A VISION FOR NEW JERSEY’S WORKFORCE

Section 6.

LOCAL Workforce Investment Boards

New Jersey’s local Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) were initially established in 1995 through the Governor's Executive Order #36 well before they were required by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. Local WIBs were established to take a leadership role on workforce issues in their local communities—guiding the redesign of their local workforce programs and services into a streamlined Workforce Investment System capable of responding to the growing and changing workforce needs of business and the skill development needs of the community as a whole.

In passing the Workforce Investment Act, Congress intended for Workforce Investment Boards to be led by knowledgeable, high-level decision-makers that are able to bring a rational perspective to the needs of their communities. The expectation is also that the business community will bring best business practices into the process of realigning government resources through system-building and integration, and in turn, create a process for increased accountability and system improvements.

There are 17 local Workforce Investment Boards covering the 21 counties in New Jersey. (See the attached list of local WIBs.) Chief Elected Officials, in accordance with federal and State statute, appoint members to the WIBs. Local Boards must be comprised of a majority of private sector members and include representatives from organized labor, education, community-based organizations, education and economic development.

Each WIB is required by State policy to establish the following Councils/Committees:

Local WIB Roles and Responsibilities

While the Workforce Investment Act charges local WIBs with the planning and oversight of Workforce Investment Act funds, New Jersey has consistently expanded this role to include a much broader scope of responsibility. The Governor’s signing of Executive Order #36 ascribed responsibilities to the WIBs to develop a comprehensive and integrated workforce system. Most recently, local WIBs have been asked to carry out this role by implementing New Jersey’s consolidation policies at a local level. Under consolidation, local WIBs were charged with facilitating a broad array of public and community-based service providers in the development of in-depth comprehensive Consolidation Plans. These evaluated the current Workforce Investment System and created a plan for fully incorporating the welfare employment programs and local literacy services into the local One-Stop system. Moreover, local WIBs are responsible for ensuring that these local Consolidation Plans are fully implemented.

The role of the local WIBs in the consolidation effort is just one example of how local WIBs carry out their fundamental mission to building a coherent, high quality workforce delivery system. WIBs are expected to be the visionaries, workforce planners and developers, and continuous improvement ambassadors in designing their local Workforce Investment Systems. WIBs are to set the strategic direction for workforce programs in their local community, but not to operate programs. More specifically, the WIBs’ roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following key areas of emphasis:

© Workforce System Leadership: WIBs create the forums for analyzing and discussing critical workforce issues to determine the best implementation strategies to effect positive change. They must create the vision for the future and build consensus among local stakeholders to join in achieving the vision.

© Partner with State and Local Elected Officials: The success of a Workforce Investment Board is built upon true partnerships. Local Elected Officials play a critical role both in appointing high-level leadership to the local WIBs as well as in supporting and enhancing WIBs’ development of programs and services; making them an invaluable partner. Clear communication and linkages between state policy and local programs are also essential to gaining the support for implementing the local vision.

© Advocate for Employer Workforce Needs: The Workforce Investment Act is the first federal legislation to recognize the employer as a customer. New Jersey takes the role of employers even more seriously. Under its demand-side strategy, New Jersey recognizes that employer input and involvement is essential for any workforce development system to be successful. If the workforce system is unable to meet the needs of our employer customers, it will be unable to help individuals to meet their career and life goals. Therefore, WIBs must build partnership with employers not only as customers but to fully engage their support and expertise in developing local policy and designing the local workforce delivery system.

© Partner with Economic Development: Workforce Development is Economic Development. As such there is a need for WIBs to partner with economic development to synchronize their long term planning to the economic growth of their local communities.

© Youth Investment Council: New Jersey has determined that Youth Investment Councils are a valuable asset to local planning efforts. While the Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act does not require States to continue the Councils, New Jersey believes that they should continue as a part of local Workforce Investment Board planning. Youth Investment Councils are responsible for developing a comprehensive, integrated and coordinated system of youth services that effectively prepares local young people for higher education and future employment. Their role is to develop the vision for serving youth, to develop standards and policies, monitor program performance and broker relationships and networks of services. Because of high needs and limited resources to meet those needs, New Jersey is specifically targeting young people, ages 14-21, who face significant barriers to future success, including out-of-school youth, adjudicated youth, young people enrolled in or aging out of foster care, homeless youth, children of incarcerated parents, migrant and seasonal farm worker youth and other youth at risk. (Attached are the guidelines for Youth Investment Councils.)

© Develop Comprehensive Strategic Workforce Investment Plans: Congress and the State intended that local Workforce Investment Boards should be charting the course for meeting the future workforce needs of their communities. Comprehensive Strategic Workforce Investment Plans are required. These plans must reflect the core principles and goals established in the Unified State Plan. They should be developed in an inclusive manner that secures the buy-in of all Partners and stakeholders and lays out a framework so that every Partner and stakeholder has a clear picture of how its organization and programs fit into the development of a viable Workforce Investment System. On an ongoing basis, the plans should be the template for determining if the WIB is on course for achieving its strategic objectives.

© System-wide Strategic Analysis, Policy Development & Operational Planning: WIBs are intended to closely examine workforce needs, identify gaps in service and develop priorities for funding employment and training related services. The State of New Jersey has commissioned the WIBs to conduct in-depth planning in areas such as One-Stop system development, literacy, employment services to welfare recipients, youth system building, and Customized Training, among others. WIBs have the authority to establish standards, recommend the realignment of resources within federal and State guidelines and oversee the quality of the programs.

© One-Stop Development & Oversight: One-Stop Business Planning is under the purview of the WIBs. They are explicitly responsible for the development of their One-Stop system and for ensuring that the One-Stop system meets the state’s intent for a high quality comprehensive One-Stop Career Center. By federal statute, the WIB has responsibility for selecting the One-Stop Operator, determining the site for the comprehensive Center, entering into agreements (known as Memorandums of Understandings [MOUs]) with local elected officials, the One-Stop Operator and the One-Stop Partners. These agreements define the roles and responsibilities of each party, the extent of integration in delivery of services among the Partners, and the allocation of costs. Furthermore, the SETC is developing a process for instituting One-Stop Chartering to ensure that the local One-Stop system is meeting the State’s standards for high quality customer service. (For more detailed information see Section 5 in this Handbook.) WIBs will oversee the preparation of the Chartering application prepared by their One-Stop Operator and Partners and will officially submit the Chartering Application as well as subsequent continuous improvement plans that might be required to meet Charter requirements.

© Performance Management & Oversight: The Workforce Investment Act has fourteen performance measures covering its adult, dislocated worker and youth programs. WIBs are responsible, in partnership with local elected officials, to negotiate standards for these performance measures and, in turn, oversee the local delivery system to insure that these standards are met. WIBs also have the authority to establish higher standards than the minimum required by law.

There are also other program funding sources that come under the WIBs purview. These programs may have different standards and will require WIBs to provide planning and oversight as well. In all instances, WIBs have the responsibility of insuring that all programs and services are adequately reviewed and monitored. In addition, WIBs have the option to initiate specific program goals and outcomes either through the planning process or in the development of Request for Funding Proposals. These standards should be thoughtfully developed based on local workforce needs.

In addition, the Workforce Investment Act requires that customer satisfaction surveys be conducted on services provided through the One-Stop Centers. This information is most constructive when WIBs develop and conduct these surveys in a manner that provides useful management information to the Board.

Ultimately, the long term success of local Workforce Investment Boards will be measured by how many more employers and job seekers avail themselves of the services offered and the degree to which the local programs and services have added value to the employers’ and job seekers’ workforce needs.

local WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD DIRECTORY

GUIDELINES FOR YOUTH INVESTMENT COUNCILS

Background

The State of New Jersey has long recognized the need to create an integrated, coherent system of workforce development programs and services that effectively prepares New Jersey citizens with career path employment and that meets the labor market requirements of business. For youth, this means creating a unified policy and interlocking system of supports that recognizes the unique needs of young people and appropriately prepare them for life-long learning and employment success.

Youth Investment Councils (YICs) have been a key strategy for addressing the special workforce needs of youth. These Councils, subcommittees of local Workforce Investment Boards, have focused particularly on identifying and meeting the needs of New Jersey’s disadvantaged youth. These have included high school drop-outs and those at risk for dropping out; adjudicated youth, youth residing in low-income Abbot Districts and those faced with the challenges of teen pregnancy.

As the State re-examines its strategic direction and vision for working with young people, it has determined that Youth Investment Councils have been a valuable asset to local planning efforts. While the Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act is expected not to require States to continue the Councils, New Jersey believes that they should continue as a part of local Workforce Board planning. At the same time, to adapt to changing economic, social and political conditions, the work of Youth Investment Councils must necessarily be re-focused to continue to appropriately serve the State’s youth, as outlined below.

Mission

The Youth Investment Council is responsible for developing a comprehensive, integrated and coordinated system of youth services that effectively prepares local young people for higher education and future employment. It does so by:

© Developing and communicating a strategic vision for how the local area will ensure that its targeted youth are adequately prepared for education and employment opportunities. This vision is comprehensive and provides for educational, employment and supportive service resources.

© Forging strong partnerships with the K-12 system, providing resources about careers and labor market information and ensuring that youth and parents have the information they need to make informed choices about their education and future employment.

© Setting standards of service that clearly communicate high expectations, accountability and a focus on youth customers. These standards integrate best practices in youth and workforce development and focus specifically on ensuring that youth have the opportunity to develop career plans that will engage them in life-long learning and future employment.

In developing its Youth System, New Jersey specifically targets young people, ages 14-21, who face significant barriers to future success, including out-of-school youth, adjudicated youth, young people enrolled in or aging out of foster care, homeless youth, children of incarcerated parents, migrant and seasonal farm worker youth and other youth at risk.

Guiding Principles

In order to accomplish its mission, each Youth Investment Council will incorporate the following principles:

© A Comprehensive and Holistic Vision of Youth—The Council recognizes that the most successful programs provide comprehensive services designed to address a wide range of youth needs. While the specific mission of the Youth Investment Council is on workforce development programs and services, it maintains a focus on the larger picture, developing standards and policies that support providing youth with access to all the services they need to be successful in school and at work.

© Customer-Focused Programs and Services—Effective Youth Investment Councils know the needs of their local young people and they engage these target customers in ongoing dialogue about the problems they face and how various programs might help. Their standards and policies reflect a consistent focus on services that “add value” for young people and that incorporate practices proven to be effective with their target populations.

At the same time, Youth Investment Councils recognize that employers are another key customer of the system, so YICs work extensively and pro-actively with businesses to identify skill needs and future trends. This job market information informs decisions about educational and employment programs and how to best prepare youth for future opportunities.

© High Expectations/High Support—Quality youth programs set high expectations for their youth customers and provide them with appropriate support in meeting those expectations. They know that lowered expectations result in lowered achievement and that high expectations with little support cause youth to become discouraged. In setting standards and developing local systems, Youth Investment Councils must maintain a relentless focus on this message of achievement and support.

© Accountability—Effective Youth Investment Councils integrate accountability into all facets of their work. The standards they set for services provide clear, measurable and specific information about expectations for quality. Stakeholder roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and both individuals and organizations are expected to stand by their commitments. Continuous quality improvement is an ongoing focus for both the Council and local providers.

© Focus on Asset Identification, not Problems—Local policies and strategies reflect a focus on identifying the components of youth success and on building upon those assets. Programs and services help youth see possibilities and opportunities, not insurmountable challenges and barriers.

© Focus on Being Pro-Active, not Reactive—Through ongoing dialogue, community-building and networking, the Youth Investment Council is able to anticipate trends and opportunities and to plan strategically for the future.

© Connecting to and Building Upon Existing Programs and Services—Standards, policies and priorities encourage building upon existing programs and resources. As the architect of the overall vision, the Youth Investment Council ensures that local efforts connect to existing One-Stop system services and to other successful initiatives in the community and the State.

© Building Local Capacity—The Youth Investment Council takes a leadership role in developing the capacity of local organizations to meet the needs of youth. These efforts include identifying gaps in service and brokering community relationships to meet those needs. Capacity-building also focuses on ensuring that youth are connected to caring, competent adults who are knowledgeable about their needs and who care about their futures. Leveraging public and private resources and connecting a wide variety of service providers through collaborative partnerships are also key strategies.

Roles & Responsibilities

The Youth Investment Council’s mission requires it to assume the following roles and responsibilities:

© Playing a leadership role in advocating for at-risk youth and in brokering funding and resources from public and private entities that expand the capacity of the system to provide appropriate services.

© Fostering collaborative community relationships that expand services and that support the local and State strategic vision for youth services. Asset and resource mapping, relationship-building and ongoing engagement of local employers and service providers are important strategies for ensuring implementation of the youth vision.

© Conducting active outreach to businesses and to local educational providers—including colleges and universities—to more effectively engage them in the process of developing appropriate program standards and expectations for youth performance. This involvement allows the Council to better articulate specific educational and skill outcomes and to identify the most appropriate strategies for preparing youth for the future. As part of the employer engagement process, special attention should be paid to developing business mentoring opportunities and partnerships so that youth can have access to successful community role models and first-hand information about the world of work.

© Developing standards and policies that protect against duplication and fragmentation of youth services and that ensure youth are able to access the full range of services necessary to support their success. Connections to the local One-Stop and to existing community programs are built into program standards and expectations.

NOTE—The State has determined that is not appropriate for the Youth Investment Council to be involved in the selection and procurement of and contracting for specific youth services. This will be the responsibility of the WIB and the One-Stop Operator in accordance with their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Youth Investment Council Membership

Youth Investment Council membership is representative of the various stakeholders in the community and the specific needs of local youth. Because preparing youth for future education and employment is the primary purpose of Youth Investment Council activities, it is important to have representation from business (particularly in demand occupations), educational institutions, critical youth service providers and community and faith-based organizations that have access to youth.

State and local workforce development services and policies are to be demand-driven and responsive to the needs of businesses. Therefore, 25% of Youth Investment Council members will be key decision-makers from business and/or organized labor representing the industries and companies that provide the bulk of job opportunities.

Some Youth Investment Councils may choose to include parents and youth as well. Whether this is the choice or not, Youth Investment Councils should include in their plans a provision to conduct quarterly focus groups with targeted youth and their parents to help determine needs and identify successes and problems. This customer voice is critical in developing solid Youth Investment Council policy.

In determining the overall size of the YIC, the WIB should consider both the need for broad representation and the importance of having a manageable number of members to achieve the Council’s vision. Although discretion for the size of the Council lies with the WIB, the State recommends a membership of between 24-30 members.

Multi-county WIBs may want to expand their membership to assure equitable representation from each county. A possible solution might be to rotate membership between counties in the required categories to achieve a workable Council size.

Required Youth Investment Council Members

WIB Representation

¡ WIB Business members (representative of the demand occupations)

¡ Vocational School Superintendent or county superintendent or representative

¡ County College President or representative

¡ One-Stop Operator

¡ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

¡ Representative from organized labor or apprenticeship program

Education/Youth Agency Representatives

¡ Representative(s) from other local colleges and universities

¡ Comprehensive school district superintendent or representative (where applicable, from an Abbott district)

¡ Advocate for youth with disabilities, such as the Statewide Parents Advocacy Network (SPAN)

¡ Youth Corps representative

¡ School-based Youth Services

¡ Adjudicated youth agencies (Juvenile Justice, Juvenile Court Probation Services, Family Court, local law enforcement, etc.)

¡ Youth Services Commission Representative

¡ DYFS

¡ Community and/or Faith-based Agency

¡ Job Corps (if applicable)

¡ Local public housing authority representative

¡ Representative from substance/alcohol abuse agency

Discretionary Members (based on local needs)

¡ Youth Transition Coordinators

¡ Adult High School Principal

¡ YouthBuild Director

¡ Supported employment agency director

¡ County Transition Coordinator

¡ Director of county-wide transportation agency

¡ Advocate for youth migrant/seasonal workers

¡ Advocate for immigrant populations

¡ County Arts agencies or cultural institutions that operate youth programs

¡ PAL

¡ Recreational Departments

¡ Volunteer Youth Agency, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters

¡ Teen parenting/pregn ancy agency director

¡ School-based Service Learning Director

Youth Investment Council Planning Process

Each Workforce Investment Board is being asked to provide a comprehensive plan describing its vision for workforce development activities and services. As part of that process, Youth Investment Councils will be empowered by their Boards to develop the plan for youth in their area. The youth plan should clearly be connected to the overall plan, demonstrating how youth will be provided with access and opportunity as part of an overarching vision for developing the area’s human capital.

At a minimum, plans should include descriptions of the following:

© The YIC’s comprehensive vision for ensuring that ALL young people in their communities are adequately prepared for and will have access to the education, training and career path employment they need to become self-sustaining contributors to their communities. This vision should reflect thorough and specific knowledge of the needs of local youth and of the skills necessary for success in post-secondary education and in demand occupations.

© The basic skills (reading, math, computer literacy, etc.) and qualifications that local youth should possess in order to access post-secondary educational opportunities and entry-level jobs. These should reflect an understanding of business needs and of typical requirements for post-secondary education and training.

¡ Targeted youth to be served, including relevant needs and characteristics, the size of the population and the numbers to be served. Priorities should reflect the demographics of the local area, as well as the strategic priority of serving out-of-school youth.

¡ Targeted occupational areas, including employer needs and expectations in key industries and in both for-profit/not-for profit sectors. This should include entry-level and basic (reading, math, etc.) skill requirements.

© An inventory of the programs and services currently available in the community to serve youth. There should be evidence that the YIC has engaged in some kind of outreach or asset-mapping, or has plans to do so, to ensure that this list is comprehensive.

© How the YIC plans to engage the K-12 system to ensure that youth and their parents have the information and resources to make informed educational and occupational choices and for youth to be adequately prepared for self-sustaining employment.

¡ How it will connect youth to the One-Stop system and services available through One-Stops.

¡ How it will incorporate State and Federal youth programs, including Youth Corps and Job Corps. How the YIC will ensure that youth are considering ALL available options during their exploration of services and that youth are being appropriately referred among various youth-based programs.

¡ How the One-Stop system will adapt to the specialized needs of youth, particularly the target populations it plans to serve.

¡ How schools, youth service providers, faith-based organizations and community organizations will link to the system.

© How the YIC plans to reach targeted youth—This includes the specific outreach strategies it will use and how youth and key decision makers in their lives (family, teachers, counselors, etc.) will become educated about options for youth and how youth will be engaged in appropriate programming.

¡ Outreach and Recruitment with targeted youth populations.

¡ Comprehensive Assessment Process, including Intake/Eligibility.

¡ Career Exploration and Planning, including development of a career plan and Individual Service Strategy.

¡ Case Management and Counseling Support.

¡ Programs and Services—

· Education/training, including academic, occupational skills, workplace literacy/job readiness training, etc.

· Supportive services

· Mentoring

· Leadership training and support

¡ Employment Facilitation, including job search preparation, job placement/development, and ongoing retention and advancement supports.

NOTE—Standards should describe what determines “quality” delivery of the function—for example, what does a quality comprehensive assessment process look like? Standards should reflect the guiding principles and the YIC mission. They should address: