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St. Louis Children's Agenda Youth Employment Strategy Work Group
July 2002 The draft Comprehensive St. Louis Regional Workforce Development and Youth Employment Plan outlined here is being developed by the St. Louis Children's Agenda Youth Employment Strategy Work Group. The intent is to use the framework provide by the Comprehensive Plan to engage all key stakeholders in collaborative development and implementation of a multi-faceted career development, youth employment and workforce development strategy for the St. Louis Metropolitan region. Once a Comprehensive Plan is developed jointly, it can provide a mechanism for: (1) better coordinating existing services and programs; (2) analyzing critical issues and service needs; (3) identifying needed policy changes; (4) developing new programs; (5) securing additional resources; (6) establishing outcome goals and benchmarks; (7) monitoring developments and amending the Comprehensive Plan; and (8) advancing public education and marketing efforts related to youth employment and workforce development. The Comprehensive Plan is based on a set of primary objectives. Under each of the objectives a series of action steps is identified for attaining the strategy objectives. Key stakeholders with a role in refining and implementing each of the action steps are being identified with the intent of engaging them in plan development and implementation. Many of the key stakeholders are already engaged in the process of developing a regional Comprehensive Plan. Best practice approaches related to the action steps that research has identified as being effective in advancing youth employment and workforce development efforts are being identified. Objective I - Identify and engage all key stakeholders -- including business representatives, social service providers, educators, parents, members of the faith community, researchers, planners, and policy-makers -- with a role in developing and implementing a comprehensive, integrated system of career education, workforce development, and youth employment in the St. Louis metropolitan region. Action Step#1: Partner with local WIA board and youth councils to discuss and recommend program needs and policy changes Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches: Objective II - Develop a regional system of education, career and workforce development, and youth employment based on key principles of youth development. o Differentiate among the needs of various age groups (e.g. 14-15 year olds, 16-17 year olds, and 18+ years) in career development and youth employment. o Developing a future-oriented career perspective for youth o Address needs of youth who are not college-bound Objective III - Identify and build awareness of all the current workforce/ youth development programs and systems in the St. Louis metropolitan region. Promote their utilization; coordinate their operations; and analyze problems and opportunities/strengths and weaknesses in order to develop a comprehensive, flexible, and integrated system. o Coordinate public and private sector youth employment programs o Inventory and map current services Action Step #1: Provide a framework and tools for regional partners to use as a resource in assessing local youth workforce development needs and identifying resources to meet those needs Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches Action Step#2: Enhance communication among schools, employers, government agencies, parents, and other organizations involved in youth employment and workforce development efforts. Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches: Objective IV - Design and implement a comprehensive, flexible, and integrated system of education, career development, and youth employment that coordinates public, private, and volunteer sector programs to serve the needs of youth, employers, and the broader community. Ensure that provision is made for performance of both regional youth employment and career development functions, as well as program needs that are addressed by individual programs and at the local community level. Action Step #1: Engage Youth and Their Parents in an Integrated System of Education, Career Development, and Youth Employment Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches: Action Step #2: Involve Employers in System Development and Implementation o Secure employer participation in Youth Employment Strategy Work Group o Employ personal appeals to involve employers o Inventory and assess employer needs; ensure needs are met o Clarify the role of employers in youth and workforce development o Demonstrate to employers what works and what doesn't Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches: Action Step #3: Collaboratively Develop a Career Education Component the Builds Seamless K-16 Educational and Career Pathways. Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches: Action Step #4: Develop opportunities for career exploration, work-based learning opportunities, and youth employment in conjunction with schools, employers, and parents. Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches: Action Step #5: Systematically Assess the Work-Related Skills and Interest of Young People. Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches Action Step #6: Prepare Young People for Work by Providing: o Life skills training o General employment skills training o Specific job skills Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches: Action Step #7: Match young people to appropriate employment opportunities and place them in jobs by providing opportunities for career awareness, exploration, and development and through use of school-business partnerships. Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches: Action Step #8: Provide Needed Job Coaching and Wrap-Around Support Services to Retain Young People in Employment, addressing issues of work place environment in employee retention. Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches: Action Step #9: Identify professional development needs and develop training opportunities for those engaged in human resources, workforce development, and youth employment in order to promote skill development and system quality. Key Stakeholders: Best Practice Approaches: Objective V - Establish outcome goals and benchmarks indicators useful to and understandable by all stakeholders to assess effectiveness and success of youth employment programs. Objective VI - Identify and seek additional funding sources to support needed youth employment and workforce development initiatives throughout the St. Louis region. Objective VII - Develop a regional marketing plan to promote awareness of the need for, and availability of, youth development strategies that address: (1) career development; (2) life and employment skills training; and provision of youth employment opportunities in the St. Louis region. Objective VIII - Make recommendations for new legislation, needed policy changes, and improved administrative practices to chief elected officials, legislators, and program operators, in order to improve the system of career development and youth employment in the St. Louis metropolitan region. |