
	•		Instruction leading to completion of secondary school;
			-	organized peer tutoring
			-	computer assisted learning
	•		Dropout prevention strategies.
			-	use adult mentors to provide encouragement
			-	individual contact with the student to promote attendance
			-	peer support groups
	b)		alternative secondary school services;
	•		Adult Basic Literacy Education;
	•		GED
	•		Goals 2000
	•		Community Schools
	•		Job Corps
	c)		summer employment opportunities;
	The Department of Labor issued Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 3-99 to provide guidance to States and local areas on how to make the summer youth employment opportunities part of a comprehensive strategy for youth development. The letter is available on the ICESA website at www.icesa.org/articles/template.cfm?results_art_filename=tegl399.htm The summer employment opportunities portion of the program requires work experience with direct linkages to academic and occupational learning. Other elements and strategies may be included to serve the needs and goals of youth enrolled in the program.
	d)		paid and unpaid work experience;
	The purpose of paid and unpaid work experience is to provide youth with the opportunity for career exploration and skill development. A planned, structured learning experience takes place in a workplace for a limited period of time. Work experience may be in the private, for-profit sector, the non-profit sector, or the public sector. Work experience is designed to enable youth to gain exposure to the working world and its requirements, and should help youth acquire the personal attributes, knowledge, and skills needed to obtain a job and advance in employment. Work experience may include the following elements:
	Instruction in employability skills or generic workplace skills; Internship and job shadowing; Supported work, work adjustment, and other activities; Exposure to various aspects of an industry.
	e)		occupational skill training;
	Occupational skill training prepares youth to enter the world of work. Training may be provided by various organizations, such as:
			Career/Vocational training for out-of-school youth
	Two and four year community colleges; Community rehabilitation programs; On-the-job training; Apprenticeship; Proprietary schools.
	f)		leadership development training;
	The development of leadership abilities might address team work, decision making, personal responsibility, and citizenship training, as well as positive social behavior training in areas such as positive attitudinal development, self esteem building, issues of cultural diversity and other skills and attributes that would help youth to lead effectively, responsibly, and by example. Leadership development may be acquired through participation in organized activities, such as, the Boy/Girl Scouts, 4-H Clubs, working with adult mentors, YMCAs or faith based organization.
	g)		supportive services;
	Supportive services provide the necessary support to allow youth to participate in work and/or training activities. These services may include:
	Linkages to community services; Assistance with transportation costs; Assistance with child care and dependent care costs; Assistance with housing costs; Referrals to medical services; Assistance with uniforms or other appropriate work attire and work related tool costs, including such items as eye glasses and protective eye gear
	h)		adult mentoring;
	Adult mentoring provides on going relationships with caring adults who serve as teachers, trainers and/or counselors. Mentors should be committed to assisting each participant to achieve his or her potential and gain the skills available through the program. This may include tutoring youth so they can obtain a diploma or GED, and/or assisting youth in developing positive social behaviors.
	i)		follow-up services;
	Follow-up services are to be provided for not less than 12 months after the youth leaves the program. Follow-up services for youth who only participate in the summer employment opportunities portion of the youth program may be less intensive than for those youth who participate in other types of activities. Follow-up services may include leadership development or supportive service activities. Studies show that short-term job training programs for youth have disappointing results, and that training which features close ties to the private sector and a strong job placement component with follow-up with employers, increased the earnings of enrollees by $3,000 a year. Follow-up services may include:
	Regular contact with a youth participant’s employer to determine if further services are needed to assist the youth in retaining the job; Assisting youth in securing a better paying job by providing additional information on job seeking skills and resume writing, or by providing additional training to assist them in moving up in their current job; Establish work-related peer support groups so youth can discuss their concerns with other youth who are experiencing the same or similar problems; Tracking the progress of youth once they are employed. Calling the employer to see if they are performing satisfactorily and if not, what you can provide to solve the problem. Finding out if they are experiencing problems with attendance or child care and if so, offering assistance
	j)		comprehensive guidance and counseling.
	Comprehensive guidance and counseling is everything the employment and training system can provide to meet the needs of the individual youth. Services may include:
	Development of an individual plan that outlines all the steps required for a youth to enter employment. This could include tutoring to assist the youth in obtaining a GED, taking the GED test and obtaining a GED, writing a resume and interviewing skills; Providing opportunities for youth to visit companies, so they will be exposed to various careers to assist them in making career decisions. This could be accomplished through visits to various companies through job shadowing or career exploration; Arranging for youth to receive drug and alcohol abuse counseling through local agencies; Referring youth to other agencies, mental health agencies for example, for services they need that are not available through your agency.