Camden County Workforce Investment Board
Youth Committee
April 24, 2009
Minutes
Attendees:
Stewart Rosenberg, Chair
Diana Crone, CPAC
Bonnie Donegan, Adventure Aquarium
Sean Dougherty, Hopeworks’ N Camden
Maritza Gonzalez, HACC
Jane Guillard, Juvenile Justice Commission
Siobhan Kelly, Camden County Technical Schools
Evelyn Nieves, HACC
Harry Segner III, Ewing Cole
Don Wittrock, NJ AAS
Kendra Wright, Camden Center for Youth Development Inc.
Staff:
Sherriea Gorden, WIB
Kathleen Mayfield, CCOS
Carole Misinkavitch, WIB
Jeffrey S. Swartz, WIB
Tony Teti, CCOS
Welcome & Round Table Introductions:
Jeff Swartz, Executive Director welcomed members to the meeting and introduced Chairman, Stewart Rosenberg, President, Progress Packaging.
American Recovery & Reinvestment Act-Kathy Mayfield
For the first time in almost a decade, funding for a summer youth program will be available. The initial allocation was nearly 1.5 million. The Camden County One-Stop has extensive knowledge with such programs and will manage the ARRA program and Summer H.E.A.T. simultaneously.
- Funding is forthcoming however, original allocations are being recalculated. There is an allowable 10% administrative fee to offset associated administrative costs. In the event the entire 10% is not utilized, the remainder may be redirected back to the grant to serve additional youth
- ARRA funding can only be used to serve out of school youth who are not attached to a school system including those graduating in June 09, not college bound
- A non-financial RFP was mailed directly to approximately 400 qualified agencies to obtain worksites
- Outreach will include unemployed youth utilizing the unemployment system.
- Municipalities, non-profit agencies and educational providers will outreach directly and Public Service Announcements will be utilized to connect with the entire county
- Each worksite will be responsible for providing youth with work experience that will that will reinforce the real-life demands of employment
- Participants must meet the WIA criteria, Low income based on the 70% lower living standard, and possess one or more of the following challenges:
1. Basic skills deficient (Computes or solves problems, reads, writes, or speaks English at or below the 8th grade level on a generally accepted standardized test.)
2. School dropout
3. Disabled
4. Resident of an Abbott School District
5. Homeless, runaway or foster child
6. Pregnant or Parenting
7. Citizenship or alien and draft registration
- Program period is June 15-August 30 and no later than September 30
- Youth will be paid the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour and 12 temporary staff will earn $12 per hour.
- Currently the Fiscal agent anticipates spending 100% of the allocation prior to September 30, 2009
Role of the Youth Committee
The following suggestions were discussed:
- The committee takes a pro-active approach in identifying at risk youth throughout the entire county; the rapidly changing county demographics show at risk youth are no longer concentrated in the city but are dispersed throughout the county. At-risk youth, both in-school and out-of-school must be serviced beyond the summer
- The committee should research existing mentoring programs throughout the county, including contacting Freeholder Cappelli’s office as they advocate mentoring. Successful mentoring programs are provided by VOA, Center for Family Services and Big Brothers and Big Sisters and can serve as examples for designing and implementing a mentoring program.
- The establishment of a “Speakers Bureau” to work with schools and other agencies to convey the services available at the Camden County One-Stop Career Center and Resource Center
- Schedule a follow-up Round Table meeting with stakeholders to establish priorities.
Stewart requested a copy of the WIA Youth Council requirements be sent to members for review.
The committee agreed monthly meeting dates should be established.
Submitted by,
Sherriea Gorden
Executive Assistant
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