What Works In Youth Employment and Training:
A Discussion With the 1999 PEPNet Awardees

A Forum — September 16, 1999

For the fourth consecutive year, American Youth Policy Forum has sponsored a forum to showcase awardees of The Promising and Effective Practices Network (PEPNet), a project of the National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC) that aims to identify and promote effective practices for youth employment/development programs. Among the eight winners this year, two programs are from Canada.  PEPNet was founded in 1995 to spread the message that investment in youth matters and works.  Each year, a panel of experts on youth employment and development review applications from initiatives that seek PEPNet recognition. The applications are evaluated according to five broad categories: purpose and activities, quality management, youth development, workforce development and evidence of success.  Successful initiatives must:

1. have well-defined and clear goals with a coherent set of activities to attain these goals;
2. have sound management practices, supported by engaged leadership and committed staff;
3. rely on youth development principles to shape program activities and outcomes;
4. prepare youth for the workforce and emphasize the connection between learning and work; and
5. make effective use of assessment and evaluation for continuous improvement.

PEPNet aims to identify specific practices of successful initiatives that may be used as models for other youth programs. PEPNet disseminates the information from these initiatives through publications, a website and participation in national conferences. In addition, programs may use PEPNet’s Self Assessment, a companion to the Application, to improve operations. The majority of the youth served by the 1999 Awardees come from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods and have multiple needs, such as substance abuse treatment/education, social skills development, and vocational training. Two of the 1999-Awarded programs specifically serve youth in the juvenile justice system and another serves pregnant and parenting teens.

In its fourth year, PEPNet received more than 500 requests for the PEPNet Self Assessment and Application. Thirty-three programs applied and the PEPNet Review Board, composed of practitioners, researchers and policymakers, selected eight for recognition. PEPNet awardees are: 

• BladeRunners Program (Community Development Unit, Province of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada);
• Career Exploration Project (New York, NY);
• Civic Works (Baltimore, MD);
• Goodwill Toronto's Community Youth Programs (Toronto, ONT);
• Juma Ventures (San Francisco, CA);
• Project Opportunity (Bryant Adult/Alternatiave High School, Fairfax County Public Schools, Alexandria, VA);
• Re-integration of Offenders Youth Program (RIO-Y) (Texas Youth Commission, Austin, TX); and
• San Jose Job Corps Center (San Jose, CA).  The 1999 Awardees join 43 other programs that have been recognized by PEPNet since 1996.

During the forum, separate panels of practitioners and program participants, ages 17 to 25, gave insights into the workings of their respective programs and the impact of the programs on the lives of the young people.

The organization and management of the programs are designed to support continuous improvement. According to one program administrator, "Assessment of our efforts enables us to make changes in line with participant needs, such as introducing a new fatherhood component. We must provide the best possible services, every day, every time; therefore, it is important that we continuously reevaluate what we are doing." In the words of another practitioner, "The need for continuous improvement means that we must always find new resources to support staff training to address these needs."

Among indicators of program success, programs use participant feedback on the effectiveness of program components such as training and employer feedback on how well young people are doing in the workplace. Other assessment measures include: maintaining a monthly data base on students completing the program and analyses by outside evaluators. According to one practitioner, "We focus on outcomes, but sometimes the outcome measures are wrong. For example, a job at McDonalds after six months is not what I would consider a decent outcome. So, we need to develop and track outcome measures that reflect real, long-term markers to success, such as obtaining a high school diploma, attending college, obtaining a career track job, retaining a job, and career mobility."

The importance of cultivating youth leadership through participation of young people in the design of the programs and in governance activities was discussed. Practitioners also discussed issues of program sustainability through continuity of leadership. The importance of investment in the professional development of staff was stressed; also, the value of promoting from within, including hiring program graduates.

The importance of youth development and connecting youth to caring adults are central features of each of the programs. According to one practitioner, "This is critical for youth with multiple barriers to employment." In one program, each coordinator is responsible for no more than 12 participants with whom they work extensively in connecting them to jobs, retaining them in jobs and making connections to needed support services.

Education and training are central to all of the programs. "Low literacy essentially defines the youth who is hard to serve." To address low levels of literacy, programs use small class, individualized attention, self-paced instruction, English as a Second Language programs, "Reading is Fundamental" and cross-generation activities, such as reading to young children.

The young people in the PEPNet programs provided insight into why they participate and how these programs have made a difference in their lives. The youth have high expectations for themselves, wanting to make a better life for themselves and their children. The young panelists stressed that these programs differ from regular high school, in that the youth are able to get the individual attention they need and are involved with staff who listen, support and care that they succeed. In five years, youth said they see themselves progressing in college, with steady jobs, focused on a career (e.g., in clinical psychology, as a journeyman in a trade, working with troubled youth), being a good citizen, buying a home, having a family and being able to support them.

The advice they offer to other youth is:

• "Find people who are positive in your life. Rethink and build relationships. Don’t expect to get you way all the time. Don’t give up."
• "Listen to your elders and learn from your mistakes."
• "Set goals and determine to do it—no matter what."

Some Excerpts from the Forum Discussion

Q&A for practitioners

1. Continuous improvement. What does it mean?

• Assessment of our efforts enables us to make changes. For example, we will soon be adding a fatherhood program.
• It enables us to identify needs so we can hire and support qualified practitioners.
• More funds to hire qualified practitioners. 
• It means investment in staff development.
• We need to be able to provide the best source for students at the time of their need, and reevaluate--every day--what we are doing.

2. What about accountability and outcome measures?

• We do focus on outcomes but sometimes the outcome measures are wrong.  For example, a job at McDonalds after six months is not what I would consider a decent outcome.   So, we need to develop and track outcome measures that reflect real, longterm markers to success (such as high school diploma, college, career track jobs, retention, career mobility, etc.)

3. How do you use evaluation or assessment? 

• It is used to develop leadership so there is continuity in staff.
• Monthly meetings and focusing on what we can do better. 
• Independent evaluators come in and do assessments on the company.

4. What do you do to connect young people with adults? 

• Each coordinator has no more than 12 participants with whom they work extensively, both connecting them to jobs, retaining jobs, and connecting to supportive services. The program was designed that way because we looked at other programs and found many were not successful because they lacked an adult/youth bond or mentorship.

5. How do you address literacy?  RIO-Y held small classes, self-paced and individualized.

• Low literacy is the nature of a youth who is hard to serve.

Q&A for youth

1. What made you stay with the program? 

• To make a better life for my child.
• Unlike regular high school, staff gave individual attention, made sure I succeeded.

2. Who made a difference to you and what did they do? 

• Manager at work mentored.
• Program staff listened, supported, cared.

3. What is your advice to other youth? 

• "Find people who are positive in your life. Learn from your mistakes. You must rethink and build relationships. Don't expect to get your way all the time. Don't give up." 
• "Listen to your elders and learn from your mistakes." 
• "Set goals and determine to do it--no matter what."

4. What are your plans for the future, five years from now? 

• "...still in college with a steady job, playing it cool, focused on a career." "
• "Being a good citizen." 
• "Buy a home, have a family and be able to support them." 
• "...will have an LCDC certificate and help troubled youth." 
• "On the road to being a doctor, owning a house." 
• "...establish a clinical psychology practice."  "
• ...as a journeyman, and getting further training in the trades."
  

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