SCSEP New Regulation - Additional Indicator on Volunteerism

1. SCSEP New Regulation - Additional Indicator on Volunteerism Presentation by Peggy Stadler

2. Objectives Background on the new regulation Why is there a new indicator? What is the new indicator? Review of core and additional indicators How will it be measured and documented? What qualifies as volunteer work? What does your project need to do to comply? Effective date? Where to find the regulation? Questions and Answers

3. Background on the New Regulation The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) acknowledged in the September 1, 2010 Final Rule that unsubsidized employment is not a suitable or appropriate outcome for every individual participant. In fact, community service is an equally important goal of SCSEP, as envisioned by Congress in the Older Americans Act. The additional indicator for volunteer work captures the value of community service provided by those participants who do not find unsubsidized employment. This information can be reported to Congress.

4. Why is there a New Indicator? To reflect the value of community service hours To provide balance between the dual goals of SCSEP, providing equal weight on employment outcomes and community service goals To recognize that continued involvement in community service is a desirable outcome for some SCSEP participants

5. What is the New Indicator? Entry into volunteer work

6. Review of Core and Additional Indicators? • Six core measures (no changes) • Hours of community service employment • Entry into unsubsidized employment • Retention in unsubsidized employment for six months • Earnings • The number of eligible individuals served • The number of most-in-need individuals served • Three additional indicators (including the new volunteer indicator) • Retention in unsubsidized employment for one year • Satisfaction of the participants, employers, and host agencies with SCSEP experiences and the services provided • Entry into volunteer work

7. How will it be Measured and Documented? The volunteer participation of SCSEP participants who are engaged in any volunteer work in the quarter after exit, and who did not engage in volunteering prior to SCSEP There are no goals associated with this new indicator SCSEP grantees and sub-recipients must keep track until SPARQ is programmed to accept the information SPARQ upgrades for capturing this information are due in late spring

8. What Qualifies as Volunteer Work? • Activities or work that former participants perform for a public agency of a state, local government, or intergovernmental agency; or for a charity or non-profit organization, including faith or community-based organizations including: • For civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons • Without promise, expectation, or receipt of compensation for activities or work • Informal volunteer work, performed on the participant’s own initiative and outside of formal organizations, does not count toward this indicator but will be captured for informational reporting

9. What does your Project need to do to Comply? • Start tracking formal and informal volunteer activities of participants • Revise project forms to capture volunteer information. See SCSEP forms on the Charter Oaks Group website: http://www.charteroakgroup.com/resources/scsep.shtml • When a participant exits the program for reasons other than unsubsidized employment, your project must follow-up in the quarter after exit to find out if the participant is engaged in volunteer work

10. Effective Date? March 1, 2012

11. Where to Find the Regulation? • The regulation was published in the Federal Register/Vol. 77, No.20/Tuesday, January 31, 2012/Rules and Regulations, pages 4654 – 4661. • The full text of the regulations gives the complete background and reasoning behind the new rule. • Here is the link on the Workforce3one website: https://olderworkers.workforce3one.org/view/2001203143498975711/info

12. Questions and Answers