1 WIA YOUTH PROGRAM Follow-up

2 Follow-Up ò All youth participants must receive some form of follow-up services for a minimum duration of 12 months. ò Follow-up services may be provided beyond 12 months at the State or Local Board’s discretion. ò The types of services provided & the duration of services must be determined based on the needs of the individual.

3 Follow-Up ò The goal for follow-up services for Older Youth ( ) is to ensure job retention, wage gains, and career progress for individuals who obtained unsubsidized employment as defined in the individual’s Individual Service Strategy (ISS).

4 Follow-Up ò The goal of follow-up services for Younger Youth ( ) is to enable the individual to continue life-long learning & achieve a level of self-sufficiency, as defined in the participant’s ISS.

5 Follow-Up (Principles) ò Guiding principles for follow-up: J Match follow-up services to the youth’s characteristics, needs, & personal situation. You should consider the following: J Age J Needs J “At-risk” status J Family, school, personal support systems, and J Workplace hours

6 Follow-Up (Principles continued) J Develop a follow-up assessment tool to determine the kind & amount of follow-up needed, including: òWork history JReasons youth have previously left jobs or dropped out JSocial skills JLife skills JCrisis & stress management skills JAttitude towards work or school JBarriers to employment and/or school completion

7 Follow-Up (Principles continued) ò Develop written follow-up plan with youth before they exit the program. Plan should be agreed to & signed by youth. The plan should include the following: JRetention or follow-up assessment JList or people & resources youth could use JGoals to reach on job before quitting JGoals to reach in school before graduation JPlans for transportation, & childcare JName, address, phone number, & ( if available) of people to contact if case manager can not locate the participant

8 Follow-Up (Principles continued) ò Follow-up plan & hold the youth accountable for their actions JDevelop reminder system for sending out letters, or scheduling telephone contacts JBe respectful of youth’s work & home life JMaintain high expectations & plenty of support JProvide additional support, as necessary, which could include: o counseling o supportive services

9 Follow-Up (Operating Principles) ò Key operating principles for employment & education retention & career advancement JClose mentoring relationship JHigh expectations JSmooth transitions: pre-placement activities - placement - follow-up activities JMeeting physical & emotional needs as well as vocational needs JNon-intrusive contact with employers JAccess to better jobs

10 Follow-Up (Examples) ò Examples of follow-up services fJob shadowing f“Youth Day” career exploration activity fPeriodic scheduled group meetings or one- on-one meetings to discuss educational or career options fUse of technology to explore web sites & facilitate communication fTelephone calls to inform youth of on-going activities such as; job fairs or other career activities

11 Follow-Up (Examples continued) J Exposure to post secondary educational opportunities J Community & service learning J Peer-center activities including peer mentoring & tutoring J Organizational & team work training including team leadership training J Training in decision-making including determining priorities J Citizenship training including life skills training such as parenting, work behavior training & budgeting of resources J Positive social behavior training including soft skills

12 Follow-Up (Examples continued) ò Possible follow-up services for youth at risk J Monthly telephone call to youth J Quarterly follow-up with employer J Job placement J Home visit J Positive social behavior training including positive attitudinal development, self-esteem building, cultural diversity training, & work simulation activities J Career planning & counseling

13 Follow-Up (Examples continued) ò Examples of supportive services JLinkages to community services JAssistance with transportation JAssistance with child care & dependent care costs JReferrals to medical services JAssistance with housing costs JAssistance with uniforms or other appropriate work attire & work-related costs such as tools or eye glasses