YouthWorks Indy 2009

Program Enrollment and Completion Data

Program Description

YouthWorks Indy 2009 (YWI 2009), a summer education and employment program in Marion County, provided paid positions, educational stipends, educational credit or credential, and job-skills training to 645 young adults from June 8 through July 17 (individual trainings within the program ran longer or varied slightly). Three programs were offered as part YWI 2009, all focusing on three primary objectives for all participants in the program:

1. To provide work experience that allows for career exploration and employer mentoring;
2. To offer education that provides gateways/pathways to further academic preparation, additional WIA services and employment opportunities; and
3. To provide work readiness that is measurable and performance based.

The first and largest, In-School Youth program, was offered in partnership with competitively selected Marion County high schools: Fall Creek Academy, Fountain Square Academy, Indianapolis Metropolitan High School, George Washington Community High School, and Arsenal Technical High School. Educational sites offered intensive language arts, English, and mathematics for participants requiring remediation, GQE preparation and credit recovery for attainment of a high school diploma.

The second, Out-of-School Youth program, included two tracks: one for participants without a high school diploma and in need of GED preparation; and one for participants with a high school diploma,  offering accelerated, credentialed training in demand industry segments. Participants in the occupational training program had the option to obtain the following certifications:

• Certified Healthcare Access Associate (CHAA) in the Patient Access Specialist training
• Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians (CAMT) in the Apartment Maintenance Technician training
• A+ and N+ certification in the IT/Computer Fundamentals training
• EPA Section 608 Technician Certification in the HVAC training
• Customer Support Specialist Certification (CSS) and Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3) in the Call Center Support training

Both the In-School and Out-of-School programs provided 20 hours of education per week for the full six-week program. In week one, 20 hours of work readiness instruction and preparation was presented. Skill attainment was determined by administering a pre-test and post-test based on core instruction. In weeks two through six, up to 20 hours per week of work experience was offered by local employers. Participants engaged in both educational offerings and work experience each day. Ivy Tech Community College and the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township were the educational partners for the Out-of-School Youth program.

The third, Medical Youth program, was designed to provide career exploration and instruction for in-school youth with a strong interest in healthcare, to obtain basic certifications in CPR, HIPAA, and first aid. The program was offered in two cohorts of 30 students for four weeks each. On Mondays and Fridays throughout the four week program, 44 hours of healthcare-related education and 20 hours of work readiness instruction and preparation were offered. Again, work readiness skill attainment was determined by administering a pre-test and post-test based on core instruction. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during each four week program, up to 24 hours per week of work experience was offered at St. Vincent Health and Clarian. The Metropolitan Indianapolis-Central Indiana Area Health Education Center at St. Vincent was the exclusive partner for the Medical Youth program.

Two service providers, JobWorks, Inc. and River Valley Resources collaborated as youth coordinator and work experience coordinator respectively. JobWorks primarily provided recruitment, enrollment, eligibility, and case management functions. River Valley Resources acted as the employer of record, coordinating and distributing payroll, maintaining required documentation and providing necessary human resources functions. Cooperatively, we worked together daily, along with our educational partners, to resolve eligibility, funding, transportation, payroll and classroom and work site matters, along with data management in the State's integrated funding and 
service provision system, TrackOne.

To provide career exploration, employer mentoring, and work experience, YWI collaborated with 48 employers, at over 200 work sites. Employer partners offered meaningful work experience, most commonly as job-share positions, for YWI participants through supervision, instruction, and guidance. In addition, employers evaluated participants with bi-weekly Participant Performance Evaluations which directly affected successful completion of the work readiness portion of YWI.

YWI 2010 will be designed based on funding available for the program. Currently, efforts to continue the Out-of-School Youth GED program and industry-specific In-School Youth programs are being explored.