tomorrow's workforce today, the state of workforce development for milwaukee county’s...

Tomorrow’s workforce ToDAY:The State of Workforce Development for Milwaukee County’s Neediest Youth

A Community Mapping/Environmental Scan Report to theMilwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board Youth Council

Respectfully SubmittedSeptember 30, 2011

Planning Council for Health & Human Services Jericho Resources, Inc.

Acknowledgments

The Planning Council for Health & Human Services and Jericho Resources, Inc. wish to acknowledge:

Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB) Youth Council Members

Chytania Brown, MAWIB Youth Program Manager Linda Stewart, PhD, MAWIB Chief Operating Officer

Without the guidance and insights provided by these youth workforce development leaders, this project would not have been possible. Likewise, the Planning Council and Jericho Resources, Inc. would like to thank the following colleagues, who played instrumental roles in shaping the research, analysis, tools, and deliverables related to this project:

Artency Davis, GIS and Data Analyst Jason Miller, Content & Educational Technology IT Consultant Jim Dressner, Researcher

The Planning Council and Jericho Resources, Inc. are honored to have had the opportunity to assist the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board Youth Council and Board management with this unprecedented community mapping/environmental scan project regarding youth workforce development. We wish the thousands of youth being served by MAWIB and its partners every success in realizing their full potential in Milwaukee County’s workforce.

Tomorrow’s Workforce Today: The State of Workforce Development for Milwaukee County’s Neediest Youth

A Community Mapping/Environmental Scan Report to the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board Youth Council

September 30, 2011

2 Tomorrow’s Workforce Today:

The State of Workforce Development for Milwaukee County’s Neediest Youth

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 2

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3

Origins of & Rationale for a Comprehensive, or Shared, Youth Vision ........................................... 5

Understanding America’s Neediest Youth & Milwaukee County Limitations ................................. 7

Youth Employment Trends ............................................................................................................ 10

Defining the Local Youth Workforce Development Community ................................................... 16

Defining by Neediest Youth Served & Age Groups ................................................................... 20

Defining by Youth Workforce Development Services ............................................................... 23

Defining by Geographic Service Delivery .................................................................................. 27

Defining by Funding Streams ..................................................................................................... 29

Leveraging Access to Existing Community Resources ............................................................... 29

Youth Workforce Development Challenges & Recommendations ............................................... 34

Challenges ................................................................................................................................. 34

Recommendations..................................................................................................................... 35

Works Cited ................................................................................................................................... 37

Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 40

Appendix A: Participating Entities ............................................................................................. 41

Appendix B: Survey Instruments ............................................................................................... 44

Appendix C: Key Informant Interviews—MAWIB 2011 ............................................................. 53

Appendix D: Milwaukee County Youth Workforce Development Provider Database

Documentation .......................................................................................................................... 60



Introduction

The Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB) retained the Planning Council for Health & Human Services and Jericho Resources, Inc. to design and administer a Community Mapping/Environmental Scan for Youth in the Milwaukee in the Milwaukee Area Workforce Development System. The Planning Council and Jericho Resources, Inc. were tasked to accomplish several objectives, including:

Preparing detailed information about the resources available for Milwaukee County’s youth with the greatest needs, as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor and its partners

Defining the spectrum of workforce providers addressing the needs of area youth and young adults

Determining community strengths and weaknesses as well as effective networks and partnerships

Identifying ways of accessing and leveraging existing community resources In order to capture the detailed quantitative and qualitative data regarding Milwaukee County youth workforce development needed to complete the assignment, the Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. project team:

Created a Milwaukee County Youth Workforce Development Provider Database, which is populated with detailed information about providers, including agency contact information, the age range of youth in programming, youth workforce development provided, the categories of neediest youth being served, local zip codes served, and funding streams supporting youth workforce development

Designed a four-page survey instrument for Milwaukee County employers, which gained information about the age groups of youth hired previously and/or likely to be hired to in the coming 12 months; the timeframes for which youth are likely to be hired; awareness of MAWIB employer services; interest in learning more about MAWIB-related services to assist with youth employment; experiences in hiring through MAWIB-related programming; greatest rewards and challenges in hiring and managing youth, and participation with any school districts, community organizations, business associations, or civic groups preparing youth for employment



Prepared a four-page survey instrument for Milwaukee County providers that built upon the foundational information featured in the Milwaukee County Youth Workforce Development Provider Database by gaining insights about the greatest related strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and needs for youth workforce development agencies and the community as a whole; existing community resources disadvantaged youth could be taking greater advantage of in preparing to enter the workforce, and existing partnerships with school districts, civic groups, employers, business associations, networks, and/or community organizations preparing youth for employment

Conducted key informant interviews with various leaders in the local youth workforce development community

Researched a variety of youth workforce development and employment-related issues including national trends over the past decade; demographic data regarding youth in greatest need of workforce development services as defined by the White House Task Force For Disadvantaged Youth and the U.S. Department of Labor, and the history and work to date of the Shared Youth Vision Federal Partnership

Generated a geographic map illustrating the concentration of youth workforce development services available to youth residing in given zip codes

This report is the culmination of the research, interviews, and surveying performed over the course of the Milwaukee County Youth Workforce Development Community Mapping/Environmental Scan project. Ultimately, this report and the work leading to it will be used by the MAWIB Workforce Investment Act Youth Council in developing a Milwaukee County Comprehensive Youth Vision.

Note: The Planning Council and Jericho Resources, Inc. asked each organization whether responses specific to them should be held in confidence. Some local youth workforce development providers and employers did request anonymity. While the data of those who requested confidentiality have been aggregated with other respondents, any quotes from them are attributed as being from “Anonymous.”



Origins of & Rationale for a Comprehensive, or Shared, Youth Vision

As mentioned in the Introduction section, the MAWIB Workforce Investment Act Youth Council will use this report as the body develops a Comprehensive Youth Vision for Milwaukee County. It bears asking what a Comprehensive Youth Vision is, and what its purpose is.

Shared Youth Vision Statement of the Federal Partnership “The Nation’s neediest youth will acquire the talents, skills, and knowledge

necessary to ensure their healthy transition to successful adult roles and responsibilities.” (Gilbert, 2008, p. 2)

In October 2003, the White House Task Force For Disadvantaged Youth Final Report was issued. Co-chaired by Margaret Spellings, Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and John Bridgeland, Assistant to the President & USA Freedom Corps Director, the Task Force’s seminal work found that:

Nearly 340 programs administered by a dozen different federal departments were focused on disadvantaged youth.

While $223.5 billion were being spent in Federal Fiscal Year 2003 alone to administer services to disadvantaged youth, the impact of these resources was diluted by being invested in duplicative programming for too many youth instead of prioritizing services to America’s neediest youth.

Notwithstanding collectively disbursing nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars in program funds targeting disadvantaged youth, little interagency coordination existed across federal agencies responsible for similar service delivery. (White House Task Force For Disadvantaged Youth, October 2003, pp. 11, 30-32)

A year after the 2003 White House Task Force For Disadvantaged Youth Final Report was published, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, Health & Human Services, and Justice established the Shared Youth Vision Federal Partnership. The Shared Youth Vision Federal Partnership was created in order to facilitate increased inter-departmental collaboration and programmatic efficiency as well as sharing and replication of evidence-based models and strategies. By 2009, the U.S. Departments



of Defense and Housing & Urban Development as well as the Social Security Administration and the Corporation for National & Community Service had joined the Shared Youth Vision Federal Partnership. (Abt Associates, Inc., January 2009, pp. 1-2) Much has changed since 2003. However, the need for greater collaboration across systems and prioritization of resources to serve youth in highest risk groups is all the more essential.



Understanding America’s Neediest Youth & Milwaukee County Limitations

The Shared Youth Vision Federal Partnership identifies 10 subgroups of disadvantaged youth as being the nation’s “neediest” based on the 2003 White House Task Force For Disadvantaged Youth Final Report. Those subgroups are as follows:

Children of Incarcerated Parents…The Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, estimates there were approximately 1.7 million children of parents incarcerated in state or federal prisons. “Children of incarcerated parents increased by 80% (761,000 children)” between 1991 and mid-year 2007. (Glaze, March 2010, p. 1)

Court-Involved Youth/Youth At Risk of Court Involvement…The combined

average daily population of youth incarcerated in either a state-administered juvenile corrections institution, or the Milwaukee County-operated juvenile detention facility, was 258 in 2010. (Henken R. &., 2011, p. 1) During that same year, Milwaukee County had a monthly average of 1,823 active juvenile cases. (Henken R. , 2011)

Homeless & Runaway Youth…According to the Milwaukee Continuum of

Care’s Point in Time Survey conducted with homeless individuals and families on January 28, 2009, there were at least 349 children who were on the streets or in a shelter. (Shriver, August 2009, p. 5) The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Yearly Comparison Report of Homeless Student Enrollment by School Year indicates that Milwaukee Public Schools educated 2,869 youth. [Note: Statistics are only provided for school districts reporting 50 or more homeless students.] (Wisconsin Department for Public Instruction, 2011)

Indian/Native American Youth…Milwaukee County’s total American Indian

and Alaska Native population is 13,729 (1.4%). Less than 1% of all Milwaukee Public Schools students are of Native American background. However, there are greater proportions of Native American students in south-side school districts: Cudahy (1.2%), Greenfield (1.1%), Oak Creek-Franklin (1.2%), St. Francis (1.2%), South Milwaukee (1.5%), and West Allis-West Milwaukee (1.4%). (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 2011)



Migrant Youth…The most recent data available from the Wisconsin Bureau of Migrant Labor Services indicated Milwaukee County was home to 24 migrants. The statistical report does not indicate whether there were any youth among them. (Lopez, 2009)

Out-of-school Youth/Youth Youth Most At Risk of Dropping Out…The drop-

out rate for Milwaukee Public Schools for the 2009-2010 academic year was 5.86% across the system. Some 2,114 students met Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s definition of being a drop-out. [Note: Statistics were provided only for the school districts with the 10 highest enrollment levels.] (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 2011)

Youth In or Aging Out of Foster Care…As of August 2011, the Wisconsin

Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare was responsible for 2,094 youth receiving out-of-home care. (Division of Safety and Permanence/Research, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, 2011)

Youth with Disabilities…The percentage of youth with disabilities ranges

greatly between Milwaukee County-related school districts. Milwaukee Public Schools reported that 19.5% of students had a disability; Fox Point reported the lowest percentage, at 0.1% of its student population.

Note: The sequence of the subgroups listed above does not connote any particular rank order.

It should be noted that, while the White House Task Force For Disadvantaged Youth and the Shared Youth Vision Federal Partnership identified these 10 subpopulations of disadvantaged youth, defining some categories concretely may be more difficult than others. According to the 2010 U.S. Census Demographic Profile Data, 15.6%, or 147,869, of Milwaukee County’s 947,735 residents are between the ages of 15 and 24. (U.S. Census age cohorts do not align precisely to the age groups served by MAWIB’s youth-focused workforce development services. The age ranges of 15-19 and 20-24, however, encompass all of the area’s youth eligible for MAWIB youth services.) Given economic trends and their impact on youth and young adults, one might posit that all Milwaukee County youth between the ages of 15-24 are at risk in relation to workforce development and realizing their full potential in the labor market.



Irrespective, it is important to note for MAWIB’s planning and visioning purposes that strictly calculating the total number of youth who are disadvantaged and fit objectively at least one of the 10 subpopulations will remain a significant challenge and represents a material gap that affects the effectiveness of such efforts. Even if one were able to identify the number of disadvantaged youth within each subpopulation, the Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. team’s research efforts did not identify any definitive analyses or statistical reports detailing the number of local disadvantaged youth who fit multiple priority categories—in other words, the community’s absolutely “neediest youth.” Knowing the size and scope of the youth population meeting multiple priority categories of need truly would empower the MAWIB Youth Council, broader Board, and potential/existing partners to invest resources most effectively.



Youth Employment Trends

Youth Workforce Development does not happen in a vacuum. It is highly influenced by the economic and political environment of the local, regional, state, and national levels—and to an increasing degree, the international level. A closure, or mass layoff, of a major employer in metro Milwaukee; the increase in the federal or state minimum wage; the Congressional “Super Committee” negotiations to reduce the federal deficit by $1.2-$1.5 trillion or more over the next decade, or a default by Greece on its national debt, will have varying degrees of impact on youth workforce development in Milwaukee County. Our nation and its global counterparts are so interwoven today that even decisions made several thousand miles away can have consequences, locally. In like fashion, local youth employment trends are linked to those nationally. Youth employment has declined precipitously since the Great Recession began in 2007. Local headlines such as “Teens shut out of job market, study finds: Program-funding cuts, unemployed adults, legal constraints make it hard to land that summer job” certainly paint a picture regarding today’s local youth employment opportunities. (D'Urso, 2011) Nationally, the news is even bleaker.

The percentage of American youth working or looking for work in 2011 was the lowest recorded for any July since the federal government began keeping such statistics more than six decades ago. By 2010, for the first time, a higher percentage of workers over 65 was employed than teens in the workforce.

For decades, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, has used July—the typical peak of youth summer employment— as a barometer. Actually, the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses two primary barometers to measure youth employment: the employment-population ratio and labor force participation rate. The employment-population ratio measures the percentage of youth within a given age cohort who are employed in comparison to the total number of youth in that same age cohort. The labor force participation rate measures the total number of youth in a given age range who are working, or looking for work, compared to the total number of youth in that age range. The employment-population ratio and labor force participation rate in July 2011 for American youth between ages 16-24 were 48.8% and 59.5%, respectively. These rates



reflected the lowest recorded since the federal government began maintaining such statistics in 1948. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, August 24, 2011) The July 2011 labor force participation rate for youth ages 16-24 was 1% below the July 2010 level and 18% below the July 1989 level—when participation reached its historical peak. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, August 24, 2011) Unfortunately, the employment-population ratio and participation rates were not the only records being shattered in recent history. “In June 2000, teens in the U.S. were more than twice as likely to have a job as those adults 65-69 years old (51% vs. 23%). By June 2010, these older adults were modestly more likely to be working than teens (28.8% vs. 28.6%), an age reversal in employment outcomes never before seen in American history.” (Andrew Sum, July 2010, p. 4) The Great Recession (2007-2009) might seem to be the logical rationale for the record-low teen employment. Without a doubt, it contributed to the youth employment patterns. However, a critical analysis of the data demonstrates that the declining rate of youth employment began long before 2007. Declines in the employment-population ratio have been occurring for years. The following graph illustrates the trend.

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2011)

The employment-population ratio for youth ages 16-19 has dropped even more dramatically. In summer 2000, the youth summer employment rate was 51.7%. By



summer 2003, the employment-population ratio for this age cohort had fallen to 41.7%--a decline of 10 points, or 19.3%. By summer 2008, the rate had declined further to 37.4%, and by the following summer, the rate had fallen to 32.9%...the lowest rate recorded for this age group. (Morisi, 2010, pp. 23-24) As mentioned earlier, declines in youth employment have been occurring for years. As the availability of jobs has decreased and a higher federal minimum wage was adopted in 2009, employers more frequently have opted for experienced adults rather than teens. In addition, the temporary increase in teen employment funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ended, impacting the workforce development assistance such leading institutions in youth workforce development as MAWIB, the City of Milwaukee, and Milwaukee Public Schools could provide. (D'Urso, 2011)

Milwaukee-area Youth Employment Trends The City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County are not immune to national trends affecting youth employment. The percentage of Milwaukee-area young people in the labor force has certainly declined over time. In 2005, nearly two-thirds of all 16-24-year-olds living in the City of Milwaukee (65.2%), or Milwaukee County (66.6%), were in the labor force. By 2010, the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County youth labor force participation rates had fallen by 7.2% and 8.3%, respectively.

Milwaukee-area Labor Force Participation Rates: 16-24-year-olds City of Milwaukee Milwaukee County

2005 65.2% 66.6%

2006 61.5% 62.8%

2007 59.0% 60.4%

2008 61.0% 62.6%

2009 60.3% 61.5%

2010 60.5% 61.1%

Percent Change -7.2% -8.3% Based on data from Wisconsin Office of Economic Advisors, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, Table S2301: 2005-2009

While the overall percentage of young people participating in the labor force has declined over time, the percentage of youth actually employed has held fairly steady between 2005 and 2010. In 2005, approximately half of all young people between 16 and 24 years of age in the City of Milwaukee (47.2%), or Milwaukee County (51.1%),



were employed. By 2010, the employment-population ratios for City of Milwaukee (48.5%) and Milwaukee County (50.1%) young people had barely changed. In fact, the difference is so small, it may be simply a result of the statistical margin of error, rather than any specific change in youth employment factors.

Milwaukee-area Employment-Population Ratio: 16-24-year-olds City of Milwaukee Milwaukee County

2005 47.2% 51.1%

2006 48.5% 51.2%

2007 46.9% 49.7%

2008 49.9% 52.5%

2009 48.4% 50.2%

2010 48.5% 50.1%

Percent Change +2.8% -2.0% Based on data from Wisconsin Office of Economic Advisors, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, Table S2301: 2005-2009

The overall local trends of declining participation in the labor force, or steady rates of youth employment, do not tell the whole story. Below the surface of these statistics is a major trend among 16-19-year-olds. Fewer of them are entering the labor force and becoming employed. The percentages of young people aged 20-24 either looking for work, or working, held steady, or actually increased, over the 2005-2010 period for City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County residents. However, the labor force participation rate for youth between 16 and 19 years of age fell by double digits.



Milwaukee-area Labor Force Participation Rates: 16-24-year-olds City Milwaukee

16-19-year-olds City Milwaukee 20-24-year-olds

Milwaukee County 16-19-year-olds


2005 51.1% 75.6% 51.6% 77.8%

2006 44.6% 75.6% 45.6% 78.1%

2007 39.5% 76.3% 41.3% 77.4%

2008 40.6% 77.8% 42.7% 80.2%

2009 40.7% 76.0% 42.4% 77.4%

2010 36.9% 78.1% 37.7% 78.4%

Percent Change -27.8% +3.3% -26.9% +0.8% Based on data from Wisconsin Office of Economic Advisors, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, Table S2301: 2005-2009

The percentage of 20-24-year-olds employed has increased for both the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County. However, as with the labor force participation rate, the percentage of 16-19-year-olds declined by double digits.

Milwaukee-area Employment-Population Ratios: 16-24-year-olds City Milwaukee

16-19-year-olds City Milwaukee 20-24-year-olds



2005 32.8% 57.8% 35.4% 62.9%

2006 26.6% 66.8% 31.0% 69.1%

2007 29.2% 62.6% 31.9% 65.5%

2008 29.3% 66.9% 32.8% 69.9%

2009 31.8% 61.7% 33.5% 64.0%

2010 25.2% 65.9% 26.7% 67.5%

Percent Change -23.2% +14.0% -24.6% +7.3% Based on data from Wisconsin Office of Economic Advisors, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, Table S2301: 2005-2009

Given the decline in 16-19-year-olds entering the labor force, the generational employment trends seen nationally can be found in metro Milwaukee. Specifically, in 2010, the percentage of employed City of Milwaukee residents aged 65-69 (25.6%) was equivalent to that of their teenage counterparts aged 16-19 (25.2%). Interestingly, the phenomenon was even more pronounced when comparing the percentage of employed Milwaukee County residents 65-69-year-olds (31.1%) versus that of 16-19-year-olds (26.7%).



While youth employment trends certainly have not been moving in a positive direction for some time, it is also true that millions of youth are working. In fact, despite the record lows reached during July 2011, some 18.6 million youth between the ages of 16 and 24 were employed. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, August 24, 2011) Youth employed in July 2011 worked in a variety of fields. The graphic prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, reflects the diversity of the industries that did hire youth this summer.

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2011)

Just as it is important to understand past trends and factors impacting youth employment, it is equally important to understand future trends that will shape youth employment opportunities. One of the trends that certainly will impact the



funding of youth workforce development is the Congressional effort to enact a deficit reduction package totaling at least $1.2 trillion during the remainder of calendar year 2011. In addition to the potentially significant reductions in federal discretionary spending—the spending that includes youth workforce development monies—there is the considerable factor of the economy itself. Projected job growth varies widely, depending upon the source. Moody’s Analytics, an economic consulting firm, anticipates the State of Wisconsin’s employment will grow by just 0.4% from Second Quarter 2011 to Second Quarter 2012. The consulting firm expects jobs in metro Milwaukee, defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI, to grow about twice as fast as the state (0.9%) from Second Quarter 2011 to Second Quarter 2012. (USA Today, 2011) In comparison, the State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue projects jobs to grow by 1.3% in 2011 and by 1.7% in 2012 and 2013. (Wisconsin Department of Revenue, 2011, p. 1) PNC Financial Services Group forecasts 2012 employment growth in Milwaukee to be 1.4%. (PNC Financial Services Group, 2011, p. 3) No matter which estimates one uses, these anticipated rates of growth likely will be insufficient to accommodate unemployed adults’ return to work and absorb youth newly entering the labor market. MAWIB will have to adopt strategies that prioritize youth with the greatest needs if these youth are going to be successful in gaining meaningful work skills and experiences in this economic environment.

Defining the Local Youth Workforce



Development Community

Clearly, publicly-funded entities like MAWIB, the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Public Schools and other area educational institutions, youth-serving agencies (including secular and faith-based nonprofits), and employers comprise the broader local workforce development community. However, from the onset of this project, the Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. team found the local workforce development community is not one easily defined.

As mentioned earlier, the Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. team used a variety of tools and techniques in its efforts to define the local youth workforce development community. The primary tools and techniques used were as follows:

Canvassing…The team called youth-serving agencies located in Milwaukee County to gain a solid base of agency contact information, services provided, priority subgroups of youth and zip codes served, etc. A total of 44 organizations participated in the canvassing process, and indicated their involvement in youth workforce development.

Youth-Serving Agencies Public Entities/Funders

Employers Educational Institutions

Local Workforce Development Community



Surveying…Survey instruments were tailored specifically to elicit both quantitative data and qualitative insights from two distinct audiences: (i) providers, and (ii) employers. A total of 64 youth-serving entities received the provider survey with 13 responding; 75 employers received the employer version with four replying.

Interviews…Using similar questions, the team interviewed six key leaders to gain a broader, more community-wide understanding of youth workforce development trends and factors.

The Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. team began the process by contacting organizations already partnering with MAWIB as WIA Youth case management agencies, community work sites, or employers. The team expanded upon this base by researching and contacting a wide array of other community- and faith-based youth-serving agencies, funding sources, and employers. However, the approaches used in expanding the base were different with respect to youth workforce development providers as compared to employers. The Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. team expanded the number of youth-serving agencies to contact for the project by reviewing:

internal databases previous consulting customers members of such associations as Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee and

Wisconsin Association of Family & Child Agency providers in the Wraparound Milwaukee and Milwaukee County Delinquency

& Court Services Division networks providers highly associated with particular categories of youth in greatest

need (e.g., providers for homeless youth, etc.) The objective in the case of the youth-serving agencies was to identify and contact the universe of potential providers, and obtain foundational information from as many as possible. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Milwaukee County is home to over 20,000 business establishments. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011) Obviously, there would be no way to contact the universe of businesses in Milwaukee County within the project’s budget and time constraints. Clearly, the approach with regard to employers had to be different.



MAWIB and the City of Milwaukee currently work with a combined total of nearly 25 private-sector businesses to provide work opportunities for youth. The Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. team obtained contact information for the existing business partners. Then, the team developed a diverse, county-wide roster of business contacts by leveraging membership data through the following business associations:

Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce Hispanic Chamber of Commerce African-American Chamber of Commerce West Allis Chamber of Commerce Cudahy Chamber of Commerce St. Francis Chamber of Commerce South Suburban Chamber of Commerce (Franklin & Oak Creek)

The team also used the following characteristics to ensure diversity in the employer survey pool:

Geographic location Business size Industry/Sector Minority ownership

Note: Given the importance of identifying youth workforce development agencies, providers were contacted repeatedly throughout the process. While the Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. team was successful in getting a number of youth-serving organizations to participate, there are some entities with youth workforce development missions that did not choose to participate.



Defining by Neediest Youth Served & Age Groups As discussed earlier, the White House Task Force For Disadvantaged Youth and Shared Youth Vision Federal Partnership have identified 10 categories of disadvantaged youth deemed to be the neediest. Those categories include:

Children of Incarcerated Parents Court-involved Youth Youth At Risk of Court Involvement Homeless & Runaway Youth Indian/Native American Youth Migrant Youth Out-of-school Youth Youth Most At Risk of Dropping Out Youth In or Aging Out of Foster Care Youth with Disabilities

The Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. team inquired which of these priority categories each respondent serves. Youth-serving agencies participating in the data collection process reported they collectively serve all 10 categories. Youth at risk of dropping out of school is the category most frequently served by local youth workforce development providers, with three out of every five respondents serving this population. There were four other categories of disadvantaged youth that at least 50% of respondents serve: Court-Involved Youth (55%), Youth At Risk of Court Involvement (59%), Out-of-school Youth (50%), and Youth in or Aging Out of Foster Care (52%). While five categories are served by at least 50% of respondents, the other five categories are served by fewer youth workforce development providers. Homeless & Runaway Youth (48%) may be served by nearly half of the responding youth-serving agencies. Fewer than two out of every five respondents serve Children of Incarcerated Parents (39%), Indian/Native American Youth (36%), Migrant Youth (34%), and Youth with Disabilities (39%).



At A Glance: Milwaukee County Youth Workforce Development Providers by Youth Category

Responding Organizations Providing Youth Workforce Development Services

Neediest Youth Served

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Agape Community Center

Boy Scouts of America-Career Education Exploring Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee Career Youth Development Center for Resilient Cities

Centro Hispano High School City Kids Wrestling Club

City on a Hill, Inc.

COA Youth & Family Centers

Commandos Phase II

Earn & Learn-Community Work Experience Program Earn & Learn-Private Sector Job Connection Earn & Learn-Summer Youth Internships Easter Seals of Southeast Wisconsin

Enrichment Opportunities Institute of Training, Inc. Esperanza Unida

Goodwill of Southeastern Wisconsin

Growing Power

Harambee Ombudsman Project HeartLove Place

Hmong-American Friendship Association Journey House Lake Valley Camp

Latino Community Center






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Lead to Succeed-Community Connections Consultants Milwaukee Area Health Education Center

Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee Center for Independence-Employment Services Milwaukee Christian Center

Milwaukee Community Service Corps

Milwaukee LBGT Community Center Milwaukee Public Theatre

Milwaukee Urban League Employment Assistance

Milwaukee Public Schools-Riverside University High School

Nehemiah Project, Inc. Neighborhood House of Milwaukee

New Beginnings Are Possible

Next Door Foundation (Educare)

Northcott Neighborhood Center Our Next Generation Kids-High School Connection Program

Pan African Community Association

Pathfinders

Pearls for Teen Girls Project Respect, Inc.

Risen Savior Lutheran Church

Running Rebels Community Organization

Salvation Army Citadel Silver Spring Neighborhood Center-Youth Social Development






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rop

pin

g O

ut

Yo

uth

In/A

gin

g O

ut

of

Fo

ster

Car

e

Yo

uth

wit

h D

isab

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es

Social Development Commission Southeastern Youth & Family Services Spotted Eagle, Inc.

UMOS

United Neighborhood Center of Milwaukee

Urban Ecology Center Urban Underground Walkers Point Youth & Family Center

Walnut Way Conservation Corps

Wisconsin Community Services

Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Wisconsin Regional Training Partnerships/Big Step Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation Word of Hope Ministries World Outreach YMCA Youth Development for Change YWCA



MAWIB serves youth as young as 14 years old and as old as 21 years of age. (MAWIB has served young adults as old as 24 years of age using funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.)

39%

55% 59%

48%

36% 34%

50%

61% 52%

39%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Respondents: Categories of Neediest Youth Served

59%

14% 14%

2% 11%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

14 15 16 17 18

Respondents: Youngest Age Eligible to be Served



Fifty-nine percent of all youth-serving agencies responding indicated they serve youth as young as 14 years of age.

Nearly two-thirds of all respondents indicated their organizations provide workforce development services for youth up to 21 years of age.

Defining by Youth Workforce Development Services Youth workforce development providers were asked about 8 services:

Career Exploration Work Permit Assistance Job Training Resume Development Application Preparation Internships Job Placement Follow-up

Nearly every youth workforce development organization that responded indicated it provides career exploration. Three-quarters of respondents provide youth job training services, which may include “hard” skills (e.g., food safety certification, etc.), “soft” skills (e.g., punctuality, teamwork, positive attitude, etc.) or a combination of both hard and soft skills. Two out of every three reported they provide youth with help preparing resumes and job applications. Approximately three out of every five provide job placement and follow-up services.

2% 0% 2%

5% 11% 9% 7%

64%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Respondents: Oldest Age Eligible to be Served



While the youth workforce development community does provide a variety of services to prepare young people, there are two services that are provided far less frequently: (i) internships, and (ii) work permit assistance. Only one in five respondents reported providing youth with assistance in obtaining a work permit. Even fewer—less than one in six—indicated providing internships.

At A Glance: Milwaukee County Youth Workforce Development Providers by Services Offered


Services Provided to Youth

Car

eer

Exp

lora

tio

n

Job

Tra

inin

g

Ap

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rep

arat

ion

Job

Pla

cem

ent

Wo

rk P

erm

it

Res

um

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evel

op

men

t

Inte

rnsh

ips

Fo

llow

-up


Boy Scouts of America-Career Education Exploring

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee Career Youth Development (CYD) Center for Resilient Cities

Centro Hispano High School

City Kids Wrestling Club City on a Hill, Inc.


Commandos Phase II

Earn & Learn-Community Work Experience Program

Earn & Learn-Private Sector Job Connection

Earn & Learn-Summer Youth Internships

Easter Seals of Southeast Wisconsin

Enrichment Opportunities Institute of Training, Inc.

Esperanza Unida Goodwill of Southeastern Wisconsin

Growing Power

Harambee Ombudsman Project

HeartLove Place

Hmong-American Friendship Association Journey House

Lake Valley Camp







Car

eer

Exp

lora

tio

n

Job

Tra

inin

g

Ap

plic

atio

n P

rep

arat

ion

Job

Pla

cem

ent

Wo

rk P

erm

it

Res

um

e D

evel

op

men

t

Inte

rnsh

ips

Fo

llow

-up

Lead to Succeed-Community Connections Consultants Milwaukee Area Health Education Center

Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) Milwaukee Center for Independence

Milwaukee Christian Center

Milwaukee Community Service Corps

Milwaukee LBGT Community Center

Milwaukee Public Theatre

Milwaukee Urban League Employment Assistance


Nehemiah Project, Inc.

Neighborhood House of Milwaukee



Northcott Neighborhood Center

Our Next Generation Kids


Pathfinders

Pearls for Teen Girls

Project Respect, Inc.



Salvation Army Citadel

Silver Spring Neighborhood Center

Social Development Commission

Southeastern Youth & Family Services Spotted Eagle, Inc.

UMOS


Urban Ecology Center

Urban Underground

Walkers Point Youth & Family Center

Walnut Way Conservation Corps






Car

eer

Exp

lora

tio

n

Job

Tra

inin

g

Ap

plic

atio

n P

rep

arat

ion

Job

Pla

cem

ent

Wo

rk P

erm

it

Res

um

e D

evel

op

men

t

Inte

rnsh

ips

Fo

llow

-up


Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Wisconsin Regional Training Partnerships/Big Step

Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation

Word of Hope Ministries

World Outreach

YMCA

Youth Development for Change

YWCA



Defining by Geographic Service Delivery The youth workforce development agencies that replied to the Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. team’s contacts were asked which Milwaukee County zip codes they served. Interestingly, at least 82% of the respondents serve youth from every single zip code. There are 10 zip codes that are served by more than four out of five participating organizations:

53202 53203 53205 53206 53208 53210 53212 53221 53223 53233

Zip codes 53205 and 53208 are actually served by 91% of all responding agencies. Responding organizations are located overwhelmingly on the north side of the county; most are physically located within the above-mentioned zip codes. (The yellow triangles on the following map reflect the locations of youth workforce development providers.)

Level of Youth Workforce Development Services Available

80%

20%

75%

68% 66%

16%

61% 57%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Career Exploration

Work Permit Assistance

Job Training Resume Development

Application Preparation

Internships Job Placement

Follow-up

Respondents: Youth Workforce Development Services Provided



Across Milwaukee County



Defining by Funding Streams Responding youth workforce development providers reported that service delivery is supported through a range of funding streams. Those funding streams include:

Community Development Block Grant Workforce Investment Act Wraparound Milwaukee Delinquency & Court Services Foundations

Corporations Individual Contributions Endowment Other

The Workforce Investment Act Youth Program is one of the premier funding stream for youth workforce development services. While WIA Youth funding is dedicated solely to providing youth workforce development, there are a variety of other funding streams also making youth workforce development possible. WIA was identified as the youth workforce development funding stream by 16% of respondents. The highest percentage of youth-serving agencies—50%—indicated that contributions from individuals fund youth workforce development service delivery. Two in five report that funding from foundations (41%) makes youth workforce development services possible. A little less than one-third (30%) indicated related services are funded through corporate contributions. Over a quarter (27%) of all respondents identified youth workforce development support through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. While the funding sources identified above may be considered the traditional sources of youth workforce development, such services also are supported by other funding streams. Wraparound Milwaukee—a Milwaukee County initiative itself operated through a blend of funding from Medicaid, Juvenile Justice, Child Welfare, and federal grants—was reported by 5% of respondents as supporting youth workforce development. Two percent reported youth workforce development services being supported through funding from Milwaukee County Delinquency & Court Services Division, the governmental body responsible for addressing juvenile justice. Other funding sources mentioned by respondents include:

TANF…The greatest plurality of new entrants into the welfare-to-work system are young adults between 18 years of age and early 20s. Temporary



Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) not only provides cash benefits, but also a variety of educational and employment-related services.

United Way…The community-wide fundraising effort provides some funding to address youth workforce development.

Wraparound Milwaukee and Milwaukee County Delinquency & Court Services do not purchase youth workforce development services in the same manner as MAWIB or Community Development Grants Administration do. Wraparound Milwaukee and Milwaukee County Delinquency & Court Services Division have established fee-for-service provider networks. Providers only receive payments based on referrals for particular services specified in one’s service plan. In the case of Milwaukee County Delinquency & Court Services Division, its provider network focuses on addressing court-involved youth and those at risk of involvement in court services. With respect to Wraparound Milwaukee, its provider network focuses on the needs of youth with a mental health diagnosis (youth with mental

27%

16%

5% 2%

41%

30%

50%

1%

58%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Respondents: Youth Workforce Development Funding Streams



health disabilities), involved in juvenile justice or child welfare, and at risk of out-of-home placement. There are actually several Wraparound Milwaukee initiatives. One of the most recent initiatives is Project O-YEAH. Project O-YEAH is a federally funded program supported through a multi-year grant from the U.S. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The grant focuses on providing services, including employment-related services, to youth between the ages of 16 and 25 with mental health disabilities who may need additional support in their transition toward adulthood. Another population addressed is youth in and aging out of foster care.

Leveraging Access to Existing Community Resources Leveraging other youth workforce development resources across the community is a critical strategy at a time when Workforce Investment Act funding is under pressure and the need is increasing.



Other Selected Community Resources Supporting Youth Workforce Development

Funding Stream Priority Category Eligibility Criteria

City of Milwaukee Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)

May impact a variety of priority categories including, but not limited to:

Youth Most At Risk of Dropping Out

Out-of-school Youth

At a minimum, youth must: be a resident of City of Milwaukee live within the CDBG target area

Job Corps May impact a variety of priority categories including, but not limited to:


Out-of-school Youth Youth in/Aging Out of

Foster Care

Youth must: be between the ages of 16 and 24 citizens, or legal residents, of the

United States meet financial requirements

(Job Corps, U.S. Department of Labor, 2011, p. 7)

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)



Out-of-school Youth Youth in/Aging Out of

Foster Care

Milwaukee County residents must meet a series of financial & non-financial criteria, including being a custodial parent of minor child

Wraparound Milwaukee-Project O-YEAH


Court-Involved Youth Youth At Risk of Court

Involvement Youth with Disabilities Youth in/Aging Out of

Foster Care

Youth must be Milwaukee County residents between the ages of 16 to 25 who:

have been diagnosed with serious emotional and behavioral challenges,

have been involved with Wraparound Milwaukee,

need help developing a plan for living independently

(Wraparound Milwaukee, 2011)



At A Glance: Milwaukee County Youth Workforce Development Providers by Funding Streams


Major Funding Streams

Co

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un

ity

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Wo

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Inve

stm

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Act

Wra

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Milw

auke

e

Del

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cy &

Co

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Fo

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dat

ion

s &

Co

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rati

on

s

Ind

ivid

ual

s

En

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Oth

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Boy Scouts of America-Career Education Exploring

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee Career Youth Development (CYD)

Center for Resilient Cities

Centro Hispano High School

City Kids Wrestling Club

City on a Hill, Inc.


Commandos Phase II

Earn & Learn-Community Work Experience Program

Earn & Learn-Private Sector Job Connection

Earn & Learn-Summer Youth Internships

Easter Seals of Southeast Wisconsin

Enrichment Opportunities Institute of Training, Inc.

Esperanza Unida

Goodwill of Southeastern Wisconsin

Growing Power

Harambee Ombudsman Project

HeartLove Place

Hmong-American Friendship Association

Journey House

Lake Valley Camp


Lead to Succeed-Community Connections Consultants

Milwaukee Area Health Education Center

Milwaukee Area Technical College

Milwaukee Center for Independence

Milwaukee Christian Center

Milwaukee Community Service Corps Milwaukee LBGT Community Center






Co

mm

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ity

Blo

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ran

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Wo

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Inve

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Act

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Milw

auke

e

Del

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uen

cy &

Co

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Ser

vice

s

Fo

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dat

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s &

Co

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on

s

Ind

ivid

ual

s

En

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Oth

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Milwaukee Public Theatre Milwaukee Urban League Employment Assistance


Nehemiah Project, Inc.

Neighborhood House of Milwaukee



Northcott Neighborhood Center

Our Next Generation Kids


Pathfinders

Pearls for Teen Girls

Project Respect, Inc.



Salvation Army Citadel

Silver Spring Neighborhood Center

Social Development Commission

Southeastern Youth & Family Services

Spotted Eagle, Inc.

UMOS


Urban Ecology Center

Urban Underground

Walkers Point Youth & Family Center Walnut Way Conservation Corps


Wisconsin Regional Training Partnerships/Big Step

Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation

Word of Hope Ministries

World Outreach






Co

mm

un

ity

Blo

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ran

t

Wo

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Inve

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Act

Wra

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Milw

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Del

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Co

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Ser

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s

Fo

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ion

s &

Co

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Ind

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En

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Oth

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YMCA Youth Development for Change

YWCA



Youth Workforce Development Challenges & Recommendations

Like any other metropolitan area of the nation, Milwaukee County has a number of challenges, including in the field of youth workforce development. This section of the report identifies several county-wide challenges as well as recommendations for strengthen the region’s youth workforce development strategies.

Challenges For the purposes of this report, challenges are those macro-weaknesses beyond the local youth workforce development community’s capacity to impact significantly. Challenge One: Lack of Paid Jobs for Priority Youth The economy is simply not generating a sufficient number of jobs to make hiring priority youth as attractive as it might otherwise be in a high-demand market. Challenge Two: Higher Minimum Wage Studies demonstrate increasing the minimum wage does have a negative impact on the youth hiring. Challenge Three: Intergenerational Competition Employers in an uncertain market with lower profitability often are more likely to seek older, more skilled workers than invest in training new, unskilled workers. Challenge Four: Ongoing Funding In an age of declining allocations for youth workforce development, funding is a critical challenge.

MAWIB’s Proactive Response to Challenges MAWIB is very much aware of the challenges and actively working to address them through a variety of proactive strategies, including increased collaboration and partnerships with a variety of entities. In addition to the effective efforts MAWIB is already implementing, Jericho Resources, Inc. and the Planning Council for Health & Human Services offer several recommendations on the next several pages.



Recommendations The Planning Council/Jericho Resources, Inc. team recommends that MAWIB consider the following: Recommendation One: Convene Youth Workforce Development Funding Coordination Task Force Consider convening local representatives of youth workforce development funding sources, particularly those supporting services for priority subgroups, to discuss common challenges, encourage collaboration, and work to estimate the size of the neediest youth population in Milwaukee County. Potential funding sources/institutions may include: MAWIB, Milwaukee Community Development Grants Administration, Wraparound Milwaukee, Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare, etc. Recommendation Two: Establish a County-wide Shared Youth Vision Coalition Consider establishing a county-wide Shared Youth Vision Coalition that:

includes representation of concerned public/private partners, including funding sources (e.g., WIA, Wraparound Milwaukee, CDBG, foundations, etc.), youth-serving agencies, educational institutions, and employers

is dedicated to serving Milwaukee County’s neediest youth

encourages collaboration, in part, by seeking and sharing funding across the coalition

Recommendation Three: Identify Pro-Collaboration Corporations & Foundations Consider identifying corporations and foundations that may encourage collaboration by investing more funding in coalition-wide youth workforce development as compared to funding individual programs and services. Recommendation Four: Adopt a Coalition-wide Youth Workforce Development Strategy Consider canvassing coalition members to determine “match” resources that may be available to attract additional youth workforce development funding capable of allowing investment in intensive case management and follow up. Identify public and private funding that could support and diversify coalition-wide funding. That funding



could be used to provide such services as intensive case management and work permit assistance. Recommendation Five: Create Common Youth Assessment Tool & Co-enroll Consider creating a common tool that can be used to triage youth, determine whether they fit one or more of the neediest youth categories, prioritize services, determine the most appropriate funding streams and programming, and co-enroll youth, where appropriate. Recommendation Six: Develop a County-wide Social Marketing Youth Workforce Development Campaign Consider conducting a “Tomorrow’s Workforce Today” campaign encouraging every Milwaukee County employer to commit to investing in at least one young person—one future member of metro Milwaukee’s workforce—per year, either through a paid position or unpaid internship. Recommendation Seven: Develop a Community Internship Database Consider developing a county-wide bank of internships, which would help to facilitate connecting youth with employers.



Works Cited

Abt Associates, Inc. (January 2009). Common Sense, Uncommon Commitment: A Progress Report on the Shared Youth Vision Partnership. Washington, D.C.: Division of Youth Services, U.S. Department of Labor.

Andrew Sum, I. K. (July 2010). Vanishing Work Among U.S. Teens, 2000-2010: What A Difference a Decade Makes! Four Million Missing Workers in June 2010. Boston: Center for Labor Statistics, Northeastern University.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (August 24, 2011). Employment and Unemployment Among Youth--Summer 2011. Washington, D.C.: Author.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2011, August 26). Youth employment and unemployment in July 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2011/ted_20110826.htm

Division of Safety and Permanence/Research, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. (2011, September 8). Wisconsin Children in Out-of-Home Care. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from Wisconsin Department of Children and Families: Retrieved from http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cwreview/reports/OOHC/Monthly/2011/OOHC-M-Aug-11.pdf

D'Urso, W. (2011, July 3). Teens shut out of job market, study finds. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , p. Retrieved from http://www.jsonline.com.

Gilbert, G. M. (2008, January 31). Training and Employment Notices. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from U.S. Department of Labor Employment & Training Administration: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEN/ten2007/TEN28-07.pdf

Glaze, L. E. (March 2010). Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice.

Henken, R. &. (2011, June). Milwaukee County Detainee Populations at Historic Lows: Why is it happening and what does it mean? Research Brief , p. 1.

Henken, R. (2011, June 17). The Wheeler Report Releases. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from The Wheeler Report: http://www.thewheelerreport.com/releases/June11/0617/0617publicpolicy.pdf

Job Corps, U.S. Department of Labor. (2011, August 10). Job Corps Recruiting. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from Job Corps Recruiting Website: http://recruiting.jobcorps.gov/Libraries/pdf/english_e_brochure.sflb



Lopez, J. J. (2009, November 23). Migrant Law Enforcement. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/migrants/pdf/migrantpoprep2009.pdf

Morisi, T. L. (2010, May). The early 2000s: a period of declining teen summer employment rates. Monthly Labor Review , pp. 23-35.

PNC Financial Services Group. (2011). Milwaukee Market Outlook May 2011. Author.

Shriver, J. &. (August 2009). Homelessness in Milwaukee 2009: Point in Time Survey of Milwaukee’s Homeless Citizens. Milwaukee: Milwaukee Continuum of Care.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2011, June 3). Milwaukee County QuickFacts from the U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from U.S. Census Bureau: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55079.html

USA Today. (2011, September 6). Jobs growth forecast: How jobs growth forecast was done. USA Today , Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/story/Jobs-Forecast-2011/34083932/1.

White House Task Force For Disadvantaged Youth. (October 2003). Final Report. Washington, D.C.: Author.

Wisconsin Department for Public Instruction. (2011, March 10). EHCY Data. Retrieved September 24, 2011, from Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Website: http://dpi.wi.gov/homeless/data.html

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (2011, September). Enrollment by Student Group. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction: http://data.dpi.state.wi.us/Data/GroupEnroll.aspx?OrgLevel=di&GraphFile=GROUPS&S4orALL=2&SRegion=1&SCounty=40&SAthleticConf=45&SCESA=05&Qquad=demographics.aspx&Group=RaceEthnicity&FULLKEY=01361903````&DN=Milwaukee&SN=None+Chosen&CompareTo=S

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (2011, September). Wisconsin School District Performance Report. Retrieved September 27, 2011, from Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Website: https://apps2.dpi.wi.gov/sdpr/district-report.action

Wisconsin Department of Revenue. (2011). Wisconsin Economic Outlook Spring 2011. Madison : Author.

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. (2011, September 22). Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development: Work Permit. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Website: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/er/labor_standards_bureau/work_permits.htm



Wraparound Milwaukee. (2011, August 24). O-YEAH Project. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from Milwaukee County Website: http://county.milwaukee.gov/WraparoundMilwaukee7851/OYEAHProject.htm



Appendices

The following appendices have been included as part of this report:

Appendix A: Participating Entities Appendix B: Survey Instruments Appendix C: Key Informant Interviews—MAWIB 2011 Appendix D: Milwaukee County Youth Workforce Development Provider

Database Documentation



Appendix A: Participating Entities The following entities provided input into the Community Mapping/Environmental Scan Report:

Providers Agape Community Center Boy Scouts of America-Milwaukee County Council Learning for Life Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee Career Youth Development (CYD) Center for Resilient Cities Centro Hispano High School City Kids Wrestling Club City on a Hill, Inc. COA Youth & Family Centers Commandos Phase II Earn & Learn-Community Work Experience Program Earn & Learn-Private Sector Job Connection Earn & Learn-Summer Youth Internships Easter Seals of Southeast Wisconsin Enrichment Opportunities Institute of Training, Inc. Esperanza Unida Foster Care Youth Independence Center of Wisconsin, Inc. Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin-Workforce Connection Centers

& Job Training Growing Power Harambee Ombudsman Project HeartLove Place-Earn & Learn Program Hmong-American Friendship Association Journey House Lake Valley Camp Latino Community Center Lead to Succeed-Community Connections Consultants Milwaukee Area Health Education Center Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee Center for Independence Milwaukee Christian Center Milwaukee Community Service Corps Milwaukee LBGT Community Center Milwaukee Public Theatre Milwaukee Urban League



MPS-Riverside University High School Nehemiah Project, Inc. Neighborhood House of Milwaukee New Beginnings Are Possible Next Door Foundation (Educare) Northcott Neighborhood Center Our Next Generation Kids-High School Connection Program Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Pan African Community Association Pathfinders Pearls for Teen Girls Project Respect, Inc. Risen Savior Lutheran Church Rosalie Manor Community & Family Services Running Rebels Community Organization Salvation Army Citadel Silver Spring Neighborhood Center Social Development Commission Southeastern Youth & Family Services Spotted Eagle, Inc. St. Charles Youth & Family Services St. Vincent de Paul Society of Milwaukee UMOS United Neighborhood Center of Milwaukee Urban Ecology Center Urban Underground Walkers Point Youth & Family Center Walnut Way Conservation Corps Wisconsin Community Services Wisconsin Regional Training Partnerships/Big Steps Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation Word of Hope Ministries, Inc. World Outreach YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee Youth Development for Change YWCA of Greater Milwaukee

Employers Andrew Automotive Group Foley & Lardner LLP



GRAEF Greater Milwaukee Committee Lancer Roofing



Appendix B: Survey Instruments Following this page are the two survey instruments used in soliciting input from local workforce development community partners:

Employer Survey Provider Survey



Appendix C: Key Informant Interviews—MAWIB 2011

Purpose Key informant interviews were conducted with community leaders in Milwaukee County to explore and gather information about the employment needs of youth, barriers to addressing those needs, strengths of youth related to employment, services available in the community and gaps in services, collaborations between groups that serve youth’s employment needs, and what else could be done to address youth employment. This information was gathered to help MAWIB identify effective practices that span education, employment and training, youth development, and services that help to transition youth from school to adult life.

Methodology The Planning Council, in consultation with Jericho Resources, Inc., developed a list of potential key informants, seeking in particular to include individuals representing agencies that serve the “neediest youth” subgroups within the Shared Youth Vision of the Federal Partnership. The eight individuals identified represented various sectors including government, business, non-profit and academia. Emails were sent to these eight people describing the timing, purpose and scope of the interviews. Planning Council staff and interns placed follow-up phone calls during the weeks of September 12 through September 23, 2011. Participants were informed about the Planning Council and how the information from the interview would be used. A total of six individuals agreed to participate in the interviews. The persons interviewed were:

Rich Greene, Greater Milwaukee Committee, Director of Operations

Mary Kennedy, Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare, Kinship Care Coordinator

Lois Quinn, UWM Employment and Training Institute, Senior Scientist

Maria Rodriguez, Housing Authority – City of Milwaukee, Youth and Family Services Manager

Chee Thao, United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee, Director, UNCOM Jobs Program

Todd Witt, Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center, Program Director A set of open-ended questions was designed to guide key informants in the discussion:

1. In your opinion, what are the top three challenges or weaknesses Milwaukee’s youth face as they prepare to enter the workforce?



2. What community resources are needed to overcome these challenges/weaknesses? Are you aware of any groups that are working now to provide these types of resources?

3. In your opinion, what are the greatest strengths Milwaukee’s youth possess as they seek employment?

4. Does your organization partner, collaborate, or have a working relationship with any school districts, civic groups, employers, business associations, networks and/or community organizations to help prepare foster youth for employment? If yes, please indicate the names of the groups.

5. Are you aware of the publicly funded services Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board offers to assist employers interested in hiring youth? If yes, do you think this program is effective at serving youth?

6. What one thing would you like to see happen in Milwaukee to help youth get jobs?

7. Is there anything else that you think we should know about these issues?

Detailed notes from the interviews were reviewed using qualitative analytic techniques. Key themes were manually coded and relevant quotes related to those themes were identified.

Limitations The key informant viewpoints described in this section of the report are restricted to the thoughts and opinions of the limited number of participants and are not presented as representative of all community leaders. Nonetheless, interviews are useful in gathering deeper insights and perspectives on topics from people who know the subject well.

Key Informant Interview Themes 1. Top challenges or weaknesses faced by Milwaukee youth as they prepare to

enter the workforce

General lack of preparation for the workplace

This challenge was mentioned by every one of the key informants. They said youth lack work readiness in a number of areas including not knowing what the workforce expects of them, lack of a work ethic, and lack of life experiences that would prepare them for the world of work.



“Many youth have unrealistic expectations of what a job will be like.” “Many parents living in public housing shelter their children and do not let them leave the safety of their homes, therefore the kids have little experience going outside their comfort zone.”

A lack of “soft skills” was specifically mentioned by nearly all the informants. Some of the soft skills mentioned were interviewing, writing resumes, timeliness, dress/attire, attitude, persistence and ability to handle confrontation. One informant pointed out that while there are programs to teach these soft skills, many youth don’t attend because they just want to get straight to work.

“Youth have the mentality that they don’t need these readiness activities.”

Because of this general lack of job skills, employers find it difficult to set up suitable projects for youth to work on, according to one key informant.

Transportation

All the interviewees cited transportation as a significant problem for youth trying to get jobs. Since most youth do not have cars, they must rely on buses, which are not always on time, making it difficult for youth to get to work on time. Even if youth do have access to a car, they often do not have a driver’s license. MPS does not offer free driver training to all students, and there is the added problem of older youth losing their licenses for income-related reasons.

Education

Dropping out of high school and not obtaining a GED was mentioned as a challenge to work readiness by four of the informants. And while this is certainly a problem for many youth, one key informant also pointed out that low educational levels of the parents often trickles down to their children.

“Parents, particularly young parents, often have low educational levels, which then translates into youth who lack reading and writing skills, which impacts their ability to get jobs.”

Support System



Four interviewees brought up that youth living in poverty often do not have the support systems around them that would make it easier for them to find and keep jobs. Youth know few people with jobs, much less people with professional careers. This leaves youth with no contacts to help them get jobs, no encouragement, and no backup when things don’t work out as planned.

“A support network is lacking for foster youth, unless they happen to connect strongly with a foster parent who is interested in keeping in touch.” “Many youth in public housing have no one to rely on for backup plans, for instance, if Plan A to get to work fails, youth have no Plan B.”

Stability

The lack of a permanent address was seen as a barrier to getting and keeping a job by half of the interviewees, particularly for youth in foster care and homeless youth.

2. Community resources needed to overcome these challenges/weaknesses and

groups that are providing these resources.

Soft skills training (Boys & Girls Clubs, HACM, UNCOM agencies, SDC, YMCA, YWCA)

“The staff who are in charge of the work programs are the most important element; they need to be able to build trusting relationships with the youth.”

Transportation assistance (bus tickets provided by some agencies, MPS provides some driver’s education using tax dollars, Wisconsin Community Services Center for Driver's License Recovery & Employability helps but needs more funding, Wisconsin Community Services also does public policy work around driver’s license suspension)

Formal education—GED and vocational programs (GED programs exist at agencies throughout the city; a program operates at some MPS high schools giving youth early credits at MATC and incentives to attend MATC)

Other resources mentioned by key informants:

o Bay View Community Center o Hope Network



o Job Corps o Lad Lake (“Connections” program in support of youth aging out of

foster care) o Latino Community Center o Temporary employment agencies o UMOS (migrant youth) o W2

3. The greatest strengths of Milwaukee youth as they seek employment.

Motivation and resilience

Their desire to work and ability to adjust to changes were cited by nearly all of the key informants as youth’s greatest strengths.

“Our kids are resourceful. They have very good survival and coping skills, honed in finding housing and paying for food.”

Demographics

Several interviewees mentioned that youth benefit by virtue of sheer numbers. Individuals working with youth and business leaders alike mentioned that because of demographic changes occurring in the next decade, businesses must ensure a qualified workforce for the future by investing in youth now.

“The future labor force will be the young minority population. Soon, 50% of the total population in the Milwaukee metropolitan area will be youth.”

4. Organizations that are collaborating around preparing youth for employment.

All but one key informant said their organizations were collaborating with others on youth employment. Agencies already mentioned above were mentioned, but Milwaukee Public Schools was the organization mentioned most frequently (four out of the six interviewees stated they were collaborating with MPS). Also getting one mention each were the Menomonee Valley Partners, the State of Wisconsin “Know to Go” program, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

5. Awareness of MAWIB youth employment program.



All of the interviewees said they were familiar with MAWIB’s youth employment efforts, but one individual stated they thought the funding for the program had ended and that it was no longer operational. Informants felt the program was serving youth effectively, but expressed the need for the program to expand either by offering more jobs, or by lengthening the amount of time each job placement lasts.

“There’s not enough funding to give youth jobs. We used to employ hundreds of youth each summer, this year we only employed 24.”

One interviewee speculated that private sector employers are reluctant to participate due to the perceived red tape involved.

“Too few businesses participate because they find there are too many regulations and restrictions around hiring youth.”

6. Area of greatest need to help youth get jobs.

Get more private employers involved

When asked what one thing they would like to see happen in Milwaukee to help youth get jobs, nearly all of the key informants mentioned getting private employers more involved. Often, they said there needs to be more communication between employers themselves, and also between employers and the agencies working on the issue of youth employment.

“We need more communication between employers.” “We need a community of business people who will put their heads together to focus on this issue and make it a priority.” “There needs to be an interface between business people and agencies working with youth (like the interfaces that exist for education and transitional living for foster youth).”

One informant made specific mention of a need to make a citywide commitment to employing people of color as apprentices and journeymen at all publicly-funded construction sites.

“African American and Hispanic teens will show interest in construction trades training only if they believe that they have a chance to be employed in these fields – and see minorities on the job.”

More programs, particularly for targeted groups of at-risk youth



Four interviewees said that more programming was needed, whether through extending the length of current programming, or through increasing the number of slots available. Special populations of youth can face waiting lists for programming that serves their unique needs, according to one informant.

“Programs for homeless youth always have a waiting list, and turn away hundreds of youth each year.”

Increase graduation rates at MPS

Three informants mentioned the need to increase MPS graduation rates if youth are to be better prepared for work.



Appendix D: Milwaukee County Youth Workforce Development Provider Database Documentation

MAWIB Youth Services: Access Database User Guide

Created: July 2011



1.0 Preface 1.1 Document Change Activity

The following is a record of the changes that have occurred on this document from the time of its original approval: Ver # Change Description Author Date

1 Created Jason Miller 07/05/2011

2

3

4

1.2 Document Purpose The purpose of this document is to provide a reference for using MAWIB_YouthServices.accdb.

2.0 Understanding Access Databases The MAWIB Youth Services database is a Microsoft Access database. As with all Access databases, multiple users can be simultaneously logged into the database. However, Access locks the record (or organization in this case) on which the user is working so that no two users are “battling” over a single record. If a second user attempts to access a record that is in use by someone else, the record will appear as “read-only” to the second user and cannot be edited. The database should be saved on a shared drive to which all the intended users have security clearance. Ideally, all users would have a copy of Microsoft Access installed on their machines; however, if Access is not installed, a free copy of a program called “Access Runtime” can be used as an alternative. A link to that program is provided below: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=10910

3.0 Opening the Database When the database opens, it will automatically launch the main interface, which consists of three tabs.

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=10910



4.0 Understanding the Tabs on the Main Interface This section documents the tabs of the database. There are three tabs that make up the data collection interface:

Organization Information

Service Information

Validation Question

4.1 Organization Information Tab The first four fields of the Organization Information are required (name and principal address information). Only if the principal address is different from the mailing address, is the mailing address information required. IMPORTANT! After collecting the basic address information, ask if the organization provides youth workforce development services. If yes, check the box for that question and proceed with collecting the contact information. If no, do NOT check the box and terminate the interview.



IMPORTANT! If you need to delete a record for some reason, change the name of the organization to “delete this record” and unclick the “Provides Youth Workforce Development” box. This will mark these records to be deleted manually at a later date.

4.2 Service Information Tab The Service Information Tab is made of five areas:

Age range

Service provided

Most In-Need

Funding

Eligible Zip Codes Select the appropriate feedback from each list based on the interview. NOTE: If an organization services all zip codes, a “short cut” button for all zip codes, when checked, will auto-populate the entire zip code list.



4.3 Verification Question Tab The final tab is simple one question. This verifies that the organization would like to be included in the online map of youth workforce service providers. Check the box if the organization indicates that they would like to be included.

5.0 Understanding the Buttons on the Main Interface There are three clusters of buttons on the right side of the main interface. The first cluster is for adding new organizations and saving the data after it has been entered.

NOTE: When the database opens, it automatically starts as a new organization record.



The second cluster is for searching and navigating previously entered organizations.

To locate an organization that has already been entered, first put the curser in the field of the organization name then click the “Search Org” button and a standard Access search window will pop up. Put the name of the organization in the “Find What” field and click “Find Next”. If you can only remember part of the name, enter what you know. Then change the “Match” drop-down to “Any part of field”.

NOTE: To search through multiple entries), use one of the following two methods:

1. Keep the “Find and Replace” pop-up open and click the “Find Next” button until you find the correct record.

2. Close the “Find and Replace” pop-up and click the combination of SHIFT F4 to go to the next find.



Finally, the last cluster is for outputting reports and basic XML for the geocoding used during the creation of the online map.

The Provider Report opens a PDF of all the organizations that do provide youth workforce services, and all the data associated with that organization. The NonProvider Report opens a PDF that simply lists the organizations that were interviewed but do not provide youth workforce services. For both PDF-based reports be aware of the following functions:

Clicking on the open report increases its size for better readability.

Clicking the “Print Preview” tab in the upper left corner will open the standard print commands.

Clicking the “X” in the upper right corner will close the PDF. To output the XML required for geocoding, click the “Export GeoMap XML” button, which outputs each record that has been marked as providing youth workforce services in the following format: <GeomapQ> <organizationName /> <address /> <lat /> <lng /> </GeomapQ> NOTE: The XML file will always be named “MAWIB_GeoMapData.xml” and typically outputs the “Documents” directory of the user’s computer.

2338 North 27th StreetMilwaukee, WI 53210Telephone: 414.270.1700TTY: 414.270.1848Fax: 414.225.2375www.MilwaukeeWIB.org