Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Wagner-Peyser Program (Employment Services)
All Program-Specific Requirements provided for the WIOA core programs in this section must be addressed for either a Unified or Combined State Plan.
- e. Agricultural Outreach Plan (AOP). Each State agency must develop an AOP every four years as part of the Unified or Combined State Plan required under sections 102 or 103 of WIOA. The AOP must include an assessment of need. An assessment need describes the unique needs of farmworkers in the area based on past and projected agricultural and farmworker activity in the State. Such needs may include but are not limited to: employment, training, and housing.
- 4. Outreach Activities
The local offices outreach activities must be designed to meet the needs of MSFWs in the State and to locate and contact MSFWs who are not being reached through normal intake activities. Describe the State agency's proposed strategies for:
- 4. Outreach Activities
- e. Agricultural Outreach Plan (AOP). Each State agency must develop an AOP every four years as part of the Unified or Combined State Plan required under sections 102 or 103 of WIOA. The AOP must include an assessment of need. An assessment need describes the unique needs of farmworkers in the area based on past and projected agricultural and farmworker activity in the State. Such needs may include but are not limited to: employment, training, and housing.
e. 4. A. Contacting farmworkers who are not being reached by the normal intake activities conducted by the employment service offices
Current Narrative:
VDOL’s One-Stop Career Center staff will conduct MSFW outreach and ensure that employment and training services are being delivered appropriately. The staff will focus on agriculture-heavy counties including Franklin, Addison, Rutland, Windsor, and Orleans. MSFW outreach will also be conducted in partnership by the state’s WIOA 167 provider, Pathstone.
Local VDOL staff will conduct field visits to the working and living areas of MSFWs to provide employment services. An explanation of workforce services available to MSFWs, including the availability of referrals to agricultural and nonagricultural employment, training, and supportive services, and other job development services will be provided in a language readily understood by them. When known, staff and or staff interpreters will be prepared to conduct outreach in the MSFW's native language.
Each outreach worker will maintain a log of daily contacts which will include the number of MSFWs contacted and details of assistance provided. The name of the individual contacted will be recorded in all cases where an application for work is taken, a referral to a job is made, and/or a complaint is filed. Detailed reports relative to the number of MSFWs, their office of registration, and services provided can be retrieved through the reporting section of VJL after an account is established for the worker.
Staff will also meet and work with community-based organizations and other employment-related agencies to coordinate other services to MSFWs. When necessary, staff will raise issues as appropriate to ensure that the development of new systems/strategies for service delivery among all partners includes meeting the needs of MSFW customers.
Outreach activities will be conducted proportionate to the number of MSFWs identified statewide. The VDOL estimates that the number of days of outreach contact, including visits to working, living, and gathering areas, will range from 80 to 100 days during peak season, and about 40 days during the remainder of the year. The number of days of outreach will be distributed appropriately according to the crop activity throughout the program year. For example, from September to November, visits will most likely be concentrated on apple orchards. June through August will be concentrated on berry farms, and August through October will be on vegetable farms.