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Strategies to Engage Today’s Youth on Their Path Towards Self-Sufficiency and Success

Strategies to Engage Today’s Youth on Their Path Towards Self-Sufficiency and Success. GST BOCES Adult Education and Training Services Robin DeLong, Holly Leszyk, Kristin McNamara, Cory Tremaine . What are the challenges in engaging today’s youth?.

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Strategies to Engage Today’s Youth on Their Path Towards Self-Sufficiency and Success

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  1. Strategies to Engage Today’s Youth on Their Path Towards Self-Sufficiency and Success GST BOCES Adult Education and Training Services Robin DeLong, Holly Leszyk, Kristin McNamara, Cory Tremaine

  2. What are the challenges in engaging today’s youth?

  3. What do today’s youth need to become self-sufficient and successful?

  4. What Is Self-Sufficiency? • Able to provide for or support oneself without the help of others • Self-Sufficiency Standard defines the amount of income necessary to meet basic needs (including taxes) without public subsidies (e.g., public housing, food stamps, Medicaid or child care) and without private/informal assistance (e.g., free babysitting by a relative or friend, food provided by churches or local food banks, or shared housing). • Self-Sufficiency wages vary across New York State—between $11.00+ -- $23.00+ (2010--http://www.selfsufficiencystandard.org/pubs.html)

  5. Path to Self-Sufficiency

  6. Communities Have What Youth Need; But How Do We Get The Word Out? • WIA Youth Program • Strong Partnerships/ Referrals • WFNY One-Stops • Community Service Agencies • Local Youth Bureau • High Schools • AHSEP program • GED classrooms • Incarcerated Youth program • Community College • Social Media—Facebook, Twitter • Outreach Efforts

  7. GST BOCES Outreach Efforts • WIA Youth Counselors go into AHSEP classroom weekly • Youth Counselors highly visible in WFNY One-Stop Center • Frequent contact with area service agencies • Maintain a Facebook page with daily updates and links to relevant youth issues (WIA Youth Elmira) • Youth Counselors regularly go into TABE assessments/ info sessions • Attend appropriate community events (i.e. college and high school open houses) • Work closely with incarcerated youth transition counselor • Run youth job club events

  8. Once Enrolled, How Do We Engage the Youth? • “Employment First” philosophy • Job Readiness Trainings/Job Clubs (offer at least 6/wk) • Credential Programs (OSHA 10, Fork Lift, CNA) • NYSHSED prep classes if needed • Financial Literacy (“Wealth Health”) • Health Literacy (Smoking Cessation, Nutrition) • Life Skills presentations including Parenting and Family Reading (Literacy Zone) • Post-secondary transition/“College 101” presentations

  9. Engaging Youth through Intensive Case Management • Personalized engagement--Regular contact with students—classroom, phone, e-mail, and Facebook • Career and Education Plan plus Individual Service Strategy are used as working documents to develop individual plan towards self-sufficiency—education and employment goals are regularly reviewed • Barriers to education and employment are addressed • Refer students to short-term job readiness trainings • Place qualified students into funded vocational trainings to help them meet their career goals • In contact with local employers to develop job opportunities for youth • Support job search and educational activities

  10. Communication Is Key! • Electronic Referral Forms in shared drive for easy access • Electronic Checklist to Request Training Funds • ASISTS, CMS, OSOS • E-mails • Weekly meetings

  11. Examples of Job Readiness Trainings • Resume Writing • Basic Computer Skills • E-Mail and Applying for Jobs Online • Interview Skills • Dress for Success • Customer Service Excellence • Cash Handling and Cashier Skills • Conflict Resolution • Time Management • Intro to Word Processing • Intro to Spreadsheets • Keyboarding • Managing Work and Life • Workplace Expectations and Ethics • Filing of Personal and Business Names • Intro to Security Guard • Intro to Health Care Field • Apprenticeship Referral— DLEA

  12. Stacking Credentials for Success • WorkKeys Certificates • OSHA 10 • CDL • Fork Lift • Certified Nurse Aide/Home Health Aide • Welding • Construction Equipment Operation • Phlebotomy • Practical Office Skills • Culinary Arts Program (Community Food for Jobs Program—ServSafe Certification)

  13. Sample Progression on Path towards Success

  14. Integrating Career Awareness into the Curriculum (ICA) • Integrate career awareness curriculum in the ABE/GED classrooms • Students identify their current skills and explore potential career paths based on their interests and job values (O*Net--http://www.onetonline.org/ or Occupational Outlook Handbook-- http://www.bls.gov/oco/) • Ties into post-secondary education and/or vocational training to reach career path goals • Students actively participate and are enthusiastic about end results

  15. Transitioning Released Inmates • Transitioning starts in the jail with Career and Education Plan and Career Awareness lessons • Résumés completed • Stackable credentials available (OSHA 10, Shop Math, Blue Print Reading, Construction Math) • Career exploration through Choices software or O*Net • Explanation of services available at nearby WFNY One-Stop • Referral to WIA Youth program upon release • Seamless transition into ABE/GED classroom • Pre-scheduled meeting with transitional counselor at the WFNY One-Stop

  16. Blended Funding Streams • WIA Youth Grant • Employment Preparation Education Program Grant • WIA Title I and WIA Title II • ACCES VR • Local, state, and federal DSS

  17. Setting and Achieving Goals Along The Path to Self-Sufficiency and Success Success stories

  18. SUCCESS! • 18-year-old male—self-referred, high school graduate • Underprivileged youth moving from place to place • Looking for stability in his life • Goal: Build his job readiness skills--accomplished! • Goal: Learn how to answer interview questions and dress for interview—accomplished! • Goal: Get a job to work towards independence—accomplished! • Goal: Work towards a career through post-secondary education—attending community college—accomplished!

  19. SUCCESS! • 19-year-old male, self-referred, high school graduate • Underprivileged youth receiving food stamps • Poor work history • Goal: Increase his work skills and work on dependability—attended job readiness trainings--accomplished! • Goal: Identify a career path and get training—accepted into a 10-week culinary program that includes ServSafe certification--accomplished!

  20. SUCCESS! • 17-year-old incarcerated youth; out of school for a year • Goal: Get back into high school—accomplished! • Goal: Earn Regents Diploma—accomplished! • Goal: Increase job readiness skills while incarcerated—participated in career awareness curriculum and completed a resume; learned to fill out job applications online--accomplished! • Goal: Stay out of jail!—So far, so good!

  21. Questions?

  22. Contact Us • 607-739-7684 or 877-ADULTED (238-5833) • Robin DeLong rdelong@gstboces.org • Holly Leszyk hleszyk@gstboces.org • Kristin McNamara kmcnamara@gstboces.org • Cory Tremaine ctremaine@gstboces.org

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