training session #4 linking & leveraging for success

Training Session #4Training Session #4

Linking & Leveraging for Success Linking & Leveraging for Success

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth -- Making the Connection between Youth with Disabilities & Employment2

MISSION

To ensure that youth with disabilities are provided full access to high quality services in integrated settings in order to maximize their opportunity for employment and independent living


COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS

Center for Workforce Development, the Institute for Educational Leadership

Disability Studies & Services Center, the Academy for Educational Development

National Conference of State Legislatures

National Youth Employment Coalition

National Association of Workforce Boards

National Center on Secondary Education & Transition, the University of Minnesota

TransCen, Inc.


TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES

• How to Guides• Information and Policy Briefs• Backgrounders• Hot Topics Syntheses• Funding Sources• Training Materials


What You Will Find in this Training Session

Defining Linking and Leveraging Importance of Linking and Leveraging Barriers to Linking and Leveraging Legislative support Use of Intermediaries Use of One-Stop Career Centers Use of Resource Mapping Resources/Handouts


Definitions

Linking and Leveraging is the collaboration at the individual and systems level in pursuit of a common purposes

Blended Funding: Funding which pools dollars from multiple sources and makes them in some ways indistinguishable.

Braided Funding: Similar to Blended Funding, however, the funding sources remain visible while they are used in common to produce greater strength, efficiency, and/or effectiveness


Why is Linking and Leveraging Important?

To build a coherent thread or alignment between missions, strategic planning and day-to-day activities across organizations and agencies

To reduce the incidence of duplicative services or failure to provide services at all

To develop partnerships that support a more inclusive vision

To provide access to all community services and supports for youth prior to leaving high school


Why is Linking and Leveraging Important? (Continued)

To address concerns over shrinking resources To meet the needs of youth requiring access to

multiple agencies and sources of support To develop intensive, direct, and overlapping

planning and service delivery systems



To acknowledge problems are not being addressed effectively by existing fragmented and, discontinuous services

To consider the alteration of structures, policies and rules in order to make service delivery “seamless”

To establish interagency cooperation at the state and local levels



To develop mechanisms for information sharing, communication, and coordination of services and supports across agencies and audiences

To comprehensively improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the workforce development system



To shift the primary focus of interagency collaboration from disability-specific services to more generically available programs and services

To reduce employer frustration with competing initiatives to recruit, train, and place young workers, and the myriad of services and programs offered by the education and workforce systems


Barriers to Linking and Leveraging

Difficult past/present relationships among agencies

Competition and “turf” issues Personality conflicts Differing organizational norms, values, and

ideologies Lack of precedent


Barriers to Linking and Leveraging (continued)

Lack of knowledge regarding each other’s systems

Reluctance to bypass bureaucratic constraints Limited financial resources Differences in organizational size, structure and

staffing between schools and community organizations



Different communication styles and values across disciplines

Not understanding “how things are done” in another system

Differences in the role and expectations of leaders

Unwillingness to share power and resources with partners



Youth and families often expect adult service agencies/institutions to mirror the secondary school system with which they are familiar

Each organization is structured to focus on its own particular goals, priorities and programmatic needs

Service gaps and duplication in services occur as funding and eligibility sources vary


Legislation/Initiatives Support Linking and Leveraging

IDEA stresses the need for collaboration on an individual planning level and on an interagency systems level

IDEA emphasizes creating access, participation, and progress in the general curriculum for all students

The New Freedom Initiative (2001) is a comprehensive plan to reduce barriers to full community integration for people with disabilities


Legislation Supports Linking and Leveraging (continued)

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) creates a comprehensive job training system that consolidates a variety of federally funded programs into an streamlined process allowing individual to access job training and employment services easily

Vocational Rehabilitation Act, part of WIA, links State vocational rehabilitation programs and workforce investment activities


Ways to Link Services and Leverage Resources

Use of Intermediaries to facilitate the process Use of One-Stop Career Centers Conduct Resource Mapping


What are Intermediaries?

An entity that brokers and streamlines relationships among various community agencies providing services and resources

An intermediary can be a single, organizational entity, a newly created non-profit, or a collaboration of several institutions in a community


Three Key Goals of Workforce Intermediaries

To bring workers into the American mainstream To increase business efficiency and productivity To enhance regional competitiveness


Common Characteristics of Intermediaries

Use a dual-customer approach- serving both businesses seeking employees and job seekers

Organize partners and funding streams around common goals to improve labor market outcomes

Provide or broker labor market services by understanding business needs

Reduce turnover and increase economic worker mobility

Achieve results through innovation Catalyze improvements in public systems and

employment practices


Activities of Intermediaries

Engaging local leaders Building a common vision across key

stakeholders Generating public awareness and “buy-in” Connecting youth to quality experiences Providing communication links between partners


Activities of Intermediaries (continued)

Using data to improve performance and measure success

Influencing programmatic, local, and state policies

Connecting to and aligning with other systems Generating resources


Benefits of Intermediaries

To assist employers to work effectively with youth with disabilities

To provide employers with both specific information about youth with disabilities, and information about strategies that will help them address training or supervision issues


Benefits of Intermediaries (Continued)

To help build internal competence within a business to support and accommodate youth with disabilities

To match employers with workers, thus contributing to the overall quality of the future workforce

To be a mechanism by which educators connect to the world outside the classroom


Benefits of Intermediaries (Continued)

To connect youth to quality work-based learning experiences

To ensure the quality and impact of local efforts To promote policies to sustain effective practices


Functions of Intermediaries- Intermediaries can help employers:

Identify qualified pools of young people Recruit and screen potential applicants based on

employer specifications Design work-based learning experiences that

meet the needs of youth and employers Provide effective workplace accommodations

and support services


Functions of Intermediaries- Intermediaries can help educators:

Connect classroom learning with the workplace Create and coordinate work-based learning

placemats Create and deliver job-readiness activities Connect to WIA Youth Councils Provide mentoring and career-readiness training for

youth Provide an ongoing venue for stakeholders to

dialogue and make decisions about youth education and services


Functions of Intermediaries- Intermediaries can help youth with

disabilities:

Develop realistic and positive career plans Connect work-based learning experiences to

classroom learning Arrange for course or academic credit when possible Receive effective workplace accommodations and

supports Connect with postsecondary options, adult mentors,

and community-based supports Find entry-level positions after high school


Functions of Intermediaries- Intermediaries can help communities:

Prepare all youth for the workplace Streamline youth service options and requirements Measure the impact of local policies and practices

on student learning and the workforce Promote quality work-based learning activities to

enhance employer buy-in Conduct outreach to other community institutions

and partners Sustain dialogue between major players


What are One-Stop Career Centers?

Centers merge traditional employment and training services in order to provide consolidated programs

Fundamental changes in the service delivery system

One-Stop system mandated by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 calls for an interactive, mutually beneficial relationship between 17 partners (including VR) and the One-Stop system


Benefits of “One-Stop” Use

Well-developed, collaborative WIA partnerships allow all partners to benefit from each other’s resources and expertise while fulfilling their own vital roles

Educators, service providers, and employers can expand their effectiveness by using the resources of the One-Stop Centers and WIA youth programs to augment current efforts to assist youth career development


Using One-Stop Career Centers to Connect and Collaborate

One-Stop systems can assist with the transition process by:

Providing quality, universally accessible services for all youth

Considering the needs of youth with disabilities in the design and delivery of such services

Providing support and assistance as needed by youth with disabilities as they use One-Stop services


Linking and Leveraging Activities at the “One-Stop”

Basic skill development Vocational skill training and advanced

educational opportunities Apprenticeship and entrepreneurial training Transportation to employment and training sites Vocational rehabilitation services Program navigators Benefit planning


Activities for Establishing Partnerships within the “One-Stop” System

Developing MOUs and Cooperative Agreements between mandated and non-mandated partners, local and state Workforce Investment Boards

Co-locating staff from partner agencies within the One-Stop Centers


Activities for Establishing Partnerships within the “One-Stop” System

(Continued)

Creating relationships with nontraditional agencies such as the local public housing authority, mental health, and developmental disability agencies that are identified through resource mapping or other planning processes

Establishing an Employer Service Network Creating disability work groups at the state and

local Workforce Investment Board levels


What is Resource Mapping?

A methodology used to link community resources with an agreed upon vision, organizational goals, strategies, or expected outcomes (Crane & Skinner, 2003)

Resource mapping can facilitate the identification, alignment, and leveraging of community resources to improve the educational, employment, and developmental needs of ALL youth


Why Use the Resource Mapping Process?

To understand how community builders and education leaders can work together more effectively and serve youth with disabilities more efficiently (MORE THAN THESE 2 GRPS OF STATE GOV’T FEVERAL EMPLOOYERS SERVICE PROVIDES, ETC.

To use as a catalyst for joint planning and professional development, resource and cost sharing, and performance-based management of programs and services


Why Use the Resource Mapping Process? (Continued)

To focus on what communities have to offer by identifying assets and resources that can be used for building a system

To focus holistically on the individual


Three Principles of Resource Mapping

1. Mapping strategies focus on what is already present in the community. They build on the strengths within the community

2. Mapping is relationship-driven. Key to mapping efforts is the development of partnerships

3. Mapping embraces the notion that to realize a vision and meet goals, a community may have to work across programmatic and geographic boundaries


Potential Results of Resource Mapping

Helps to identify new resources to develop, enhance, and sustain goals

Determines whether existing resources are being used effectively to achieve expected outcomes

Improves alignment and coordination of resources

Enhances coordination and collaboration among stakeholders with relevant resources


Potential Results of Resource Mapping (Continued)

Supports the development of new policies and legislation to better meet goals and objectives

Helps staff develop new projects or programs Helps an organization think about its interactions

with other community-based organizations Provides new source for volunteers, board

members or referrals to programs



Gives a comprehensive picture of the community when combined with other data

Provides insight into an organization’s strategic planning process

Orients new staff to the organization’s structure and programs



Helps staff realize that their work is part of a greater community of organizations and individuals working together for community building

Acknowledges that individuals, organizations and local institutions all have the capacity to create real change in their community


Contact NCWD/Youth

1-877-871-0744 (toll free)1-877-871-0665 (TTY toll free)www.ncwd-youth.info www.highschoolhightech.net [email protected]*****************************


ANY QUESTIONS????

training session #4 linking & leveraging for success

Documents

needs of youth

workforce development

disabilities employmentwhy

disabilities employmentwhat

success national collaborative

braided funding

community services

common purposesblended