Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities

The purpose of WIOA youth services is to assist youth, (ages 14-21 if in-school youth; ages 16- 24 if out-of-school youth), who face significant barriers to education and/or employment by providing resources and support to overcome those barriers and successfully transition to self- sufficient adulthood. This is accomplished by first assessing a participant’s skills, interests, needs, and goals, creating customized service plans in collaboration with the participant, and expanding the participant’s connection to educational opportunities, the local economy, and community services. All youth metrics are linked together, there are no specific metrics for out- of-school youth. All the strategies below are designed to increase participation of and outcome achievement of Indiana's out-of-school youth population. 

For out-of-school youth, WIOA services can be the primary connection point for these individuals with both the workforce development and social services systems. By leveraging WIOA Youth services for these Hoosiers, they can attain success in gaining access to occupational opportunities within the local economy.  

In addition to broad state efforts, like the use of the Jobs for America’s Graduates program as our statewide in-school program, DWD takes an approach emphasizing local partnerships built around the 14 Youth Program Elements. Some in-school and out-of-school examples are described below. 

1. Tutoring, study skills training, and dropout prevention strategies:

• Local programs may utilize their own strategies for individual tutoring or study skills training as appropriate and necessary. For example, Indiana’s Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology operates the AskRose a homework help hotline for students statewide, a resource which is publicized and may be utilized by local areas 

• Additionally, Indiana’s Adult Education system serves as the catalyst for academic remediation services and or preparation for the high school equivalency test for most of Indiana’s out-of-school youth population. 

2. Alternative secondary school services, or dropout recovery services as appropriate: 

• Additionally, as previously noted, all local areas partner with their adult education providers, operated by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development for dropout recovery/ high school equivalency classes for youth participants. In local areas where other adult education providers exist, such as Goodwill’s Excel Center (a re-engagement center), youth are enrolled, as appropriate. 

3. Paid and unpaid work experiences, including summer employment and other opportunities throughout the year, pre-apprenticeship programs, internships, job shadowing, and on-the-job training opportunities: 

• Indiana’s local areas offer numerous work experiences (including summer employment, job shadowing, internships, and on-the-job training) at local employers for out-of-school youth. These work experiences range in length but are typically short-term and can last up to twelve weeks. Many work experiences include a “boot camp” or employability skills training prior to the start, as well as milestone trainings regarding the jobsite, industry, or individual’s onsite performance. All work experiences include some form of academic and occupational education aligned with their placement and/or career pathway. 

• As a promising practice, many local areas also provide training to employers and supervisors before and during the onsite work experience. Topics range from understanding youth culture, youth barriers, and activities designed to import strategies to make the experience successful for both parties. 

4. Occupational skills training: 

• Indiana offers multiple access points for out-of-school youth participants to seek occupational skills training that will result in an industry-recognized credential. These could include a specific training program selected by the youth based on their career interest and aptitude results and/or the State’s sponsored short-term, in-demand industry training occupations accessed through Next Level Jobs and AE Integrated Education and Training (IET) program. 

• Additionally, the State also includes apprenticeship programs, JobCorps, and YouthBuild in this program element 

5. Education offered concurrently with and in the same context as workforce preparation activities: 

• Local areas offer this program element, as appropriate, for youth who are enrolled in a postsecondary education opportunity (including those in credential programs) and may need a short-term work experience or employability skills training, such as those found in the Jobs for America’s Graduates program models. This also includes local “boot- camp” programs offered prior to short-term work experience, on-the job training, internships, or Adult Education’s IET 

• The JAG program specifically identifies thirty-seven core employability skills to align with workforce preparation activities 

6. Leadership development opportunities, including community service and peer-centered activities encouraging responsibility and other positive social and civic behaviors: 

• Local areas offer this program element, as appropriate, through local partnerships with colleges and other leadership training programs or providers. Some such examples include the Boys and Girls Club, Junior Achievement, Shafer Leadership Academy, the Indiana National Guard, and more. One such LWDB has provided sub-contracts to the Boys and Girls Club and YMCA in their area to both fulfill this program element, but they are also service providers for other WIOA elements as well 

7. Supportive Services:

 Local areas offer this program element, as appropriate, to assist OSY meet goals developed through the objective assessment, through the following examples of assistance: 

• Clothing assistance (potentially used for interviews, work experience, job placement, etc.) which could be in the form of a gift card to purchase work appropriate clothing or through a local partnership with a community-based organization such as Dress for Success, 

• Transportation assistance (potentially used to participate in work experience, interviews, education or job placement, etc.), which could be in the form of gift cards for gas or through a local partnership with a community-based ride- share/transportation provider, 

• Child and dependent care assistance (WIOA sponsored providers should be connected to CCDF or On-My-Way, when feasible based on available community supports), 

• Referrals to medical services such as individual and/or group mental health counseling, or drug/alcohol counseling services when needed; typically created at the local level, 

• Assistance with training materials such as books and equipment, which could be in the form of direct support to a bookstore or community college bursars’ office, and  

• Incentives for completion of participant goals 

8. Adult mentoring: 

• Local areas offer this program element, as appropriate, through connections with partner organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, Starfish Initiative, local postsecondary college and university students, or other organizations that specialize in mentoring teens and young adults. DWD works at a statewide level with the Indiana Youth Institute to connect LWDB’s with high-quality mentor programs in their area; additional use of IYI’s mentoring resources in the form of professional development and program creation are utilized when needed/available 

9. Comprehensive guidance and counseling: 

• Often, this program element is provided by the on-site youth case manager, especially for career and education counseling. 

• However, if a youth, including an out-of-school youth, has a specific need for specialized counseling, local areas refer participants to drug and alcohol treatment facilities, mental health counselors and other organizations when appropriate. 

• DWD works in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction’s youth focused team to provide training and share resources when available/appropriate for the out-of-school youth population 

10. Financial literacy education: 

• Local areas have developed partnerships with individual financial institutions and local banks to provide financial literacy training to participants, including out-of-school youth. These include, but are not limited to, InvestEd, Regions Bank, Old National Bank, PNC Bank, and more. 

• Local areas also utilize online curriculum and tools to provide digital financial literacy education; examples include materials through EverFi, Allison.com, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and FDIC Youth Guide to Financial Literacy 

11. Entrepreneurial skills training: 

• Local areas have established partnerships with their Small Business Administrations, Small Business Development Centers, State and local Chambers of Commerce, Ivy Tech’s Cook Center for Entrepreneurship, and Junior Achievement as sources of curriculum, guest speakers, and mentors to youth participants, including out-of-school youth. 

• Several local service providers have developed curriculum for this program element that focuses on the awareness and understanding of entrepreneurship and the steps to create a detailed business plan. 

• For in-school youth, this program element is included in training and a competitive event for JAG students at the regional and State Career Development Conference, where students create a business plan and pitch deck 

12. Services that provide labor market and employment information: 

• Indiana operates a statewide career interest and work values website, Indiana Career Explorer, which provides all youth, including out-of-school youth, participants access to labor market information related to career pathways and Indiana specific in-demand occupations that align with their interests. 

• Local areas have the ability to provide additional information and resources for this program element as appropriate 

13. Activities that help youth prepare for and transition to post-secondary education and training: 

• Local areas employ numerous tactics that are regionally specific. They include, but are not limited to, college fairs and visits, Financial Aid application nights, or college bridge programs. 

• Statewide partnerships with organizations such as the Commission for Higher Education and InvestEd help inform youth, their case managers, parents, and mentors understand and navigate the financial aid and State scholarship application processes (such as 21st Century Scholars and Frank O’Bannon Scholarship). 

• The Indianapolis-based YES (Youth Employability Skills) program is a statewide promising practice designed to recruit out-of-school youth through open hours at the Boys and Girls Club; youth are then matched with a REF (re-employment facilitator) to assess career interests, academic and employment goals, and then process through a mind-setting boot camp, with goals focused on student attainment of their high school equivalency diploma and/or entrance into training or employment 

14. Follow-up services for not less than 12 months after the completion of participation: 

• Indiana requires follow-up services for all participants to occur at least once every 90 days after exit. In addition, Jobs for America’s Graduates participants are contacted, at minimum once a month after exit, with student-specific goals to track the follow-up contact and services provided during the contact. 

• The types and duration of services provided may vary based on the needs of the individual, but may include leadership development and supportive services; regular contact with a youth’s employer including assistance in addressing work-related problems; assistance in securing better paying jobs, career pathway development and further education or training; work-related peer support groups; adult mentoring; or services necessary to ensure success in post-secondary training. 

The State’s major partner for recruiting out-of-school youth and assisting them in achieving their goals is a partnership with Title II Adult Education programs. In the past two years, youth between the ages of 16-24 make up nearly 33% of the State’s Adult Education enrollments, nearly all are drop-outs working on achieving their high school equivalency diploma. This partnership increases participation (enrollment and attendance) in both programs, as well as assisting in educating the out-of-school youth for preparation in career pathways and bridge short-term training programs with direct linkages to post-training employment. 

At the State level, an ongoing partnership between Adult Education and youth department leadership has continued since 2014, where staff meet jointly on a bi-monthly basis or as needed, participate in monthly and annual training events, including the monthly Adult Education webinars, and annual Young Adult Services Summit, which provides professional development opportunities for out-of- school youth case managers. Local WorkOne staff participate in Adult Education program participant onboarding or welcome meetings and vice versa to ensure all participants are aware of the array of services available to them in both programs. Adult Education partners serve on local standing youth committees and the statewide Youth Committee under the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet. 

In addition to partnership with Title II Adult Education programs, recruiting and referral to Vocational Rehabilitation has been a statewide focus since the implementation of WIOA. This partnership allows out-of-school youth with significant barriers to employment to access funding for both intensive and basic services to assist them in their pursuits. Joint statewide training, local staff meetings, and specific referral forms/personal hand-offs are just some of the strategies VR and the statewide WorkOne system have implemented to ensure out-of-school youth participant access to programming. VR partners serve on local youth standing committees and on the statewide Youth Committee under the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet. VR is also a major partner in the provision of in-school youth services through a partnership with our JAG program and their Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS); school-based VR youth counselors refer students with IEP’s and 504 Plans to JAG classes as available in their local schools; JAG Specialists then enroll them and provide JAG curriculum and services in alignment with the five (5) Pre-ETS required services. 

Additional partnerships with the statewide community college system, foster care system and their service providers, Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Indiana Department of Child Services, Indiana Department of Education, and Indiana Department of Correction assist in helping local areas recruit potentially eligible out-of-school youth or provide them access to education or training funding and resources to assist them in completing goals related to education, training, and employment. State leadership serve on a variety of cross-agency committees and taskforces focused on bridging the gaps between agency programs designed to serve the State’s most vulnerable youth populations, including youth in foster care, juvenile offenders, homeless youth, those with mental health issues, and/or economically disadvantaged.