RECIPES FOR SUCCESS:

Youth Council Guide

to Creating a

Youth Development System

Under WIA

MAY 2000

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING MATERIALS

FOR YOUTH COUNCILS

This document was prepared by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, in cooperation with

the Sar Levitan Center for Policy Studies at Johns Hopkins University and the National Youth Employment

Coalition, under Task Order #K-6826-8-00-80-30 for the United States Department of Labor/Employment and

Training Administration/Office of Youth Opportunities.
CONTENTS

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

1 Planning the Menu........................................................................................................................................3

A. What is Youth Development and Why is it important to Understand It? ...................3

B. Making Connections: System Building ................................................................................4

C. How WIA Can Make a Difference. ........................................................................................5

D. WIA Core Themes and Program Elements.........................................................................6

E. What Is Really Different? ........................................................................................................7

2 Youth Council Ingredients.........................................................................................................................9

A. Youth Councils ...........................................................................................................................9

B. Relationships With Existing Youth Groups.........................................................................10

C. What’s a Youth Council To Do?...............................................................................................11

1. Creating a Shared Vision ...........................................................................................11

2. Data and Information for Decision-Making .........................................................12

3. Community Resource Mapping and Identifying Gaps.......................................15

4. Looking Ahead: Creating a Strategic Plan ..........................................................16

5. Oversight and Monitoring — Accountability ........................................................18

6. Council Organization ...............................................................................................20

7. Staff Support...............................................................................................................21

8. Council Orientation ..................................................................................................22

Attachment A: Self Assessment for Youth Council Membership .......25

Attachment B: Exercise: Sample Vision Statements .............................26

Attachment C: Data Sources .......................................................................29

Attachment D: Resource Mapping Sample ..............................................30

Attachment E: Exercise: Do the Goals/Objectives Apply? ..................32

Attachment F: The Planning Template......................................................33

Attachment G: Youth Council Staff Estimates ........................................38

Attachment H: Sample Youth Council Orientation Agenda.................39

Attachment I: Pocket Guide ........................................................................40

Attachment J: System Status Test ............................................................43
3 Transition to WIA: Soup to Nuts...........................................................................................................45

A. WIA Resource Allocation.......................................................................................................45

B. Defining Follow-Up Services................................................................................................46

C. Using Adult Funds for Serving 18-21 Year Olds...............................................................48

D. Coordinating with the One-Stops.......................................................................................50

E. Performance System ..............................................................................................................51

F. Selecting Service Providers..................................................................................................52

G. Living Within the 10% Cap ..................................................................................................54

Attachment 1: Allocation of Funds ............................................................................55

Attachment 2: Who Are The Youth Partners? .......................................................59

Attachment 3: WIA Performance Numerators and Denominators...................60

Attachment 4: What Factors Applies? .....................................................................62

Attachment 5: The 10% Cap Computations ...........................................................63

4 Coming Together at the Table................................................................................................................65

A. Stick to the Principles/Effective Practices .......................................................................65

B. Building Blocks.........................................................................................................................66

C. How to Survive and Thrive:Creative Resource Development.......................................67

D. What To Leave Out..................................................................................................................70

E. The Prize.....................................................................................................................................71

Attachment I: Effective National Program Models................................................72

Attachment II: Philadelphia Youth Council..............................................................74
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This document was prepared by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development under

a task order contract with the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration

/Office of Youth Opportunities.

The principal authors of this guide are Marion Pines and Jim Callahan of the Sar Levitan Center

for Social Policy Studies at Johns Hopkins University. A number of people provided input and assistance in creating this Cookbook. Thanks go to The Working Group of Practitioners (membership listed

below), comprised of state and local practitioners as well as representatives of business and labor, all

with recent experience in building youth systems. This group was convened to oversee and advise the

work performed under this task order:

Karen Belsey, worksystems, inc., Portland, OR

Jennifer Biddle, Indiana Department of Workforce Development, IN

Lanse Davis, New Jersey Department of Labor, NJ

Barbara Duffy, MY TURN, Brockton, MA

Derwin Finch, Palm Beach Workforce Development Board, FL

Jan Hennessy, New York Association of Training & Employment Professionals, NY

David Hollars, Centralina Council of Governments, Charlotte, NC

Cassandra Jones, School District of Philadelphia, PA

Renee Lerche, Ford Motor Company, Detriot, MI

Juan Manigault, Northern Indiana Workforce Development Board, South Bend, IN 

Mike Merrill, New Jersey State AFL-CIO, NJ 

Susan Rosenblum, National League of Cities, Washington, DC 

Rick Roy, Southeast Minnesota Private Industry Council, Rochester, MN

Darick Simpson, Dearborn YMCA, Mobile, AL

Karen Sitnick, Baltimore Youth Opportunity Program, MD

Ann Stom, MY TURN, Brockton, MA

Kay Tracy, Minnesota Department of Economic Security, MN

James Wernsing, worksystems, inc., Portland, OR

Ray Worden, City of Long Beach Business Development Center, CA

Erma Zamora, Mayor’s Office of Employment & Training, Denver, CO

For their input, thanks also to Ronnie Kauder, Laurie Santos and Bill Tracy of the John J. Heldrich

Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University; and to David Brown and Alan Zuckerman of the

National Youth Employment Coalition. Thanks to Susanne Frank for her editorial assistance.

Finally, thanks to Irene Lynn, Gregg Weltz and other members of the Office of Youth

Opportunities and the School-to-Work Office for their advice and guidance.
1

INTRODUCTION

As we enter the new millennium, several trends exist that are radically changing the way our

nation’s young people will participate in the workforce. New technologies have opened up new industries and revolutionized our notion of the workplace. A booming economy has contributed to remarkably low unemployment rates. Today’s young people can look forward to unprecedented

opportunities, but only if they are prepared. Young people with little sense of direction, who do not

obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to enter an increasingly complex workplace, will be left

behind. The disparity between skilled and unskilled workers will become particularly dramatic in the

next decade, when shifting demographics will increase/intensify competition for jobs.

Those of us charged with helping young people reach their full potential must re-examine the

way in which we prepare them for tomorrow’s workplace. The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 provides an excellent opportunity to do just that. WIA authorizes over one billion dollars per year to help

low income youth acquire the education, skill, work experience and support they will need to make the

transition to productive adulthood. 

In creating the Youth Councils — a mandated component of the Workforce Investment Boards

— WIA provides local communities with the framework for developing comprehensive and effective

strategies that ensure such successful transitions. The partnerships represented on the Youth Council

bring together a diverse set of stakeholders and resources, partners who can address the needs of

young people more effectively that any one partner can do alone. Because the leadership provided by

the local Youth Councils will be pivotal in making this initiative work, it is essential that communities

compose these Councils with great care. 

This guide is designed to provide practical information for community leaders, local Workforce

Investment Boards (WIBs), Youth Councils, staff and others that are committed to effective youth and

workforce development. It contains four sections and several appended exercises.

Chapter 1: “Planning the Menu” defines youth development, outlines the basic concepts of making connections for young people (system-building), describes how WIA can make a difference

and starts a work plan for Youth Councils.

Chapter 2: “Youth Councils: Essential Ingredients” addresses

the wide range of Youth Council responsibilities, from organization and staffing to strategic planning and accountability. 

Chapter 3: “Transition to WIA: From Soup To Nuts” addresses

resource allocation decision making, follow-up services, the perD
2

formance system, selecting service providers and other important administrative decisions.

Chapter 4: “Coming Together At the Table” depicts the pathways to comprehensive service delivery based on proven principles and practices. The building blocks that are available as the

platform for developing a system for young people are

described. 

Youth Councils offer a leadership opportunity for local communities to bring about change in

youth activities and outcomes. If communities take advantage of this opportunity, Youth Councils will

be in a strong position to stimulate broad-based change, reward innovation, and improve performance

in youth development and youth organizations. Communities will need assistance building effective

Youth Councils. This guide will provide communities with the help they need to transform the potential

of Youth Councils into measurable results, results that will make a profound difference in the lives of

our nation’s youth.
3

1 

PLANNING THE MENU

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) challenges communities to develop a better understanding

of how young people grow and mature into responsible adults. In addition, WIA encourages communities to develop a clearer picture of the diverse array of agencies and organizations, public and private,

that are critical to that process. The newly created Youth Councils, acting with their Workforce

Investment Boards, have both a significant challenge and a unique opportunity. Bringing together new partners and

building new relationships of trust and

empowerment takes time, commitment

and sustained effort. Throughout this

guide, every effort is made to assist

that process by “de-mystifying” legislative requirements and sharing knowledge about effective principles and

practices. 

WHAT IS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IT?

Youth development is as much a point of view as a discrete set of activities. 

Youth development helps young people move to more mature ways of thinking, feeling, and

acting. It is the process by which young people enter adulthood - a highly individual and often difficult

journey. All young people have the same basic developmental need for: 

r Safety and structure

r Belonging and membership

r Self-worth and an ability to contribute

r Independence and control over their lives

r Several nurturing relationships

r Competence and mastery 

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT APPROACH

* Focus on assets

* Communicates high expectations

* Provides opportunities for leadership

* Encourages a sense of personal 

identity
4

Youth development emphasizes that young people are individuals in need of support and

opportunities—not a collection of problems that need to be fixed. This approach requires doing more

than simply providing services. Youth development has a dual focus on meeting needs and building

competencies for adulthood.

In general, a youth development approach:

r Focuses on a young person’s assets

r Communicates high expectations

r Provides opportunities for leadership

r Encourages a sense of personal identity

r Broadens a young person’s perspective

r Provides safe surroundings 

r Connects them with caring adults

It is important to understand these concepts because WIA fuses youth development with more

traditional workforce development approaches. The key is integrating these concepts into a system of

effective connections for youth that will enable them to succeed. These connections are the programs, the staff, and the multiple stakeholders that work with youth. But the challenge is complex. To

reach the goals of productive employment, satisfying family life and fulfilling citizenship for all youth

requires hard work and dedication.

Under WIA, youth employment can no longer be separated from youth development. Simply

helping a young person find a job — any job — is no longer enough. Today’s youth programs must focus

on helping young people develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies required for today’s complex

workplace. Effective youth programs use work as a tool to develop a broad array of life skills. 

MAKING CONNECTIONS: SYSTEM BUILDING

Every community has the basic component parts of a workforce investment delivery system

for youth. Unfortunately, this “system” all too often look — to young people and the service providers —

like little more than a collection of unrelated programs and services. In many respects, it appears to be

the service maze shown in the graphic. But what should

it look like? Surely it is more than just linking the key 

service providers into some sort of electronic information sharing network. A system of connections that 

creates an effective youth service delivery system has

several, distinct characteristics. 

A unified vision with specific plan(s) for operations that are in sync with the vision;

THE YOUTH SERVICE MAZE

Enter Here

Adult Education

Job Svs.

Juvenile Services

TANF

Colleges

Health Org.

One Stops

Start

Right Door

WIB Youth Programs

(Secret Entrance)

Voc.

Rehab

CBOs

Job

Corps

Housing

Proprietary Schools

Faith

Comm.

Career/

Self-Sufficiency

High Schools
5

r An integrated mechanism for ou reach and intake which is able

to engage youth;

r An integrated mechanism for working with young people to

clarify goals and service needs as well as the providers

(Individual Service Strategy);

r Coordinated access to education, workforce, and support services that are specifically “locked-in” for targeted youth;

r A follow-up capacity; 

r Information sharing;

r An integrated and effective case management capacity;

r An accountability system;

C. HOW WIA CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

With its mandated requirements to form interdisciplinary Youth Councils and to develop one

comprehensive plan for youth services, WIA presents a unique opportunity to change the way workforce investment programs (and other youth development programs as well) are organized and operated to serve youth. WIA offers local areas the chance to look at how both in-school and out-of-school

youth services are blended and deployed. It provides the framework that local areas can build on to

realign, enhance, and improve youth services so that they are more closely coordinated, better utilized

and more effective, the result will be the type of youth development system characterized above.

Under WIA, local Workforce

Investment Boards and their designated Youth Councils bring together a

team of players. This team can - if it is

appropriately empowered - work to

effectively structure major resource

streams and services to address youth

issues. WIA and Youth Councils offer an

opportunity to solve the “Youth Service

Maze” shown above and assemble service delivery into a more rational system that “Connects the Dots” as shown

on the second graphic.

In the final analysis, it is a local decision as to how to use WIA to make a real difference in each

community. The sections that follow provide ideas and suggestions that local areas may find helpful on

how to use WIA to further create a more effective set of services and service connections that meet

the needs of young people, employers and the community.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYSTEM

* Shared Vision

* Coordinated Outreach & Intake 

* Service Strategy Development

* Locked-in Services

* Follow-up
6

D. WIA CORE THEMES AND PROGRAM ELEMENTS

We have learned from the past that there is no “magic bullet” approach to successful youth

development. Experience has taught us that a holistic approach to youth development is critical for

success, an approach that focuses on assets as

well as barriers. This approach incorporates the

four WIA key themes for successful youth workforce development. These themes reflect what

has been learned about youth development

approaches described at the beginning of this

guide. They also reflect what has been learned

from research about the positive connection

between education and earnings, and the powerful effect caring adults committed to building

our future leaders have on youth programs. 

There is no pre-packaged recipe for a successful youth program, only a list of these valued

ingredients. Each community will blend the elements outlined above according to the needs of

their youth and the vision for success.

CONNECTING THE DOTS

Careers/Self-Sufficiency

Youth

Development

Network

Adult Education

Job Service

Juvenile Services

TANF

Colleges

Health Organs. One Stops

WIA Youth

Voc. Rehab

CBOs

Job Corps

Housing

Faith Community Proprietary Schools

High School

WIA: KEY YOUTH THEMES

PREPARATION FOR AND SUCCESS IN EMPLOYMENT 

1. Summer employment opportunities linked to academic and occupational learning

2. Paid and unpaid work experiences

3. Occupational skill training

IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT 

4. Tutoring, study skills training, and instruction, leading to completion of 

secondary school including dropout prevention strategies

5. Alternative secondary school services

SUPPORT FOR YOUTH

6. Supportive services

7. Adult mentoring

8. Follow-up services

9. Comprehensive guidance and counseling

SERVICES TO DEVELOP THE POTENTIAL OF YOUTH AS CITIZENS AND LEADERS

10. Leadership development opportunities

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
7

E. WHAT IS REALLY DIFFERENT?

A look at key differences in WIA and previous workforce legislation — Job Training Partnership

Act — provides some useful insights.

Issue

Funding

Target Populations

Summer Jobs

Services

Accountability

Governance/Local

Key WIA Provisions

A single, integrated funding stream for all youth

programs; total amount of funds to states about

the same as JTPA

Ages 14-21; low income; meet at least 1 of 6

specified barriers to employment; 5% "window"

for non-low-income; at least 30% of funds must

be spent on out-of-school youth

Summer work experience required program element, but WIBs/Youth Councils determine size

of summer program, which must be part of a

year-round program with connections to academic and occupational learning

Requires: assessment, development of individual

service strategy, preparation for employment or

post-secondary education; linkages between

academic and occupational learning; effective

connections to employers. All local areas must

make available the 10 Program Elements.

Different measures for different ages; negotiated performance levels. 

For 19-21 year olds: placement, retention, earnings, skill attainment.

For 14-18 year-olds: basic skills attainment, high

school diplomas or GEDs, placement and retention in post-secondary education, advanced

training or employment

Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs), in partnership with local elected officials, responsible for

planning and oversight. Youth Council must be

established as subgroup of WIB. Youth Council

develops local plan, recommends providers of

youth services, coordinates youth activities.

JTPA

Two funding streams – year-round

(IIC) (~13% of funds) and summer

(IIB) (~87% of funds)

Ages 14-21; 90% must be lowincome; 65% "hard-to-serve"

Major program; required

Required: assessment, development of individual service strategy, training in basic, occupational

and work maturity skills, work

experience, supportive services

Allowed: an array of training and

related services

Performance standards for yearround youth programs established

by the Secretary of Labor.

Performance expectations for

local areas adjusted using formal

adjustment methodology.

Summer program exempt from

performance standards.

Administered by Private Industry

Councils (PICs) in partnership with

local elected officials.
8

These changes highlight two

features that offer local communities

the opportunity for producing the kind

of changes needed to improve services

for youth:

1. The mandated Youth Council

that can provide a mechanism for leadership, advocacy for youth issues and

an enhanced focus on youth workforce

development.

2. The requirement to provide

a comprehensive and sustained yearround program for youth development.

But these are only opportunities. As will be described in later sections of this guide, these opportunities will require hard work and team building in order to be maximized.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

CHANGE OPPORTUNITIES IN WIA

* Mandated Youth Councils for 

leadership

* The mandate for comprehensive 

and sustained programs
9

2

YOUTH COUNCIL

INGREDIENTS 

A. YOUTH COUNCILS

Youth Councils will make a difference in the lives of our young people. They will be the 

architects for building (or enhancing) comprehensive and effective youth service delivery systems. The

Youth Council will play a major role in implementing quality programs and bringing business, parents,

participants and stakeholders together to solve problems. 

Most communities are on the way to building a Youth Council that focuses on all of the critical

WIA transition issues. For those still in the process of forming these Councils, there are several excellent resources that are available to assist local WIBs and local elected officials with this important

undertaking. Three that can be readily accessed are:

r WIA Youth Policy Councils, from the Levitan Center at Johns

Hopkins University, July 1999 (www.Levitan.org); 

r Youth Council Toolkit, from the New York Association of

Training and Employment Professionals, September 1999

(www.nyatep.org).

r Youth Can Work! Chartering Youth Councils Under the

Workforce Investment Act, from the John J. Heldrich Center,

Rutgers University, October 1999 (www.heldrich.rutgers.edu).

While we will not reiterate the information contained in these publications, we do want to

emphasize how important it is to assemble the best team for your Youth Council. This is the Youth

Council that will enable your community to maximize existing services to youth and to seek additional

resources to fill gaps in services. While it is important to appoint the right people to the Youth Council,

it is equally important (and often more challenging) to keep them there. As with any volunteer organization, Youth Council members will stay involved only if they feel they are accomplishing something.

Here are some useful tips.

r Take the time to understand what brings each member to the

Council. 

r Ask each member to describe his/her strengths and areas of

interest.
r Avoid overloading members with unnecessary paperwork and

information.

r Allow members to work on the issues that are important to

them.

r Listen to what members have to say and integrate their ideas

into the youth plan.

r Encourage members to stay open to new ideas.

r Listen, Listen, Listen

To help local communities assess the strength of their team, a Youth Council membership Self

Assessment Checklist has been developed. (See Attachment A). Look at the membership categories

required by the law and then review the organizations that can potentially be linked to that category.

The form in Attachment A allows you to check off whether your Youth Council includes the “right”

organization or person.

B. RELATIONSHIPS WITH EXISTING YOUTH GROUPS 

The Youth Council’s success will depend on building relationships. Many groups may already

exist in the community that have been focusing on various aspects of youth development. After all, the

Youth Council is the new kid on the block. It is critical that the Council acknowledges the work of these

other groups and engages them in the work of developing a comprehensive youth service system. It

just makes good sense to build on existing expertise and interest. 

It may be appropriate for the

WIB to look to an existing youth planning group as the core building block

for the Youth Council. If there is an

existing youth planning group that

shares the WIB’s vision and has a

foundation of members similar to a

Youth Council membership, there is

no legal reason why the WIB cannot

ask the existing group to take on this

responsibility. For example, in many

communities the existing School-toWork partnerships may already

include many of the required Youth

Council members. Furthermore, S-t-W

partnerships in many areas have

been engaged in occupational and academic strategies to assist youth for the past several years and

have developed relationships with employers that could be a valuable asset for the emerging youth

development system. Local areas need to take advantage of the work already accomplished. However

it is important, if building onto an existing group, to make sure that the groups’ focus take on new

energy and an expanded vision for this new challenge.

KEEPING MEMBERS INVOLVED

* Understand what brings each member to

the Council

* Learn about areas of interest

* Avoid overloading members 

* Make the work interesting

* Listen to what members have to say 

* Encourage members to stay open to new

ideas.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

10
11

WHAT’S A YOUTH COUNCIL TO DO? 

Item Done 

Creating a Shared Vision !

Data and Information for Decision Making !

Community Resource Mapping and Identifying Gaps !

Creating a Strategic Plan !

Oversight and Monitoring/Accountability !

Council Organization !

Staff Support !

Council Orientation !

What does the Youth Council actually do? Of course it has all of the WIA transition and WIA

program development issues to deal with. The next section of this guide addresses them. But if your

Youth Council is going to look beyond WIA — and with the blessing of the WIB, it must in order to

become a real youth policy leadership group — it needs to take the time to develop what we like to call

the “Big Picture.”

Typically, the demands of

annual program planning and operations leave little time for staff and advisors to think about the bigger picture

of planning and building a comprehensive youth service system. The Youth

Council provides an opportunity 

for key stakeholders in the community

to step back from the pressures of dayto-day operations and consider the

steps needed to accomplish that.

Communities may vary the order in

which they address the following steps.

Some may want to collect data before creating their vision. Others may feel they have enough general

knowledge about their communities to start “visioning” up front.

Drawing the Big Picture involves a number of basic ingredients that are discussed in more

detail below.

1. CREATING A SHARED VISION

One of the first unifying tasks that a Youth Council must undertake is the development of a

shared vision. While there can be no cookie cutter model for drafting a vision statement, that

reflects the community’s needs and values, there are several approaches to consider. The traditional vision statement provides a short description of what the system or organization hopes to accomplish, and why it’s worth the effort.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

CREATING THE BIG PICTURE

* Creating a shared vision;

* Collecting and using data and 

information;

* Mapping and assessing the resources and

identifying the gaps; and

* Creating a youth system strategic plan

* Oversight and Monitoring — Accountability.
12

Youth Councils may want to consider a vision statement that responds to two basic questions: 

r Who are the youth to be targeted? 

r What is the purpose of a youth service system? 

There is no one “right” answer to these questions. Responding to these questions constitutes

the “Who” and “What” of a local vision

statement. This approach can provide a

solid foundation for guiding the construction of an effective plan. Another

value of this approach to a vision statement is that it serves as a way to market

to the community what the Youth

Council is all about. 

A successful vision statement

should be brief, easily understood, and

foster maximum buy-in from all members. 

Attachment B lists some sample “Vision Statements” as suggestions.

2. DATA AND INFORMATION FOR DECISION-MAKING

Developing and using data is an art, not a science. There are three, ongoing data/information

tasks critical to youth workforce investment planning and operations:

r Demographic data on need (who will be the customers)

r Data on existing resources and services (what’s in place)

r Information on results and outcomes of current services (how

effective are they)

Demographic analysis has relied mainly on census data. For outcome data, the major source

has been program management information systems. While providing much useful information, 

complete reliance on these data sources has limitations. 

In addition, there are several administrative databases available to help Youth Councils.

While these databases were developed to address requirements that preceded the Youth Council, the

data they contain can provide valuable information. When the ability to cross tabulate the data from a

variety of data sources exists, a wealth of information on both needs and outcomes can be collected.

For example:

r Unemployment Insurance (UI) Wage records: 

r The School Leavers Report

r The Technical Assistance to Needy Familes (TANF) database

r New Hire Registry

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

ATTRIBUTES OF A VISION STATEMENT

* Brevity

* Clarity

* Buy-In
13

r College enrollment and performance data

Attachment C describes these databases more fully. Here is an example of how administrative

databases can be combined to provide a

better picture of what is happening to

youth. A County in Maryland was aware

that significant research showed the beneficial impact of increased years of education on earnings. They had the

opportunity to look at three cohorts of

high school dropouts in terms of work

and earnings. A cross-tabulation was performed between the school dropout

information and the UI Wage Records. 

This study revealed that over 76% of dropouts had earnings. This indicated that the majority of

dropouts in that community were connected to the labor force after dropping out of school. The data also

showed that in the last quarter of the study period, fewer than half (44.6%) of the dropouts had earnings,

confirming that in the County, as in most other parts of the nation, sporadic and limited work history awaits

most drop outs.

The level of earnings for these dropouts was measured against the federal poverty standard

for a family of one. Even given this low threshold, only a very small percentage of the County dropouts

had earnings that exceed the poverty standard. Two and half years after dropping out, only about one

in five had jobs that provided earnings above the poverty level. 

This is just one example of what can be learned about the youth population by combining databases to provide a more in-depth picture of the population and their characteristics. 

In summary, there are several advantages to using administrative databases such as those 

discussed:

r Lower Cost: They are inexpensive, since someone else is paying for the collection of the data.

r Timeliness: Generally, the data is more up-to-date then census

data.

r Increased Flexibility: The ability to get data records and information about special groups of people and to integrate the

data with other data sources provides a wealth of flexibility.

r Constant Updating: An ongoing source of data that is constantly being refreshed.

However, there are real issues that need to be factored into the use of administrative databases for program planning and outcome analysis:

r Confidentiality of Data: This often comes up as a legal concern but many communities are successfully addressing the

concern by asking customers to agree to the release of their

data.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

INFORMATION ISSUES TO CONSIDER

* Identify who needs services.

* Identify what services exist.

* Decide what they accomplish.
14

r Data Definitions: For example, just because one program

defines a “youth” as 16 to 21 does not mean all programs use

the same definition

r Dirty Data: Expect an error rate to exist with all administrative

data systems.

In addition, Youth Councils

must exercise caution when collecting

data from other programs. Care needs

to be taken to establish how the data

will be used and publicized. 

There are two other important

bases to touch in terms of collecting

useful and important information:

youth themselves and the community

at large.

Councils should ask local youth

to speak for themselves. This process is

critical to addressing such important

issues as:

r What do the youth in the community say they want in the way

of workforce assistance?

r What are their experiences in the work world?

r What are their experiences with various programs?

r How do they define success?

r What are successful youth in the community doing?

r What jobs/careers are youth familiar with?

r What do they like about school? Dislike?

r What are their

thoughts about

the future?

Many communities have used

small focus groups of youth meeting

with a trained facilitator to help keep

them informal and candid. Many of

these communities report that young

people expect to be paid a stipend for

their participation. 

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

ADVANTAGES OF ADMINISTRATIVE DATA

SOURCES

* Lower Cost

* Timeliness

* Increased Flexibility

* Constant Updating

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN

* The Perception of the issue(s);

* What impact does the issue(s) have on the

community; and 

* What groups are currently involved with

the issue(s)?
15

Gaining the perceptions of the community at large is sometimes referred to as an environmental scan. What are the elected officials’ views of major issues confronting young people? What kind of

coverage do these issues get in the local press? What are the views of the some of the major community groups and employers? This kind of background information can help the Youth Council understand the context in which they are working and how quickly (or slowly) they may be able to bring

about change.

The last words on the data issues are to collect only what you need in order to make informed 

decisions. To prevent problems, take the time to think through and discuss how the Council wants to

use all the information they have gathered and how it will be publicized.

3. COMMUNITY RESOURCE MAPPING AND IDENTIFYING GAPS

A comprehensive planning effort must include the identification and assessment of available

community resources. This process has come to be known as Community Resource Mapping and it will

enable the Youth Council to find out:

r What resources are currently devoted to youth?

r What is their scope?

r Who do they serve?

r What are their goals?

r Who controls these resources?

r How flexible are these resources?

r Who are the providers of these services?

r What is their effectiveness?

r What is their capacity?

r What is their geographic reach?

Once resources are mapped, the next step is assessing how the existing resource mix stacks up

against the needs of the targeted youth population and what gaps in services remain. Gap analysis is

as much an art as it is a science, but is a critical element in determining how to use scarce resources.

(See Attachment D for a sample resource-mapping format)
16

4. LOOKING AHEAD: CREATING A STRATEGIC PLAN

What goes into a strategic planning initiative? How is it different from the normal planning that

occurs in the workforce investment arena? All of the Youth Council activities we have discussed in this

section — developing a shared

vision for youth services, collecting and using data and

information for decision-making, and mapping the

resources that the community has to serve youth — are

part of a strategic planning

effort. The results from these

activities become the foundation for a strategic plan.

Is there really a difference between strategic

and program planning? The

following descriptions may

help to clarify the situation.

Program Planning is focused on developing the goals, objectives, and a plan of action that is

tied to a specific program. Many times, program planning is tied to funding contracts or grants.

Strategic Planning is focused on developing a blueprint that describes problems and outlines

strategies that the community can use to address the problems.

The basic ingredients of a strategic planning process are:

r Defining the issues in quantifiable terms;

r Identifying the goals that will be met;

r Providing a means of measuring progress towards achieving

the goal(s);

r Developing strategies to achieve goals;

r Articulating roles and responsibilities; and

r Creating a timetable or action plan. 

Strategic planning information needs to

include objective numerical data, such as:

r How many youth are in the

community? What is their

economic status?

STRATEGIC VERSUS PROGRAM PLANNING

Strategic Planning Program Planning 

Purpose: Resolve a Operate a 

community problem successful program

Product: Plan of strategies Plan to operate

to solve problem program 

Includes: Multiple resources One specified resource

Cycles: Ongoing Typically annual cycles

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

STRATEGIC PLAN TIMETABLE

*What will be done;

*Who does it; and 

*When 
17

r How many youth of different ages are in school (K-12, Post-secondary)? Out-of-school?

r How many are in alternative learning settings?

r Of the children who enter kindergarten, how many graduate

from middle school 9 years later? From high school 13 years

later?

r How many youth in the community are employed (f/t, p/t),

underemployed, or unemployed? (By age range) 

r How many young people are in the foster care system? What is

their age distribution? How many are involved with the juvenile

justice system?

r How many are involved with public assistance 

programs such as TANF? Medicaid? Food Stamps?

r What is the geographic distribution of low-income youth in the

community?

Once there is a clear understanding of the scope of the youth issues in your community, it is

time to set goals and objectives. Goals are global statements of outcomes that will be achieved.

Objectives should be quantifiable statements that tell you when the goals have been achieved. For

example:

Goal: All youth will obtain economic self-sufficiency and the basic skills needed to be productive in the workforce.

Objective: Percent of independent adults and young families ages 18 to 24 living in poverty

will be reduced by 80%.

Objective: Employment rates for youth in the labor market will be increased to 97%. 

Objective: At least 80% of all

non high school completers

under the age of 18 will obtain

an educational credential that

will increase their long-term

labor market prospects.

In the above goal statement, a

positive outcome is articulated—“all

youth will obtain economic self-sufficiency . . .” The objectives that follow

provide very measurable definitions of

how to determine if the goal has been

achieved.

Attachment E contains an

exercise that provides some practice in

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

INGREDIENTS OF A STRATEGIC PLANNING

PROCESS

* Developing a full understanding of 

the issues 

* Creating the goals that will be 

accomplished;

* Setting objectives

* Formulating the overall strategy(s)

* Articulating roles and responsibilities and

* Creating a timetable/ action plan
18

judging if the objectives fit the goals.

Once goals are set, creating strategies is relatively easy. The difficult part is to develop strategies that will achieve the goal within the existing environment. For example, if there are no high paying

jobs, a strategy of enhanced life skills instruction is not likely to achieve the goal of self-sufficiency. 

An important part of achieving success with any plan is to ensure that the major stakeholders

understand their roles and responsibilities. One of the best ways of articulating roles and responsibilities is to have the Youth Council staff work with the members, individually and collectively, to clearly

identify the resources and services they can bring to the planning table to serve youth. 

A timetable for the action plan is a good management tool. Break the plan down into specific

action items that include:

r What will be done in specific steps;

r Who will do it; and 

r When will it be completed.

Youth Council planning is team planning. The whole experience should become a trust building process. Building and sustaining trust among the partners is almost as important as the plan

itself. In fact, some of the feedback from early forming councils is that they intend to spend the first

year building trust and strong working relationships among the investment partners by working

together to collect information and clarify the roles of all the players. This may be an effective strategy for long-term success.

For Youth Councils that want to begin the strategic planning process, a template has been

developed as a tool to help start the planning ball rolling. (Attachment F.)

5. OVERSIGHT AND MONITORING — ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountability became the mantra of the 90’s. Everyone pays homage to the need for it; everyone talks about how critical it is. Clearly, it reflects the desire on the part of the public and the legislative

bodies that appropriate public funds to have a better sense of value received in exchange for the expenditure of public funds. Those same demands apply to the private and the not for profit sectors. People

want a measurable “pay-off” for effort and

resources expended. It is commonly recognized that for planning to be effective, continual feedback is needed from program

implementation. Feedback requires a system

of monitoring, reporting, and observing .

With this system, programs can be held

accountable for their results. In addition, this

system will give Youth Councils the flexibility

they need to make mid-course corrections if

needed to achieve the goals.

The long-term success of WIA and

Youth Councils will hinge in part on the

strength of the accountability system they

create.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

INGREDIENTS FOR AN 

ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM 

* Performance Benchmarks

* Routine and Regular Data

Collection 

and Distribution

* A Performance Review Process

* A Corrective Action Process

* An Ongoing Feedback and 
19

An accountability system involves more than simply looking at outcome data. Many times, by

the time the outcome data is available, the program may be over. For example, if a program plan of

service calls for youth to be engaged in a combination of services that last for up to seven months,

actual outcome data will not come about until the eighth month of a twelve-month program funding

cycle. If the accountability system for such a program were built solely around outcome data, it will

be practically impossible to make any meaningful changes in the program design and operation in

time to improve operations.

A good accountability system should include:

r Performance Benchmarks: Do not be limited to Federal and

State performance factors. A well-defined set of performance

benchmarks — fiscal and programmatic, process and outcome,

short-term and long-term — are all needed.

r Routine and Regular Data Collection and Distribution: All

needed to determine how the program is progressing against

the performance benchmarks established for the program.

r A Performance Review Process: Regular review of the data is

necessary to determine what is behind the trends noted in the

data.

r A Corrective Action Process: Based on the 

performance review, use a formal process for developing and

implementing corrective action plans designed to define the

cause and cure of any sub-par performance.

r An Ongoing Feedback and Monitoring Routine: A feedback

and monitoring routine is needed to monitor and track corrective actions and to feed that information into the data collection regimen.

The time to layout the framework and

foundation for an effective accountability system

comes now, as the program plans are being developed and the transition process is taking place.

Goals and objectives, strategies and budgets, all

need to be developed with an eye on how they will

play a part in the overall accountability process. 

While a management information system

(MIS) is not an accountability system, an effective

MIS will make it easier to develop an effective

accountability system. An effective MIS does not

start with computers or software or high tech tools. An effective MIS starts with fully understanding

the workings of your program design and what it is intended to accomplish. 

There are two parts to a MIS, one that tracks the expenditure of funds over time (a fiscal MIS),

and one that tracks people, activities, and outcomes (a programmatic MIS). The key to an effective fisRECIPE FOR SUCCESS

PART OF A MIS

* Fiscal 

* Programmatic

* Design and Plan First! Computers

come later!
20

cal MIS is budgeting. The budget represents the template for the fiscal MIS. It establishes the terminology as to how expenditures will be tracked over time, and it is the overall control factor for those

expenditures. Good budgeting and spending controls are the foundation for building a sound fiscal portion of a MIS.

The programmatic part of a MIS needs to be specifically tailored to the WIA program. The

starting point for building the programmatic portion of a MIS starts with the reports you need to manage the program.

Accountability systems and MIS systems will be an integral part of success in WIA, and the

Youth Council must make sure that adequate attention is paid to these areas before the first young

person is enrolled. Remember, it’s very hard to retrieve information that was never collected!

6. COUNCIL ORGANIZATION 

As long as the membership requirements are met, a Youth Council is free to implement any

organizational structure. [Using a committee/workgroup structure that allows the Council to expand

membership beyond appointed members to broaden the expertise available to the Council.] A committee structure can also help the Council deal with issues in a more focused fashion. While there can be

many different and workable types of structures, three approaches are described: programmatic, functional, and work group. 

Programmatic Committee Structure

The law and the regulations encourage

local areas to consider expanding the scope of

the Council beyond WIA activities and WIA eligibility requirements and include other youth programs for both in and out of school youth. If a

programmatic committee organizational structure is selected it could look something like that

in diagram 2.2.

Youth Councils may want to consider

forming an Executive Committee. An Executive

Committee can build a leadership group within

the Council that will help ensure that the committee work is integrated and on target with the

overall vision of the Council. 

Functional Committee Structure

One of the primary reasons for creating

a Youth Council is to achieve an integration of all

the workforce investment programs that serve

youth. This purpose supports a functional

approach for a Council organizational structure.

There are many options for a functional organizational structure, one of which is shown in figure 2.2.

PROGRAMMATIC ORGANIZATION

FULL YOUTH COUNCIL

Executive Committee

Out-of-School

Committee

In-School (or STW)

Committee

Youth One-Stop

Committee

FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION

FULL YOUTH COUNCIL

Executive Committee

Education Services

Committee

Work Force Services

Committee

Support Services

Committee

WORK GROUP ORGANIZATION

FULL YOUTH COUNCIL

Executive Committee

Special Work Groups As Needed
21

Work Group Structure

There is no right or wrong way to organize a Youth Council. The key to a successful operation

is the ability to respond to flexible needs and priorities. For some Youth Councils, the Work Group

structure may best fit their needs. Another organizational structure which may best fit the needs of

the Council (fig 2.2).

In this organizational construct, only an Executive Committee would be created and the

Council would be authorized to convene temporary work groups as needed to address the tasks and

responsibilities of the Council. This option would allow for maximum flexibility for the Youth Council.

7. STAFF SUPPORT

Forming the Youth Council and determining the level of staff support needed should go hand

in hand. The law and regulations indicate that the Youth Council should be responsible for:

r Developing the portions of the local plan relating to eligible youth;

r Recommending eligible providers of youth activities;

r Conducting oversight of youth activities in the local area;

r Coordinating youth activities;

r Developing and recommending local youth employment and training policy and practice; 

r Broadening the youth employment and training focus in the community to incorporate a youth development perspective; and

r Establishing linkages with other organizations serving youth in the

local area.

That is a pretty full agenda, and the data collection and analysis needs described in the last

section adds substantially to the staff workload. Another consideration that will have an impact on the

staffing need is how the Youth Council relates to the WIB. If the Council is simply an advisory group to

the WIB, then its staffing needs will not be as great (but the WIBs staffing needs will be greater). If the

Council is authorized by the WIB to assume the leadership role relative to comprehensive youth workforce development planning and WIA youth issues, staff demands will be greater. 

Why should the WIB delegate the authority for youth activities to the Youth Council? Aside

from the encouragement in the law and the regulations for this approach, there are practical reasons.

Given the leadership role the WIB plays in the new workforce investment system and all the work they

will be confronted with in planning, implementing and evaluating that system, the WIB has a full plate.

If WIBs must have a Youth Council - and they do because the law requires it - it would be prudent to use

it to the fullest extent by delegating to the Youth Council the lead role for building a coherent system

of effective connections for young people. From a practical perspective, members of groups that do

not have authority and responsibility tend to lose interest. To sustain the interest of the Youth Council

members beyond the initial meetings, they need to be vested with some measure of authority to

become change agents.
22

The responsibilities in the law and regulations can be grouped into five major functional areas:

r WIA Program Development and Transition Issues;

r Youth Workforce System Development and Advocacy Issues;

r Selection of Service Providers; 

r Oversight and Performance Monitoring; and

r Council Administration.

Estimating the time it will take

Youth Council staff to perform specific

tasks is subject to a host of variables.

These variables make recommending a

specific staffing model that could be

applied for all Youth Councils impractical. Youth Council staffing will play a

major role in the overall productivity of

the Council. Local areas need to think

through the staff issue. As an aid, an

exercise has been developed on how to

estimate youth council staff needs. It

has been included as Attachment G.

Finding funds for Youth

Council staff may be a challenge. But it is a challenge that must be met to ensure the success for the

community’s workforce investment effort. Just because WIA requires the creation of Youth Councils

does not mean that only WIA funds can be used to support the Council. If the Youth Council takes on

the broader role as a leadership group for all youth development issues, then other funding or staff

resources should be sought to support this group. 

8. COUNCIL ORIENTATION

The Workforce Investment Act is new and States and local areas must undergo change to implement the new law. If the youth opportunities under WIA are to be maximized, there will be major

changes in way we do business. The first step towards taking advantage of the WIA opportunity (and in

coping with the changes it will necessitate) is gaining an understanding of the opportunity.

Youth Councils will need a full orientation to gain this understanding. Orientation should cover:

r Legal and policy background;

r Briefing on the geographic service area; 

r The Youth Council’s role; and

r Organizational structure.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

YOUTH COUNCIL STAFF FUNCTIONS

* WIA Program Development and Transition

Issues

* Youth Workforce System Development and

Advocacy Issues

* Selection of Service Providers

* Oversight and Performance Monitoring

* Council Administration
23

To help structure the Youth Council orientation, a draft meeting agenda has been included as

Attachment H.

Legal and policy background

Council members need to have

a broad understanding of WIA: OneStops, universal access, enhanced customer choice, participating partners

and all of the other concepts that differentiate WIA from previous workforce investment legislation. A more

detailed session should follow outlining

the youth portions of WIA and including information on how funds are allocated by the state and how the WIA

youth funding stream combines with

the two former JTPA youth funding streams (summer and year-round). 

To help with this briefing a “Pocket Guide to the Youth Sections In The Workforce Investment

Act and Regs Related To Youth” is included as Attachment I. 

The WIA briefing should also cover the youth performance measures. Visit DOL’s web site for

the most up to date information on performance measures and how to negotiate them. Internet site:

http://usworkforce.org/perfacct.htm. 

Briefing on the geographic service area

The second topic suggested for the Youth Council orientation session is a geographic scan.

The Council needs to be given information that enables it to understand the characteristics of the

youth that live in the area, what the local labor market looks like, and what programs (apart from proposed WIA programs) exist to address the workforce readiness needs of the young people.

The Youth Council’s Role

Ideally, the degree of delegation from the WIB will have been determined prior to the orientation meeting. If so, this is the time to specifically discuss what the WIB and the LEO expect the Youth

Council to accomplish in both the short and long terms.

Organizational structure

Finally, the orientation session(s) should focus on the Council’s

structure, including its by-laws, committee structure, etc. If the WIB and

local elected official have delegated

the responsibility to the Youth Council

to determine its own organizational

structure and to create its own specific

agenda, this part of the orientation

session becomes the forum for the Council to consider how it wants to conduct business in both the

short and long term.

To help WIBs and Youth Councils make some preliminary assessments of how far along they

are on the system development track, A System Status Evaluation Test is included as Attachment J.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

KEY COMPONENTS OF AN ORIENTATION

* Legal and policy background

* Briefing on the service area 

* The Council’s role; and

* Organizational structure.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

AREA OVERVIEW

* Youth Demographics in the Service Area 

* The Labor Market 

* Existing Programs Serving Youth 
24

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

The exercise was designed to start you thinking about the attributes of an effective youth workforce

development system.

How does your Youth Council

stack up to the Self Assessmentfor

Youth Council Membership list?

While one or two “No” responses may

not be a reason for concern, several

“No” responses do indicate that you

Youth Council may be missing the boat.

Remember, if you have omitted some

of the key players, consider appointing

additional members. It is important

that all the key stakeholders are included on the Youth Council, while still maintaining a manageable

number of members.

THE YC’S ROLE

* Roles and Responsibilities of the WIB and

the YC

* The Mission and Scope of the Youth Council
45

3

TRANSITION TO WIA:

SOUP TO NUTS

This section of the Cookbook provides detailed information on key issues the Youth Council

needs to consider in the transition from JTPA to WIA, and some recipes for approaches that will help

build the foundation for a successful WIA youth system. It might be helpful to consider some of the

more challenging policy and program issues that Youth Councils and program administrators will be

confronted with as they move from JTPA to WIA. 

WIA TRANSITION TO DO LIST Done

A. Resource allocation — in-school/out-of-school/year round/summer !

B. Considering other resources !

C. Defining “Follow-Up” !

D. Using adult funds for serving 18-21 year olds !

E. Coordinating with the One-Stops !

F. Develop the performance management system !

G. Select Service Providers !

H. Learn to live within the 10% cap !

A. WIA RESOURCE ALLOCATION

Everything is important, but perhaps first among equals is decision making about the allocation of WIA youth resources. As mentioned earlier, WIA provides a single formula-based funding

stream instead of the previous system of separate “year-round” and “summer” allocations. In addition

95% of the WIA youth funds must be spent on youth who meet poverty eligibility criteria. While

Congress has allocated the same amount of funds for these formula-funded youth activities as in previous years (approximately $1.1 billion nationwide), some communities may end up with fewer youth

formula dollars under WIA than they were allocated under JTPA. For the first time, WIA allows states to

retain 15% of the formula funds for discretionary statewide activities. However, the new funding will

provide local areas with greater discretion in determining how to plan services and allocate resources

to serve youth. One additional important difference is that the new law requires that at least 30% of

the funds be expended on out-of-school youth. Perhaps the greatest change with immediate impact is

that both the law and the regulations make it clear that summer programs under WIA are no longer

intended to be “stand-alone” programs.
46

WIA also establishes the $250 million competitive Youth Opportunity Grants initiative to direct

significant additional resources to a limited number of communities characterized as Empowerment

Zones, Enterprise Communities or designated high-poverty areas. The first 36 awards were announced

in February 2000.

There are a number of issues to consider in thinking about spending the youth allocation:.

r What use of WIA funds best supports the Youth Council’s vision

for a youth service system?

r What WIA youth performance levels have been negotiated with

the State? How can the Council ensure that their allocation

decisions will support achieving these performance levels?

r How can the traditional JTPA summer program model be

enriched in accordance with new policy direction?

r What level of other resources are available to support year

round activities that include summer work experience or for

other services?

Clearly, each local area will respond to these programmatic issues in different ways. Perhaps

one of the best ways to more fully understand how these considerations play a part in the overall decision process is to walk through a hypothetical funding allocation scenario and see what influence each

of the issues has. An exercise designed to let you “play” with fund allocation scenarios has been developed and is included as Attachment 1 at the end of this chapter.

B. DEFINING FOLLOW-UP SERVICES

One of the major changes under WIA is that post program follow-up services are required for

a minimum of 12 months after the young person leaves the active service delivery portion of the program. Follow-up is a critical service to ensure strong long-term outcomes. 

Studies have shown that if a person can succeed during the first six months after job placement, they have a much higher chance of long-term success. Should a former participant experience a

setback, an aggressive follow-up system can provide the support and assistance needed to get them

back on track. 

Although required by WIA, many areas may lack the resources to provide a comprehensive

supportive follow up service mix. It might be helpful to establish different levels of post program services for different groups of young people. Local areas may want to consider categorizing their

enrolled youth customers into groups, such as high, moderate and low risk. The following chart provides an example of how an area could define risk levels and assign possible post program service levels to each group. The example assumes that the participant was placed in a job at the conclusion of

active program services.

Obviously, if the young person ended active program participation by going to college or the

military, a different type of follow-up process might be used. Flexibility, communication and dedicated,

well trained staff are the key ingredients for a follow-up recipe that results in job retention and

advancement. The Public/Private Ventures publication Getting in, Staying on, Moving up: A

Practitioner’s Approach to Employment Retention profiles the successful Moving Up Career
47

Monthly telephone follow-up to customer. 

Quarterly follow-up with employer.

Provide youth with documentation of credentials gained

Job replacement if needed

Low Risk

Characteristics—Stable

family situation, good

housing, adequate transportation, adequateday

care, no history of medical

problems or drug or alcohol abuse.

Moderate Risk

Characteristics—Some

problems in only one of

the following areas: family

situation, housing, transportation, day care, or

medical. No history of

drug or alcohol abuse.

High Risk

Characteristics —

Significant problems in

one or more of the following areas: family situation,

housing, transportation,

day care, or medical. May

have a history of drug or

alcohol abuse.

FOLLOW-UP SERVICES

Monthly follow-up to customer, half home visits and half telephone contacts.

Monthly telephone follow-up with employment assistance staff

of employer

Provide youth with documentation of credentials gained

Limited access to support services paid by program

Enrollment in peer support group

Job Replacement if needed

Bimonthly home visits to youth. Contact with employing

supervisor.

Biweekly telephone follow-up to youth.

Provide youth with documentation of credentials gained

Open access to support services funded by program and assistance in continuing learning experiences.

Monthly telephone follow-up with employment assistance staff

of employer.

Enrollment in both peer support group and other support

groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (as appropriate)

Enrollment in company employment assistance program (if

employed)

Job Replacement if needed

RISK FACTOR
48

Advancement program in New York City. It describes characteristics of an effective job-retention/

follow-up staff: 

r People with backgrounds similar to those of the students;

r People who have worked in the private sector;

r People with experience in counseling or supervising similar

young people in entry-level jobs;

r People who are: Articulate, Optimistic, Persuasive, Motivational

and most of all, people who perform. 

Furthermore, the report indicated that organizations with good job-retention staff also had

effective mechanisms for measuring performance, sharing information with staff, promoting and

rewarding staff accordingly, and developing the staff. The report is available from www.ppv.org or

through www. nyec.org.

C. USING ADULT FUNDS FOR SERVING 18-21 YEAR OLDS

WIA presents the unusual opportunity for older youth to be served from both the WIA youth

program funds and adult program funds. This presents both an opportunity and a challenge. The

opportunity is clear: by using a concurrent enrollment approach for youth between the ages of 18 to 21,

more resources are available for a under served population. The challenge is how to best integrate the

adult and youth resources into one program that offers a seamless service delivery system.

The chart below illustrates how the two programs differ.
49

Issue WIA Youth Funds WIA Adult Funds Opportunities/Issues

Eligibility Eligible according to All adults eligible for Older youth who do not

age, poverty status, core services; some qualify as low income

barrier to employment. restrictions for can still take advantage

Thirty percent goes intensive and of the core

to out-of-school training services. adult services.

youth, 5% allowed 

for non-poor youth.

Services Communities must Core services How flexible will 

make all ten program (predominately labor One-Stop operators be

elements available as exchange services) regarding young

outlined in the law. offered first, intensive people who progress

and/or training services from the youth program

follow for those who into the adult

cannot find work and/or program or participate

are in need of these in both? How will

services. the two sets of

services be

coordinated?

Performance Two sets of measures, One set of Because wage levels,

Measures depending on age performance measures retention, and

(14-18, 19-21) and focused on employment, placements rates may

program objectives. retention and wage be lower for low 

levels as well as income youth than

credentialing/learning for adults, enrolling

gains. older youth could

make it more difficult to

achieve adult 

performance measures. 

Service Service contracts Core and intensive In order to

Providers awarded competitively services usually provided maximize the use

at One-Stops, training of adult resources

services provided via an for older youth,

Individual Training youth service providers

Account (ITA) from a that offer training

pre-approved list should be encouraged

of vendors. to apply to be on

the pre-approved list 

of training vendors, 

so they can offer 

services to youth under

both funding sources.
50

D. COORDINATING WITH THE ONE-STOPS

The creation of the One-Stop systems under WIA presents two complementary opportunities

for the WIA youth program. First, there is the obvious benefit of the availability of a comprehensive

array of labor market information and services. While each area’s One-Stop system will be designed to

best meet the needs of the community, the following four principles are key to all One-Stop Career

Center Systems: 

Universal Access: All community members will have access to a wide array of employment

development services, and quality labor market information. 

Customer Choice: The philosophy of giving customers choices is critical to a One-Stop Career

Center System.

Integration: A One-Stop Career Center System offers the potential for a seamless approach to

service delivery, providing access to services under a wide array of employment, training, and education programs provided by the multiple partners. 

Performance Driven/Outcome Based Measures: To ensure customer satisfaction, One-Stop

Career Center Systems must have clear outcome measures.

These qualities will make the One-Stop system a key resource for all youth service providers.

The second opportunity is that the One-Stop system development is a means for forming collaborative working arrangements among key service delivery organizations. WIA stipulates that formal

working agreements, called memoranda of understanding (MOU), must be created among the 12

required partners and any other partners that the area believes is critical for the effective operation of

the One-Stop. This creates the framework for collaborative working arrangements among key service

delivery organizations, many of whom also have an active interest in youth, and may be represented

on the Youth Council.

r The WIA partner

r The Job Service

r Adult Education and Literacy Provider

r Vocational Rehabilitation

r TANF partner

r Senior Employment Programs

r Career Education under the Perkins Act

r Trade Act Programs

r Veterans Programs

r Community Services Block Grant Employment and Training

Programs

r HUD Employment and Training programs

r UI programs.
51

At the request of the Youth Council, the WIB could add language to the MOU outlining what

specific youth services are anticipated and how services will be delivered. Attachment 2 has an exercise to help pick out the most likely youth partners from the 12 listed.

Youth and the One-Stops

One important caveat should be discussed in connection with One-Stops. Some areas have

mentioned concerns that youth may become “lost” in a busy One-Stop catering to a large and diverse

group of customers. Two suggestions have surfaced for coping with this issue: 

r Set aside special space and designated staff as a “youth center” within the One-Stop and/or;

r Create smaller neighborhood based one-stops for youth that

are electronically linked to the labor market information at the

“main center”.

E. PERFORMANCE SYSTEM

As described in Chapter 1, a key WIA issue is developing an effective performance management system. For WIA, this includes three specific elements: 

r Appropriate program outcome data so that performance and

wage information is available;

r Familiarity with the legal requirements and definitions of the

performance measures; and 

r Information on how the intake flow and program processes

planned may impact on potential outcomes. 

Someone connected to the Youth Council (a staff person, a technically inclined Council member) needs to take responsibility for mastering the nuances of the WIA performance system so that it

becomes a management tool that drives

program success. A basic outline of

some of the fundamental issues that are

a part of the WIA youth performance

management system follows. It is only

the beginning. Performance management should be an ongoing process that

will require constant attention to ensure

success.

The Legal Parameters

The law and regulations provide

a set of required core indicators of performance for employment and training activities for eligible youth

participants. To fully appreciate these factors, the numerator and denominator for all these measures

(which are all defined as rates) need to be identified. Attachment 3 provides this information.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

WIA PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS FOR:

* Youth 14-18;

* Youth 19-21; and 

* Adults
52

What Performance Indicators to Use?

It is possible for youth programs funded by the different parts of WIA to be subject to more

than one set of performance requirements. Specifically there are performance parameters for:

r WIA youth 14-18;

r WIA youth 19-21, and

r WIA adults.

For example, if a program enrolls and serves a 17-year-old youth for two years, provides a training voucher when they are 18, and he/she then exits the program following their 19th birthday, which

set of performance parameters apply to that youth? The December 1999 Workforce Investment Act

Performance Accountability document produced by the US DOL makes it clear that a youth must be

included in the set of measures based on their age at registration so the “Younger Youth” parameters

apply to the 17 year old. But because a voucher from the WIA adult program was used, the WIA adult

factors apply too! Try the exercise on “Which Factor Applies” in Attachment 4 to get a better feel for

how performance factors actually apply.

Maximizing Performance 

To ensure a successful youth program, measurable objectives for every service provider

should be established. If the programs meet their objectives, then all performance factors will be

achieved.

Local Youth Councils might also want to give consideration to creating an incentive system for

their vendors of services. An incentive system does not necessarily need to be tied to dollars — it could

be public recognition of a job well done —but it is an important part of the total management approach.

And blending funding resources from multiple sources provides a richer service mix that will

yield better results. 

Negotiating the Factors

Negotiating the required US DOL performance measures has a direct impact upon two elements of the program. The measures reflect the specific priorities of the Youth Council. They make a

statement as to what is important in the way of youth outcomes. Equally as important, these measures

set the parameters that determine how program operations are to be considered “successful.”

Therefore the local elected officials and WIBs (or the Governor and the State WIB) should try to negotiate realistic measures that will drive the program to achieve good outcomes, but that will also be

attainable. 

F. SELECTING SERVICE PROVIDERS

Judging and selecting service providers is one of the most sensitive, yet significant responsibilities of the Youth Council. If great care is not exercised in judging and selecting providers, you will

have a plan that looks good on paper, but does not produce positive outcomes for young people.

The following checklist for assessing potential providers could be a helpful guide:

Look carefully at the quality of leadership in the organization you are considering 

doing business with.

Does he or she have the respect of the community, of their staff? Does the leadership have a
53

track record of proven performance? Is there evidence of character stability and management ability

to deal with unforeseen emergencies? Can the leader inspire the staff and challenge them to excellence? Does the leadership of the proposed provider buy into the Youth Council’s overall mission and

goals?

Look for proven evidence of management capacity.

Many people can write persuasive proposals (or hire someone to do it for them). Before the

Youth Councils or their parent WIBs commit big bucks for services, it is crucial to make sure the potential provider has good management skills. What kind of staffing plan is proposed? Is it realistic for the

services and budget proposed? Is there any evidence of commitment to a well thought out plan for

staff development? Have they budgeted for it? Is there evident that a work plan will be organized and

executed on the kind of timetable you require? 

Look at staff backgrounds and experience.

One constant factor for success is the quality of staff that is actually delivering the services to youth. It

is recommended that a group of Youth

Council members take the time to

interview a sampling of the staff to try

to answer a few key questions. How will

they relate to young people? Are

young people likely to trust them? Will

they make themselves available on an

as needed basis? Do they have high

expectations for young people? Do

they demonstrate a commitment to

help youth succeed, no matter what

the obstacles or history of failures?

Look for sound fiscal controls and financial management systems.

Every program’s nightmares are fiscal overruns, misappropriations and/or audit exceptions.

Unfortunately, some good program operators — good in the sense that they care about kids and can

serve them well — are inexperienced or naive when it comes to fiscal accountability. Make sure the

financial officer has the skills needed for the job. Ask your private sector representatives to check out

this area. 

Look for reliable MIS systems and how they are used.

While a chronic complaint of almost all providers has always been “too much paper work,” it is

important when selecting service providers to make sure that they can keep accurate records. It is also

important that providers understand the use of data as an internal management tool. Providers should

make a commitment to examine their data at regular intervals to assess progress toward agreed upon

goals. If the program is not meeting expectations, mid course corrections can be taken. Smart managers will use the MIS for continuous improvement, not just contract compliance

Are potential providers “lone rangers” or collaborative partners?

As part of system building, each potential provider needs to understand the inter-connectedness of the system that is being developed. In bidders conferences and in public documents, this 

message needs to be clearly outlined. Each service provider should understand how they fit into the

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

CHECKLIST FOR PROVIDERS

* Quality of leadership in the 

organization

* Evidence of management capacity.

* Staff backgrounds and experience.

* Sound fiscal controls and systems.

* Reliable MIS systems 

* Team Players
54

whole picture, so that working together, they can help youth successfully segue into post-secondary

education and good jobs.

While there is no one right way to select service providers, WIA does require that a competitive

Request for Proposal be used. Developing an effective RFP can be a real challenge. The Palm Beach

County, Florida Workforce Investment Board, developed an effective example. The full document is on

their web site. The address is www.pbcwdb.com. What makes this RFP special? 

r Clear instructions with a WIA overview and the context of the

service delivery system;

r A concise and understandable description of the requested

service;

r A comprehensive overview of the expected 

outcomes;

r An excellent rating system that clearly reflects 

the important issues that were outlined in the proposal;

r A proposal format that will clearly guide the responding organizations as they prepare a work statement;

r A focus on enhanced collaboration;

r Excellent budget detail and description of how to classify cost.

Anyone that is planning an RFP for youth services under WIA may find it helpful to review the

attached sample. 

G. LIVING WITHIN THE 10% CAP

There was widespread consternation as program administrators across the nation read that

the WIA limitation on administrative costs had been reduced to 10%. At first blush the amount of

administrative funds available under WIA was significantly below what was available under JTPA. 

A review of the law did not indicate that any areas of management and fiscal responsibilities

had been removed. In fact, the WIA requirements posed the possibility for enhanced administrative

work. The consternation seemed well founded. However, the good news is that the US DOL has subsequently issued interim final regulations and draft final regulations that provide a new interpretation of

what constitutes “administrative” costs under WIA, which are quite different from the JTPA definitions. Attachment 5 contains some illustrative charts that demonstrate that the new definitions of

costs provide considerable relief from a potentially troublesome issue.
65

4

COMING TOGETHER 

AT THE TABLE

Understandably, the Youth Council will be preoccupied with WIA transition and internal organizational issues described in the previous chapters. During that process, the important task of building

trust and common understandings and dedication to a common vision among the members has been

taking shape. That does not happen overnight, so do not get discouraged. Try not to get so bogged

down in the WIA administrative minutia that the Big Picture that was described Chapter 2 of this

Cookbook gets lost. This challenge is about building a system of effective connections for youth to the

mainstream of productive employment, satisfying family life and fulfilling citizenship. But in our zeal to

put together a system of connecting activities, it is critical that every connection be a quality connection. A smooth looking system that connects poor program components is not what any community

wants to end up with!

A. STICK TO THE PRINCIPLES/EFFECTIVE PRACTICES

Several years ago, the Levitan Center at Johns Hopkins University, working with a national

youth policy network, identified service principles for youth programs that were based on what people

in the field had learned about “what works.” These include:

r Continuity of contact with caring adults; 

r The centrality of work;

r Connections to employers;

r Contextual educational options

for competency certification;

r Leadership development;

r Post-secondary education; and

r Follow-up over a sustained

period.

These principles have been

reinforced by the experiences of

PEPNet, a practice-based system for

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

THE LEVITAN PRINCIPLES

* Caring and competent adults 

* A variety of educational options

* Work based learning opportunities

* Leadership development

* Skills development choices 

* Positive peer group value development

* Follow up and follow through support

* Connections to Employers
66

identifying and promoting what works in youth employment and development, created by the National

Youth Employment Coalition. PEPNet seeks to achieve its goals by recognizing high standards of effective practice, building and sharing a knowledge base of what works and connecting youth-serving professionals with other quality initiatives. (www.nyec.org)

B. BUILDING BLOCKS 

So, the good news is that no community is starting with an empty slate. Systems and programs

abound. Each should be examined carefully to determine the “fit.” For example: 

The College-Bound System functions well because a body of information about college

admission requirements is shared by school personnel, parents and students. This knowledge governs

the design of high school curricula and shapes the guidance given to students about selecting appropriate courses. This access to admissions information, appropriate curricula and counseling, as well as

information about financial assistance, all contribute to a reasonably effective system. That access

seamlessly moves most of the fortunate students who enjoy it from high school to post-secondary

education. Counselors and administrators know what proportion of their graduates enter college and

they are held accountable by their communities for results. The appropriate pieces of a system —

known expectations, access, strong program content, accountability — are in place to move students

successfully from secondary to post-secondary education.

The School to Work System addresses the needs of students who, in most cases, have not

yet formulated college or career plans. For them, the paths beyond high school have not been as

smooth or well marked. But if youth are to enter the workplace successfully, they and the schools that

prepare them need knowledge of workplace expectations, just as guidance counselors need information about college expectations in the system described above. In effective school to work systems,

this knowledge translates into an organized effort to forge a close working relationship between

employers and schools. It is reflected in employer input into curricula, and teacher and counselor training about labor market requirements. The system forges a series of academic and work-based learning

experiences into a seamless pathway to successful careers.

The Out-of School Youth System. This area represents a major new challenge for Youth

Councils. The connections are still to be developed. Yet there are there are several nationally replicated “name brand” youth development and training models that are supported by the key principles

described above. Although these models are replicated nationally, even the founders (and the funders)

admit that the programs may vary in quality in local communities based on the quality of the local

staff! They are being listed here because they are all built on the principles for sound youth development that are articulated in WIA. Therefore, you may want to consider some of these program models

as part of the “building blocks” for your community as you start to form an integrated network of

essential services for youth. All of these programs are profiled in Making Connections: Youth Program

Strategies for a Generation of Challenge; Commendable Examples from The Levitan Youth Policy

Network, available through www.levitan.org.

r YouthBuild 

r Youth Conservation and Service Corps 

r The Center for Employment Training (CET) 
67

r STRIVE 

r Quantum Opportunities Program(QOP) 

r Job Corps 

Brief introductions to these programs which are modeled on the principles described above

can be found at the end of this chapter as Attachment I. And more useful information about effective

local practices and practitioners can be downloaded from the website www.nyec.org.

C. HOW TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE: CREATIVE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT 

Local areas need to keep in mind that WIA youth resources are but a small part of the range of

resources and programs that may be used to offer a comprehensive range of services to youth. While

the identification of the other resources and programs that support youth activities should be a part of

the Youth Council’s orientation, a more in-depth consideration of how these resources are used and

what they produce in the way of youth services must be a part of the Council’s strategic planning effort.

Effective planning for the use of resources starts with knowing about them. A list of many (not

all) of the existing resources/programs that may be available to support youth activities is described

below. While every community in every State will not necessarily have each of the resources/programs

listed below, it does provide a jumping off point for the discussion as to how these resources are currently used. Hopefully, this discussion will lead to the consideration as to how these resources can be

better integrated/coordinated so as to more effectively serve the needs of youth in the community.

Potential Resources For Youth Services:

r Workforce Investment Act, Title I — State 15% Funds;

r Workforce Investment Act, Title I- Youth Funds;

r Workforce Investment Act, Title I — Adult Funds (For youth ages

18 to 21);

r Workforce Investment Act, Job Corps;

r United States Department of Labor (USDOL), Welfare-To-Work

Grants to States;

r USDOL Wagner Peyser Grants to States (The Job Service);

r United States Department of Health and Human Services, TANF

Block Grants to States;

r United States Department of Education (USDOE), Campus

Programs;

r USDOE Vocational Education Basic State Grants (Perkins III);

r USDOE Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants; 
68

r USDOE Title I Funds for Disadvantaged Students;

r USDOE Adult Education Grants; 

r USDOE Pell Grants;

r USDOE GEAR-Up (college-prep) Grants;

r USDOE Safe-Healthy Schools Grants;

r USDOE Twenty-First Century (after-school) Grants;

r USDOE/USDOL School-To-Work Grants;

r State Aid To Education;

r United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

(HUD) — Public Housing Funds;

r HUD—Community Development Block Grant (CDBG); 

r HUD—HOPE VI;

r United States Department of Justice, Juvenile Accountability

Incentive Block Grants Tobacco Settlement Funds;

r Private Foundations;

r The Business Community;

Throughout the Cookbook, one ingredient constantly referred to is partnership. Partnerships

are easier to talk about and easier to write about than to build and sustain at the local and state levels.

However they are the implicit and explicit message of the Workforce Investment Act, starting with the

required partner agencies in the One-Stop System. That partnership theme carries over to the membership of the state and local Workforce Investment Boards, and is further articulated in the membership requirements of the local Youth Councils. 

The challenges we are mandated to confront are, quite simply, beyond the expertise and the

resources of any one agency or funding stream. Bridges must be built among the various systems in

which youth are involved: schools, labor markets, welfare, health, recreation, juvenile justice, faith,

community service. 

The forum presented by the Youth Council provides an excellent means for local areas to discover how the resources described above (and others) are currently deployed and to initiate the discussion of how these resources may be redeployed in order to make youth service delivery more

comprehensive and rational.

As the partners begin to craft their design of a comprehensive youth development system,

each partner should begin to see how its “piece” or building block fits in, or duplicates, or needs to be

redirected. Just as important, as the partners buy into a common vision and common goals, there can

be new energy behind seeking additional resources. For example, at the first meeting of Philadelphia’s
69

Youth Council, members were informed that the new parameters of WIA translated into a smaller summer program than the city was accustomed to running for many years. Because the members of the

Youth Council did not want to countenance serving a reduced number of

youth, they immediately formed a subcommittee to locate city and private

sector funds to supplement WIA dollars. Philadelphia officials are convinced that the Youth Council was

effective in this role because the members were selected based on their

access to such resources and commitment to achieving goals collectively,

which would have been beyond the

capacity of any one member individually. See Attachment II for more information on the Philadelphia Youth

Council.

The mission involves a longterm process. To keep from being overwhelmed or discouraged and also to be able to see early indicators of progress, it is a good idea to build systems and relationships incrementally. [Think BIG . . . but

start small . . . but START sounds like and is a practical approach.] Here are some suggestions to think

about again:

r Sustain and grow your school to work system and expand it to

reach out-of-school youth connecting them also to learning, jobs

and caring adults. 

Seek arrangements with school systems to offer flexible educational options that can both prevent and re-engage dropouts and link

them to career pathways and post-secondary opportunities.

r Use resources creatively, such as state and local school aid, WIA

funds, school to work funds, One-Stop career center resources, Pell

grants, TANF, HUD and juvenile justice funds and other federal,

state, local, foundation and private resources as well as seasoned

providers in the community.

r Use the Youth Council as a community collaborative for leadership,

planning, implementation and oversight. Make sure that schools,

employers and effective community based organizations are partners in this collaborative. They are often the voices of seasoned

experience and have a direct stake in successful outcomes.

r Develop a system of neighborhood hubs or anchors to outreach

and engage youth to connect or reconnect them to learning, skill

development, needed supports and jobs.

IDEAS TO GROW ON

* Sustain and grow your STW system and

expand it to reach out-of-school youth

* Build on what exists

* Use your Council as a community 

collaborative leadership group

* Develop a system of neighborhood hubs to

outreach and engage youth 

* Develop an intermediary entity to 

work with employers

* Don’t duplicate services

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
70

r Develop an effective intermediary to work with employers that

both employers and young people will trust. The intermediary

must engage employers in an efficient manner and provide a

trustworthy bridge among young people, youth serving organizations and employers.

r Try not to duplicate the services of other systems. Build on

what’s in place and concentrate on linking the successful pieces

together.

D. WHAT TO LEAVE OUT

This Cookbook has been

replete with recipes and ingredients

for success. But as every cook and

every diner knows, it is how the ingredients are put together and presented

that makes a difference. The mix of

ingredients should reflect local tastes

and appetites. Not every recipe works

every time. Practice brings skill. So it

will be with this complicated menu of

youth development system building.

As in all recipes, what to leave out is as

important as what to include! There is

no room in an effective comprehensive

system for:

r Short term or low intensity interventions;

r Insufficient investment in building infrastructure and staff

capacity;

r Single component interventions;

r Inadequate leadership;

r Weak management capacity;

r Inadequate data systems to monitor progress and aid program

improvements;

r Lack of planning time; and

r Unwillingness to commit to sustained partnerships.

STAY AWAY FROM

* Short term/low intensity interventions

* Insufficient investment in infrastructure

and staff 

* Single component interventions

* Inadequate leadership

* Weak management

* Inadequate data systems 

* Lack of planning time 

* Groups unwilling to commit to sustained

partnerships

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
71

E. THE PRIZE

At the local level, there is simply no substitute for initiative, creativity, leadership and, particularly, persistent commitment to the task. However, it must be recognized that every youth the new system reaches will not be successful. A shared responsibility rests with young people themselves. If

Youth Councils seize the challenge and start constructing a system of opportunities for all young people and put them on a positive trajectory, they can help to secure a generation that will make an important contribution to our society. But if communities do not pull together and think together to make

sure youth receive help in an accessible and understandable way, young people could surely deflect

the country from its true course. And that is not a matter of fate, but of choice. 

Youth Councils cannot become a missed opportunity. Too much is at stake.