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Connecting Activities in the Brockton Region Summer 2009

Connecting Activities in the Brockton Region Summer 2009. Collaboration between the Brockton Area Workforce Investment Board and the Brockton Public Schools. Connecting Activities in the Brockton Region Summer 2009. A Systematic Approach to Youth Employment And Career Awareness .

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Connecting Activities in the Brockton Region Summer 2009

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  1. Connecting Activities in the Brockton RegionSummer 2009 Collaboration between the Brockton Area Workforce Investment Board and the Brockton Public Schools

  2. Connecting Activities in the Brockton RegionSummer 2009 A Systematic Approach to Youth Employment And Career Awareness

  3. Brockton Region – Spreading the Wealth • BAWIB operates 10 WIA programs in the region- 4 school systems and 3 CBO’s operate the 10 programs • BAWIB will implement an additional 10 summer programs through ARRA • “Transitioning Youth” program • All WIA vendors are required to place youth in internships with a MA WBLP

  4. 16-24 Year Olds Labor Market Indicators

  5. 16-24 Year Olds Labor Market Indicators (con’t)

  6. 16-24 Year Olds Labor Market Indicators

  7. Data Story • Roughly ½ of our 16-24 cohort is between the ages of 16 and 19, the age range with the highest unemployment • Overall, our teen unemployment rate is over twice that of the adult rate • HS Students are roughly 4 times less likely to be employed then adults • Dropouts are over 4 times less likely to be employed then adults • The younger you are, and/or the lower your family income, the less likely you are to be employed • Models that integrate academic and technological learning along with traditional job readiness must be developed to introduce our young people to the world of work

  8. Putting it all together – Quality Elements for this summer • Ideally, Programs should combine: • Explicit learning • Career Development • Employability skills acquisition • Academic Support • Lead agencies will partner with work sites, funders and program staff • Active youth role • Where appropriate, summer initiatives linked to multiple pathway development for dropout prevention

  9. Youth Employment Campaign • Second year of coordinated effort by community partners to increase youth employment • Led by Brockton Area Workforce Investment Board with Brockton Public Schools and other local groups • Obvious impact this year of economic downturn –fewer businesses saying Yes • Need for innovative job creation for youth in non-traditional settings

  10. Brockton Public Schools Model Summer of Work & Learning (SWL) • 16 years of SWL program – many lessons learned • Led by Communities and Schools for Success (CS2) – facilitating community partnerships • Students placed in teams by industry sector, with approx. 10-12 students per team; likely total number from 125 to 150, depending on funding • Industry sectors/teams include: Health, Business, Human Services, Teaching, Environmental, Public Administration • One BPS teacher as team leader for each team • Monday – Thursday at worksites; Friday at the High School for team-building, reflection time and portfolio development

  11. SWL - Multiple Funding Streams • Private Sector Businesses for intern wages • DESE Work & Learn Grant – Fund 597 • YouthWorks fund for nonprofit and public sector internships • 21rst Century Grant for Teaching teams • Sheehan Family Foundation for Environment team • DESE Collaborative Partnerships for Student Success - Fund 592 • Local school-to-career funds for high school internships • Pending RFP for WIA Title I ARRA

  12. SWL - Program Innovations: • On-line student application process • Use of Moodle – On line course work • End of Program Showcase – Team Presentations in style of Learning Fair • Each student develops a high quality portfolio • MCAS tutoring built into paid hours • Most MCAS students placed on teaching teams for “teaching to learn” • Business networking luncheons • Use of local temporary employment agency for payroll services for youth • General approach: Continual Improvement

  13. Taking it to a new level - • Business Networking Luncheon • Underwritten by Comcast • Students from SWL 2008 on the Brockton Housing Authority team

  14. SWL - New Team Development2009 • Community projects offer new opportunities for non-traditional work experience • Example: Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton offers to partner with School District to have teens make art installations in storefront windows • Environmental team plans to address resource conservation by auditing high school energy consumption • Past examples: Brockton History team, horticulture team

  15. SWL - Responding to local challenges: Example of a new team last summer • Challenge: Making sure to enroll targeted students who have not passed MCAS – Grant requirement for 597 grant • Reality – Largest pool of MCAS targets is bilingual students who are difficult to place in work sites where fluency in English typically required • Response: Create a team for students who are Limited English Proficient (LEP), and hire bilingual teacher as team leader • Work site: Placed in summer elementary program in support roles where language is an asset

  16. SWL: Designing Teacher Externships • Each team leader is responsible for industry exploration in assigned sector and development of classroom connection • Program coordinators will oversee creation by staff of lesson plans and work plan for actual implementation in FY10 school year • Teacher work product part of showcase • Plan for the award of Professional Development Points (PDP’s) to staff for completion of well-designed curricula

  17. The Mantra for a Powerful Summer: Ensure You’ve Got the Big Three -- To be successful in the 21st century economy, our youth will need – • Academic Skills, and • Employability Skills, and • Technological Skills

  18. 1.Academic Skills If they can’t read, write and compute, then what are we doing for them anyway! That’s where we start . . .

  19. 2. Employability Skills Just because they can read, write and compute doesn’t mean that they can function on the job -- Communication, team work, professionalism, taking initiative, you know what I mean . .

  20. 3.Technological Skills By the way, it’s the 21st century, don’t forget, and the world is flat and the global recession is making it tougher . . . And, in case you need reminding, they (our youth) will be keeping Social Security alive for us (if we make sure they get these skills!!!)

  21. Opening Our Minds to New Ideas and Methods Our youth face historic rates of teen unemployment; We owe them new opportunities this summer

  22. Thank You DESE for Your Continuing Leadership and Support For BAWIB: Sheila Sullivan-Jardim, Executive Director Brian Hannon, Youth Services Director For Brockton Public Schools: Shailah Stewart, Partnership Coordinator, Communities and Schools for Success (CS2)

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