U.S. Department of Labor Employment & Training Administration
John F. Kennedy Federal Building
Room E-350
Boston, MA 02203

                                                                                                ITG-DWI-Youth-TR

WORKFORCE SYSTEMS LETTER NO.:   04-28                              

 

DATE: 08/09/2004     

 

EFFECT:            ACTION                    INFO                                             WITH ATTACHMENT

                               [X]                         [X] SWAs                                                       [X]

                               [ ]                          [X] WIBs                                                        [X]

                               [ ]                          [X] ONE-STOP                                              [X]

                               [X]                         [X] State Youth Coordinators                          [X]

 

SUBJECT:             Youth Vision Paper Forum

 

1.  Purpose:  Recently, ETA released its "New Strategic Vision for the Delivery of Youth Services Under the Workforce Investment Act."  In the upcoming months, ETA will conduct three Regional Youth Forums, during which teams representing the workforce investment, education, justice and foster care sectors will develop action plans for preparing youths to enter the pipeline of new workers in demand-driven fields. The one-and-a-half day forum for Region I and Region II will likely take place near the end of September in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

 

2.  Background:  On July 16, 2004, a Training Employment and Guidance Notice, TEGN NO. 3-04, was released by Assistant Secretary Emily DeRocco that outlines the ETA’s New Strategic Vision regarding services to youth.  The TEGN describes ETA’s new approach across four key areas including: Alternative Education, Meeting the Demands of Business, Focus on the Neediest Youth and Focus on Improved Performance.  The TEGN can be found at: http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/; click on New Strategic Vision for the Delivery of Youth Services under the Workforce Investment Act. 

 

3.  Action: In preparation for the forums, we request your assistance in canvassing your local areas to ascertain whether effective practices are already be in place that exemplified ETA’s Strategic Youth Vision.  We suggest that locals examine their current programs involving the vision's four major areas (Alternative Education, Meeting Business Demands, Neediest Youth and Improved Performance) and the goals and priorities ETA has established for each. A format is attached wherein the program(s) can be briefly described. Please e-mail responses to Lee Reynolds by Wednesday, August 18, 2004.

 

4.  Inquiries:  If further assistance is needed please contact either Lee Reynolds in Boston at 617-788-0130, reynolds.tricia@dol.gov or Megan Keenan in NYC at 212-337-2156, keenan.megan@dol.gov.    

 

 

Joseph F. Stoltz

Regional Administrator

 

 

 

 

Youth Vision Forum

 

Program Name:________________________________________________________________

Contact Person:________________________________________________________________

Workforce Investment Area:_____________________________________________________

Telephone/Fax: ________________________________________________________________

E-mail:_______________________________________________________________________

 

Please provide a brief summary of program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 - Describe focus on programs’ alignment with Alternative Education with respect to ETA goal of providing leadership ensuring that youths will receive high quality education that adheres to the state standards developed per the No Child Left Behind act. Please speak to issues involving assisting school districts meeting their adequate yearly progress measures and collaborating with state and local systems in establishing quality alternative schools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2- Describe focus on investing youth program resources on Business Demands in High-Growth Industries assuring youths obtain skills required by 21st century businesses. Please relate to priorities of providing guidance to WIA youth system on employer-driven youth development systems and promoting the demand-driven occupation strategy to professionals in WIA-funded youth programs, employers and other partners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 - Describe focus on serving the Neediest Youth by prioritizing investments that serve youths in foster care, aging out of foster care, young offenders, children of incarcerated parents and migrant youth. Please explain model employment and training programs for these young people and partnerships with educational systems, community and faith-based organizations, intermediary organizations and employers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 - Describe focus on Improved Performance by implementing initiatives that assure funding for youth programs is performance-based and focused on outcomes. Please explain current systems that may capture real time data and efforts to build the capacity of youth professional on their local economy and One-Stop staff to connect targeted youths to specialized training.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bolded strategic approaches/priorities referenced above are fully discussed in the youth vision.