One Stop Readies for Summer Youth Program

June 13, 2011... With the year drawing to a close, the Bergen One-Stop Career Center has begun meeting with local schools and providers to ready for our 2011-2012 youth programs. Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding supports training programs for in-school and out-of-school youth between the ages of 14 and 21 who are economically disadvantaged, displaced or who have other special needs. Youth programs provide comprehensive education and employment preparation services via a skills-based design to eligible youth. The new program year begins July 1, 2011.

For In-School Youth, we recently completed a review of proposals from organizations interested in operating programs through the One-Stop.  The proposals were solicited through a competitive Request For Proposal Process (RFP) overseen by the Youth Investment Council of the Workforce Investment Board. The four groups who will receive funds are Ridgefield Board of Education, Hackensack Drop-in Center, Bergen County Special Services School District, and Regional V Council for Special Education. Letters of commitment were sent out in mid May, and exact contract amounts will follow once we receive a formal Notices of Obligation with funding amounts from the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development.

Youth will be involved in a number of activities including summer academic and occupational work experiences, tutoring and study skills, occupational and basic skills training and counseling.

For our Out-of-School Youth program, we will begin the second year of a two year RFP in July 2011. We recently began meeting with providers to review this year’s performance and discuss the upcoming year’s curriculum. Two main issues were addressed: the number of youth served must be increased to bring down overall “cost per youth,” and vocational programs must be enhanced to include more certificated credentials. Monitors who have reviewed case files and performance reviews were concerned that youth were not receiving job training that would yield a nationally recognized, industry-based standard credential upon completion of the program. In addition to receiving a credential, positive credit for a program is granted when a student receives a GED, attends post-secondary school, obtains a job or enlists in the military. Follow-up meetings are scheduled for mid June.