1. February 16, 2019
Listening Session - Strengthening Technical Assistance with DOL YouthBuild Grantees
…exploring grantee driven strategies to support staff development and program planning…

3. Jenn Smith National YouthBuild Director
U.S. Department of Labor/ETA/OWI

4. Consuela Greene James Hills
Senior Director, DOL YouthBuild Program Impact
YouthBuild USA
James Hills
Events Manager
YouthBuild USA

5. Share highlights from 2018 and 2019 TA priorities
Discuss recommendations and feedback about TA service delivery from grantees and coaches
Create an opportunity to share and learn with YouthBuild grantees about technical assistance needs

6. My Role at My YouthBuild Program
Executive Director
Program Director
Job Developer
Case Manager
Construction or Construction Plus Instructor
Academic Instructor
Other

7. How Do TA Services Support DOL YouthBuild Grantee Success?
DOL YouthBuild Technical Assistance Collaborative

8. Ensure Alignment Between TA and Needs of the Field
TA at its best is a combination of growth and need – designed to provide opportunities for innovation and program development, as well as assisting grantees with areas of concern with the basic model.
Hearing directly from grantees and their advocates (such as coaches and FPOs) is often the best way to get this information.

9. Prioritizing TA Needs and Delivery Methods
We hear from grantees and others via many methods:
TA Assessment Request
Evaluation Feedback
FPO outreach for P2Ps
Different methods of TA delivery are implemented to ensure needs are being addressed:
Coaches Trainings
FPO monthly calls
Virtual Events
Community of Practice
NGOs and P2Ps

10. What We Heard From Grantees…

11. Sources of feedback from Grantees
TA Feedback questionnaire
Training evaluations
TA needs shared with FPOs and TA Coaches

12. Grant Guidance and Compliance
WIOA and National Updates
69.00%
YouthBuild Performance Objectives and Outcomes
75.00%
Required Partnerships with American Job Centers
(One-Stop providers)
40.00%
Match/Leverage Resources
46.00%
Allowable Costs
44.00%
Grant Modifications
47.00%
Other  grant guidance and compliance topics
6.00%

13. YouthBuild Program/Organizational Development Strategies
Effective tools and methods of recruiting, engaging (attendance), and retaining participants
64.36%
Data management (includes case studies)
54.46%
Creating efficient project management systems
50.50%
Executive leadership and staff supervision strategies
49.50%
Customer-centered design in practice
29.70%
Partnership development and management
45.54%
Staffing structure and development
Recruiting and retaining staff
46.53%
Sustainability
63.37%

14. Reaction and Strategies
Do you have anything that you would add based on your program needs?
Grant Guidance & Compliance
Program/Organizational Development Strategies
Ideas and strategies for technical assistance in these areas? What are ways to elevate best practices in these areas?

15. YouthBuild Program Elements: Education
Preparing for and earning of the secondary education credential (HSE or HSD)
38.95%
Bridge programming to include post-secondary (PSE) exploration, college success class, etc. which links YouthBuild education services to PSE partners and strengthens participant PSE outcomes
50.53%
Teaching and learning - creating a learning environment using Universal Design for Learning as an education program design model
52.63%
Integrating occupational training and education curriculum(a)
65.26%

16. YouthBuild Program Elements: Case Management & Mentoring
Case management best practices
68.00%
Developing, using, and maintaining Individual Development Plans for participant success
66.00%
Engaging students’ family or support network
51.00%
Retention and follow-up strategies
84.00%
Mentoring
Mentor programming basics
49.45%
Developing mentor partnerships
59.34%
Mentoring as a support for placement and retention
72.53%

17. YouthBuild Program Elements: Life Skills / Behavioral Health
Mental health referral services
52.53%
Substance use assessment and treatment options
48.48%
Financial literacy and building financial capabilities
44.44%
Trauma-informed approaches to programming
68.69%
Supportive services to increase participant success
62.63%

18. Reaction and Strategies
Do you have anything that you would add based on your program needs?
Education
Case Management
Mentoring
Life Skills/Behavioral Health
Ideas and strategies for technical assistance in these areas? What are ways to elevate best practices in these areas?

19. Occupational Skills Training
YouthBuild Program Elements: Occupational Skills Training & Career Pathways
Occupational Skills Training
Seeking, securing, and maintaining a productive and qualifying work site
45.54%
Construction Plus Models in Practice
73.27%
Green Building Strategies and Placement
34.65%
Connecting to industry associations and apprenticeship sponsors in construction and other industry sectors
64.36%
Career Pathways
Engaging with your American Job Centers
(One Stop Career Centers)
63.53%
Career Counseling
71.76%

20. Construction Plus Coaches’ Feedback Top sticking points for C+ grantees
Identifying C+ model that youth will support
Securing strong employer placement
Lack of meaningful work experience
Limitations of partnership
Delivery models and staffing
Lack of program or partner readiness to implement
Employers/partners want youth who are further along than YB students are
Lack of integration of full career/work readiness programming in program

21. Construction Plus Coaches’ Feedback Questions that C+ sites have that, if answered, could move them to next level
How do we develop stronger partnerships that will support hands-on training and job placement?
How do we have stronger partner management?
What is the recommended process in identifying the best suited C+ pathway for participants?
Is the C+ credential recognized by DOL?
How do we better integrate C+ into overall program model?
How do we design C+ track as a pre-apprenticeship track?
How do we better implement training in core programming?
How do we achieve better employer partners in chosen pathway?
How do we create a clear advancement/stackable credential pathway in the C+ field if none currently exists?
How do we approach barriers that occur in partnerships?
How do we bridge gaps between the pre-apprenticeship YB and the apprenticeship realities of a C+ track?

22. YouthBuild Program Elements: Placement
Post-program employment placements - employer engagement/industry sector strategies
71.29%
On-the-Job Training as a preparation and placement tool
55.45%
Connecting construction component to placement outcomes
50.50%
Connecting with community colleges and other trade schools for post-secondary and continuing training placements
45.54%
National Service as a placement opportunity and pathway to employment
38.61%

23. Reaction and Strategies
Do you have anything that you would add based on your program needs?
Occupational Skills Training (Construction and Construction Plus)
Career Pathways
Placement
Ideas and strategies for technical assistance in these areas? What are ways to elevate best practices in these areas?

24. YouthBuild Program Elements: Other Program Design Topics Shared
Cultural and religious differences - our students can gain much insight from being introduced to the array of faiths they may encounter in the work place
Barrier busting, integrating youth-led program practices
Stackable credential/ Best Bets model of career counseling
Recruiting
Career pathway design within local context
Mental Toughness program design (Curriculum, Building Culture, Best Practices)

25. YouthBuild Program Elements: Other Program Design Topics Shared (Cont
YouthBuild Programs as affordable housing developers
Trauma-informed approach to behavior management geared towards construction staff
Training on the YouthBuild Community of Practice
Maintaining a positive work environment amidst adversity
How to create a program manual
Soft skills and career assessment strategies

26. Reaction and Strategies
Do you have anything that you would add based on your program needs?
Other topics not covered
Ideas and strategies for technical assistance in these areas? What are ways to elevate best practices in these areas?

27. Ideas and Strategies for Technical Assistance

28. TA Collaborative Priorities
Enhance YouthBuild’s Pre-Apprenticeship Program Design using the C+ framework
Strengthen Construction and Construction Plus training and pathways
Build stronger bridges to apprenticeship and industry partnerships
Supporting stronger placement strategies and outcomes
WIOA performance reporting and new CMS training

29. Key Roles of the TA Collaborative
DOL Federal Project Officer (Regional Directors and staff)
DOL National Office Staff
YouthBuild USA Technical Assistance Managerial Staff
Coach (combination of YouthBuild USA staff and contract consultants)

30. Technical Assistance Delivery
Long-Term Impact Outcomes of TA:
Increase the number of high-quality YouthBuild programs among grantees
Increase diversity of industry training (C+)
Increase the number of youth participants with positive outcomes
Short- to Medium-Term Outcomes of TA:
Grantees design and implement an effective YB program
Grantees establish solid programming foundation to support positive youth outcomes
Grantees demonstrate continuous program improvement

31. Technical Assistance Delivery
TA Coaching
MIS Help Desk and Data Management
Electronic Resource Management
Learning Opportunities - Webinars, Regional Trainings, New Grantee Orientation, Construction Credential Trainings
Content Innovation and Partnerships

32. Technical Assistance Delivery
Resources developed with YouthBuild Grantees in mind:
E-Learning Videos
Tip Sheets
Monthly MIS Newsletter
Monthly Webinars (Live/Archived)
Toolkits (i.e. Registered Apprenticeship)
Manuals
WorkforceGPS Community of Practice
Monthly Program Newsletter

33. Innovative TA Strategies
Virtual learning communities & E-learning Courses
What would inspire you to participate in a virtual learning community?
Examples:
C+ Course with JFF (2017)
OH Multi-site convening on state education regulations (2017)

34. Innovative TA Strategies
Small cluster pilots
How could this be used to develop and implement innovative approaches and partnerships?
Examples:
Metro Atlanta Apprenticeship Pilot ( )
NRAEF Pilot (2019)

35. Innovative TA Strategies
Using technology to demonstrate best practices
How could this be helpful for program staff to improve program practices and strategies?
Example:
Live or recorded demonstrations from a classroom practice

36. Innovative TA Strategies
In-person trainings
Think about a training that you attended that inspired you to go back home and change how you do you work. What was it about the training that helped you to change your practice?
Examples:
New Grantee Orientation
Construction Trainings
Peer-to-Peer Trainings

37. Toolbox for Success: Program Design and WIOA Resource Highlights
This resource package contains a wide range of tools and examples of best practices to strengthen your program and participant success, particularly related to program planning, program management, and performance outcomes.

38. NCCER Construction Certification Training
Tampa, FL
December 10-14, 2018
Understanding Your Grant Award
Pre-NGO Webinar
January 23, 2019
Planning and Program Requirements for YouthBuild Under WIOA
February 4, 2019
Construction Plus Framework
February 12, 2019

40. Jenn Smith Consuela Greene James Hills National YouthBuild Director
U.S. Department of Labor
ETA / OWI / DYS
Consuela Greene
Senior Director, Program Impact
YouthBuild USA
James Hills
Event Manager