TRAINING SERIES
WIA Youth
Activities and Services
WIA
Workforce Investment Act
WIA Youth Programs
Closely linked to local market needs and
community youth programs and services
Strong connection between academic and
occupational learning
Promotes youth development and citizenship
WIA
WIA Youth Activities
Purpose of WIA Youth Activities:
To provide effective and comprehensive
activities with a variety of options for
improving educational and skill competencies
To lead to academic and employment success
To provide effective connections to employers
To provide supportive services to eligible
youth
WIA
Step 1: Objective Assessment
Purpose of assessment:
 Help youth confirm interests, skills and
experiences
 Identify internal and external factors that
support or impede success
 Identify information that will enable service
providers to effectively target and tailor support
 Evaluate and monitor progress and ultimately
results
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Asset-Based Assessment
 Emphasis on strengths and interests
 Emphasis on personal and social support
 Positive approach to identifying issues and
barriers
 Working with partners
 Feedback and opportunity for dialogue
 Alignment with WIA Youth Outcomes
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Assessment
Identifies:
 General educational matters
 Relationship to the world of work
 Career choices
 Barriers
 Internal and external resources
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Assessment Methods
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Off-the-shelf tests & surveys
Checklists
Interviews of client
Information from individuals that are part of
the youth’s life
 Activity evaluation, such as job shadowing,
mentor report, portfolio
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General Education Matters
Youth assessment requires:
 Literacy & numeracy assessment
 School status (in or out of school)
 Dropout status
 Highest grade completed
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General Education Matters
WIA Educational Activities include:
 Basic skills training
 Tutoring
 Study skills training
 Dropout prevention strategies, such as
alternative schooling, after-school
opportunities, etc.
 Occupational skills training
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The World of Work
Assessment of Youth’s Relationship to Work
 Prior employment
 Internships
 Job Shadowing
 Volunteering
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Career Assessment
Career assessments help determine what type of
job would be a good match.
Such assessments may include:
 Interests
 Aptitudes
 Work and personal values
 Other tests (personality, communication, etc)
WIA
Labor Market Information
Labor market information tool:
 Employment trends and job projections
 Wage information
 Labor force skills/quality
 Employers and employment opportunities
 Educational opportunities for careers in
demand
 Career paths
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The World of Work
Work-related activities include:
 Work-readiness assessment
 Employability skills training
 Work experience (paid or unpaid)
 Summer employment opportunities
 Internship (paid or unpaid)
 Job Shadowing
 Job placement and career services
WIA
Barriers
An eligible youth may be faced
with a variety of issues that will
affect his or her ability to succeed
in education and employment.
WIA identifies certain critical barriers:
 Educational
 Socio-economic (homeless, offender)
 Family (single parent, pregnant or parenting,
foster care, runaway youth)
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Barriers
WIA authorizes local boards to identify additional
circumstances that act as barriers to their clients’
success. Examples include:
 Work-related (terminations, job-hopping)
 Community-based (gangs, resident of high
poverty area or subsidized housing)
 Economic (long-term assistance, “working
poor” family)
 Family (history of abuse, substance abuse,
illness)
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Internal Resources
Assessment of a youth’s personal strengths as well as
external resources:
 Commitment to learning
 Positive values
 Social competencies
 Positive identity
 Involvement in constructive activities
WIA
External Resources
Assessment of a youth’s external resources:
 Family support
 Other adult relationships
 Caring neighborhood, school, church
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Additional Activities
WIA activities and services should play to the
youth’s strength and shore up weaknesses.
Additional activities may include:
 Adult mentoring
 Guidance and counseling
 Leadership skills building
 Character building activities such as
community service, peer mentoring, etc.
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Individual Service Strategy (ISS)
After completion of the Objective Assessment,
case managers must complete an Individual
Service Strategy (ISS)for each eligible youth.
 The ISS is the road map, based on the
objective assessment, that documents the
appropriateness of decisions made and the
combination of services offered to the youth.
 ISS records employment, educational and
personal development goals.
WIA
Supportive Services
Supportive services are services that are
necessary to enable an individual to participate
in WIA-authorized activities. They may include:
Linkages to community services
Assistance with transportation costs
Assistance with child care costs
Assistance with housing costs
Referrals to medical services
Assistance with uniforms, tools, etc.
WIA
Follow-up Services
All youth participants must receive some form of
follow-up services for at least 12 months after
exit.
The types of services are determined based on
the needs of the individual.
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Follow-up Services
Follow-up services may include:
Supportive services
Leadership development
Case management contacts
Job search/upgrade assistance
Work-related peer support group
Adult mentoring
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Quiz 1
The first youth activity is Basic Skills
Training.
a.True
b.False
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Quiz 2
All WIA youth activities must be offered by a
local board through contracts with service
providers.
a.True
b.False
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Quiz 3
Supportive services for youth may include
transportation and child care assistance.
a.True
b.False
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Quiz 4
Follow-up services may include which of
these activities/services? (Select all that apply.)
a.Supportive services
b.Job search assistance
c.Basic skills training
d.Adult mentoring
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Questions or Additional Information
If you have any questions or for additional
information, please contact DEO’s WIA
policy and technical assistance staff at:
WP_WIAProgramInfo@deo.myflorida.com.
WIA