Youth Connect Network Regional Community Forums January 27th 30th 2004

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Youth Connect Network Regional Community Forums
January 27th 30th 2004
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AGENDA

• Introductions
• Youth Connect Network Overview
• Youth Resource Mapping
• Request for Proposal Purpose Overview
• Networking
• Organizational Surveys

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Introductions

• Your Name
• Your Organization
• Your Program Overview
• What you do
• Who you serve
• Region you serve

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Youth Connect Network - Overview

• Services and programs to support local youth in
  the world of work through training, education,
  and hands on work based learning
• Governance Structure Youth Council
• Youth at Work
• Year-Long Youth Programs
• School-To-Career Intermediary

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Regional Resource Mapping

• Identify the resources and services available for
  youth across San Diego County
• Gather opinions from youth, parents, employers,
  educators and community organizations about
  educational and employment services for youth
  ages 14 to 21.
• Sponsored and guided by the San Diego County
  School-to-Career Youth Council Regional Linkages
  Subcommittee.

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Regional Resource Mapping

• A Qualitative Report reflects the collection and
  analysis of opinions gathered from stakeholders
  regarding the issues, needs, assets and gaps
  related to the countys youth workforce
  preparation system
• A Demographic Report provides an analysis of the
  countys youth population including trends and
  forecasts for the future
• A Funding Stream Inventory of resources that
  support local youth workforce preparation
  services and
• Website - that provides user-friendly access to
  An Activities and Services Inventory of the
  organizations that provide services core to the
  local youth workforce preparation system
  www.sdcommunities.net

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MAPPING THE GAP EDUCATION

• Education matters! Attaining a high school
  diploma pays off in terms of stability in
  employment and wage.
• Targeted intervention is needed to help students
  attending low performing high schools
  particularly in the Metro and the Southern
  regions.

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MAPPING THE GAP EMPLOYMENT

• Work experience pays off in the labor market.
  The more job experience students have the better,
  and the earlier the better in terms of age.
  However, more youth need to work.
• Labor force participation is lowest in the
  Southern region of the county.
• Work experience in the right sectors can be
  beneficial targeting specific industries for
  the first job to better job to best job
  strategy to increase wage rate.

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MAPPING THE GAP EMPLOYMENT (continued)

• Provide youth with the right or specific
  training/education for fastest growth or largest
  sectors of employment for better entry-level
  employment and career advancement.
• Given the large number of low wage jobs in San
  Diego, assist youth in making career-ladder
  connections for low-wage jobs toward better jobs.
  The two largest youth employment industries are
  retail trades (19.5) and accommodations and food
  services (18.5)

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QUALITATIVE ANALYSISTHEMES

• Build information systems and improve
  communication, awareness and access
• Create a coordinated and networked structure of
  services
• Pay attention to program quality and design
• Engage youth in all aspects of programs and
  activities
• People are important
• Some program types are of critical importance.

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ACTIVITIES SERVICES

• Real life skills training, work readiness and
  work-based learning are very important
• Basic skills training ranks as most important
  core service.

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YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PARTICIPATION

• Peers, family members and community members as
  the primary influencers of youth behaviors
• Quality of staff and design of programs as key in
  attracting and keeping youth engaged
• Personal factors play a big part in a young
  persons decision to become involved.

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SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

• Information and access to information identified
  as important to all stakeholders
• Need for coordination and networking among
  services
• Importance of engaging youth in program design
  and delivery
• Connections to employers are a valuable resource.

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Building a Youth Workforce System

• All youth should be supported to attain a high
  school diploma and strong basic skills
• All youth should be prepared to enroll in
  postsecondary education and training
• Labor Market Information should be utilized and
  connected to education and training offered
  through the youth workforce system
• All youth should be provided with work experience
  and work-based learning opportunities. 

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Building a Youth Workforce System

• Barriers to success in school and employment must
  be addressed in youth programs
• Youth and their advocates should have access to
  relevant information regarding training programs,
  postsecondary education, labor market data, and
  work-based learning opportunities in order to
  improve their labor market outcomes
• Focus on quality of programs and services
  including the quality of program staff,
  articulating clear and tangible outcomes
  connected to service design, and creating an
  environment that is safe and entertaining while
  providing meaningful and real learning
  experiences. 

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Building a Youth Workforce System

• Coordination between the youth workforce
  preparation system with the educational systems 
• Increase the level of coordination between the
  youth workforce system and the broader systems
  that serve youth. This includes the need to
  strategically coordinate with other youth serving
  systems in the county such as mental health,
  welfare, and juvenile justice at both the local
  and county level top serve the target population
• Improve the work readiness and basic skills
  opportunities for youth by increasing the
  opportunities for real world learning the
  better, and will be possible through stronger
  connections with employers. 

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MAPPING THE GAP SUPPLY

• Target populations of high priority include
• Low education attainment particularly the Latino
  population and specific communities
• Teenage pregnancy or youth with children
• Foster Care youth pre- and post-emancipation
• Prevention and intervention of alcohol and drug
  abuse
• Communities with high proportion of poverty
• Youth not working and/or attending postsecondary
  after high school.

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Labor Market Information

• Path to Prosperity Report
• Your Pathway to Prosperity information
• Occupational Outlook
• Other LMI information available at
• http//www.sandiegoatwork.com/generate/html/LMI/lm
  i_subhome.html

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WIA YEAR LONG YOUTH PROGRAM REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

• Request for Proposals (RFP) timeline
• Overview/Vision for Programs
• RFP Requirements

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RFP Timeline

• RFP Released February 10, 2004
• Bidders Conference February 17, 2004
• Letter of Intent to Bid due February 20, 2004
• Completed Proposals due to San Diego Workforce
  Partnership March 23, 2004
• Evaluation Period March 24, 2004-April 7, 2004
• Recommendations to YC May 4, 2004
• Recommendations to WIB May 13, 2004
• Final Approval by Policy Board May 21, 2004
• Contract Negotiations May 24, 2004-June 30, 2004
• Program Start Up July 1, 2004

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL VISION

• Clearly defined goals and an efficiently
  organized set of components and activities
  ensuring that participants can successfully
  achieve them
• Strong emphasis on the delivery basic skills,
  work readiness, and life skills training leading
  to demonstrated outcomes
• Connection to One-Stop Career Centers in order to
  increase access points for all youth regardless
  of eligibility

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL VISION

• Strong connections with employers
• Supportive Services
• Strong case management model rooted in youth
  development that includes qualified staff
• Program delivery models that emphasize
  coordination of services, collaboration and
  partnerships between youth service providers and
  systems that may or may not receive workforce
  funding. 

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL VISION

• Emphasis on career preparation and placement in
  employment and/or post secondary school/training
  including retention
• Targeted recruitment of those youth who are most
  in need for the respective regions
• Activities that emphasize a youth development
  perspective
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• Commitment to a continuous improvement strategy
  that collects and reviews performance data and
  customer feedback information/customer
  satisfaction surveys from both youth and business
  in order to continually refine the quality of the
  system and each activity.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

• Letter of Intent to Bid Due no later than
  February 20th
• WIA Requirements
• Outreach and Recruitment
• Eligibility, Assessment, ISS Development
• Follow-Up
• CISRS
• Performance Management
• Budget (including 10 in-kind/leveraged funding
  match)

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Organizational Survey

• Get on the map!
• Please take a moment to complete a survey of the
  services you provide
• Paper surveys available or go to
• http//sbrinew.csusm.edu/sw/wchost.asp?stpnwtw3

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For more information

• www.SanDiegoAtWork.com
• Or contact Suzanne Potts at 619-238-1445 for RFP
  information

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Questions ????

• Thank You!