Building a Bridge for Youth to Careers:
Corporate and Community
Partnerships in Mentoring
January 24, 2013
National Mentoring Summit
Washington, DC
Presenters
Michael Wood
Goodwill Industries International (GII) Youth Services
Program Manager
Rebecca Headen
GII Youth Services Program Senior Specialist
Ashleigh Curtis
GoodGuides® Mentoring Program Manager, Oklahoma City, OK
(GII’s GoodGuides Mentoring Program is funded by US Department of
Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)
Objectives
•
•
•
•
•
Identify different types of partnership benefits that strengthen mentoring
programs;
Discuss potential partners that address an array of mentoring program
needs and the spectrum of partnership;
Explore strategies to build and sustain partner relationships with corporate
as well as community-based organizations as well as coalitions;
Identify challenges to career-focused partnerships and strategies to leverage
resources;
Hear examples of partnerships with business and community-based
organizations for exposure to careers and skills attainment and how they can
be replicated in other communities.
What is “Partnership?”
• The definition and spectrum of partnering
• What mentoring programs bring to
partnership
• Partnering to build, rather than compete over,
community resources
Career Opportunity Needs of Youth
• Career awareness
• Job training
• Soft skills
• Experience / exposure
• Evaluation
Goodwill Youth Services and
GoodGuides Mentoring Program: An
Overview
Michael Wood
Goodwill Industries International (GII)
Youth Services Program Manager
Positive Youth Development
• Physical and psychological
safety
• Appropriate structure
• Supportive relationships
• Opportunities to belong
Youth Services
Ages 12 - 24
Services
Education
Positive Youth
Development
(E3)
Opportunities
Employment
Supports
Engagement
• Positive social norms
• Support for efficacy
and mattering
• Opportunities for skill-building
• Integration of family, school
and community efforts
Services – Opportunities – Supports
People, programs and institutions who work with youth are engaged in youth
development if there is a strong evidence of the following practices: 1
Services
Opportunities
Supports
Services in such areas as
education, health,
employment, and juvenile
justice which exhibit: 1)
relevant instruction and
information; 2) challenging
opportunities to express
oneself, to contribute, to take
on new roles, and be a part
of the group; and 3)
supportive adults and peers
who provide respect, high
standards and expectations,
guidance and affirmation to
young people.
Chances for young people to
learn how to act in the world
around them, to explore,
express, earn, belong, and
influence. Opportunities give
young people the chance to
test ideas and behaviors,
and to experiment with
different roles. It is important
to stress that young people,
just like adults, learn best
through active participation
and that learning occurs in
all types of settings and
situations.
Motivational, emotional and
strategic supports to
succeed in life. The supports
can take many different
forms, but they must be
affirming, respectful, and
ongoing. Supports are
powerful when offered by a
variety of people, such as
parents and close relatives,
community social networks,
teachers, youth workers,
employers, health providers,
and peers who are involved
in the lives of young people.
Done “to” or “for” youth
Done “by” youth
Done “with” youth
1 Center
for Youth Development and Policy, “What is Youth Development?” Academy for Educational Development,
available at http://cyd.aed.org/whatis.html
Continuum of Goodwill S.O.S. for Youth:
•
No Services
offered for
Youth.
•
•
•
Education, or
Employment, or
Engagement.
•
•
•
Education and
Employment , or
Education and
Engagement, or
Employment and
Engagement.
•
Education, and
Employment, and
Engagement.
Education
Employment
Engagement
Career
Assessment/Planning
Job Shadowing
Connect to Community
Serv.
Tutoring
Internships
Volunteerism
College Tours
Learn and Earn
Virtual Support
College Access
Training
Service Learning
Dual Enrollment
Credentialing
Leadership Development
Post- Secondary
Certifications
Mentoring
Financial Stability
Case Study: Oklahoma City
GoodGuides Youth Training Program
Ashleigh Curtis
GII GoodGuides Mentoring Program Manager,
Oklahoma City, OK
Partnering in Action
Farmer’s Market
Oklahoma City
Retail Training Program
Oklahoma City
Summer School/
College Prep
Springfield
Oklahoma City GoodGuides
• Youth Training Program:
– Daily, curriculum-based class
– Four hours hand-on training with job coaches
– Daily de-brief session/ evaluation session
– Program provided monitoring and coaching
– Skills evaluation and development
– Resume and interview experience
– Local certificate
Oklahoma City GoodGuides
From idea to implementation: Progress and
roadblocks on the youth training program road
• Identifying the issues: career needs of OKC
youth
• Creating a solution
• “Selling” the idea
• Program development and planning
• The pilot program
Oklahoma City GoodGuides
Program success, expansion and growth
• Organizational support
• Accountability
• Measuring success
• Challenges
• Realizing benefits
Training and Technical Assistance in
Partnership Creation and
Sustainability
Rebecca Headen
GII Youth Services Program Senior Specialist
Partnership Engagement Model
Partnering Prioritization
Fits with our
Mission
Has strong
internal and
external
support
Addresses
an important
community
problem with
1 or more
groups
We have the
resources to
provide a
quality
program
Why partnerships work
• Internal team is fully educated about the program
– Give your internal team elevator speeches
• Key vested partners are engaged
– Figure out a good system for regular contact
• Program is showcased
– Via marketing, online presence, offer press releases
• Partners communicate regularly and clearly
– Anticipate and address challenges; celebrate
successes
Key Areas of Partnership
Community Partners
• Public/private/alternative
schools
• Juvenile Detention
Facilities
• Other youth-serving
organizations
• Colleges/Universities
• Workforce Investment
Board
Corporate Partners
• Local industry
• SAT/ACT Prep companies
• Professionals (law,
accounting, and IT firms)
• Goodwill Retail
• Restaurants/Markets/Food
and Beverage
Discussion
• Revisit youth career needs in relation to partner
needs
• How can your resources as well as partners be
leveraged to enhance your program?
Questions
Michael Wood
Goodwill Industries International (GII) Youth Services Program Manager
Michael.wood@goodwill.org
Rebecca Headen
GII Youth Services Program Senior Specialist
Rebecca.headen@goodwill.org
Ashleigh Curtis
GII GoodGuides Mentoring Program Manager, Oklahoma City, OK
acurtis@okgoodwill.org
(GII’s GoodGuides Mentoring Program is funded by US Department of Justice Office
of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)
Contact Us:
Michael Wood
Goodwill Industries International (GII)
Youth Services Program Manager
Michael.wood@goodwill.org
Rebecca Headen
GII Youth Services Program Senior
Specialist
Rebecca.headen@goodwill.org
Ashleigh Curtis
GII GoodGuides Mentoring Program
Manager, Oklahoma City, OK
acurtis@okgoodwill.org
(GII’s GoodGuides Mentoring Program is
funded by US Department of Justice Office of
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention)