FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Who/What agency spearheaded the formation of the council, and when did you get started?
The Centralina Workforce Development Board (WDB) initiated the push to have a Youth Council in January 1999. This had been discussed by the WDB for several months in late 1998 after the passage of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). Letters to various local youth service agencies/groups were mailed in January 1999. Recommendations were received in February 1999 and reviewed by an ad-hoc "Youth Council Steering Committee" of the WDB that made initial recommendations in March 1999. An application package was sent to the prospective members in March 1999. Completed applications were received and reviewed by the steering committee in April 1999. Final recommendations for Youth Council membership were made at the Centralina WDB meeting in April 1999 and were certified by the local elected official in May of 1999. The first meeting of the Centralina Youth Council was held September 21, 1999.

2. What agencies are now actively involved on the council?
See attached membership list

3. How is the council administered and whom does that work?
The Youth Council has a chair (also a WDB member) and uses various ad-hoc committees (consisting of Youth Council members and non-members) to accomplish the work of the Council. Currently, a Strategic Planning committee, a Funding committee, and a Services committee exist. The Centralina WDB provides the staff support to the Council for mailing meeting notices, agendas, minutes, etc.

4. What kind of community participation exists on the council?
The Youth Council invites a broad group of individuals from the community to each meeting ("Youth Council meeting guests"). Some are WIA youth service providers, others represent other groups/agencies (United Way, Goodwill Industries, local youth programs/service organizations, Communities in Schools, etc.). Meetings often have a presentation from an agency or service that everyone may not be aware of.

5. What kind of business participation exists on the council?
The Centralina Youth Council currently has 4 private sector members. These individuals represent both large and small employers in the region in areas ranging from manufacturing to the service sector. We also use private sector employers on several ad-hoc committees of the Youth Council.

6. What kind of youth participation exists on the council?
Currently, we receive youth input through the various career development coordinators from the schools who serve on the council. At this time, we also have one youth that serves on the council.

a. If no youth participation, do you get youth input from other ways? How?
Via school counselors, career development coordinators, community college staff, and
WIA youth service providers' feedback.

b. If youth are involved, how did they get involved? Where do they come from or how are they recruited (schools, non-profits, etc.)? Do they get training? What kind?
The current youth on the council is a student at a local high school in our region.
His father who is currently a Cabarrus County Commissioner recommended him.
They get training, along with other new members, at an orientation session.

7. Have you built any coalitions with non-employment based agencies, such as Juvenile Justice? Schools? Child welfare? Etc.? Please describe them briefly.
The Centralina Youth Council through its "Youth Services/Resources Survey" (see attached) has reached out to various groups in the region for their input into the operations of the Youth Council. As mentioned before, we also have many of these agencies present their services to the Youth Council. Members often want to find the resources to replicate these agencies services in their county. Many such agencies are also involved as "partners" with the local JobLink Career Center system ("One-Stop") in our region.

8. What is the Council doing for out-of-school youth?
The Council currently provides WIA out-of-school youth services including having participants to attend county schools or enroll in the area GED program. Tutorial services are made available through the community college, Alternative Education programs, and community based GED programs. Short-term training may be provided in designated areas. The goal with out-of-school youth is through specialized instruction and intensive job placement efforts to reduce the number of unemployed youths and encourage education and a more prepared person to enter the workforce.

9. What is the Council doing for criminal offenders?
Criminal offenders are often recruited from youth correctional facilities in the state to participate in WIA out-of-school youth services. This is a means by which youth offender can be assimilated back into their home community. Additionally, we have a Juvenile Justice system representative on the Council who advises on ways to reach out to youth offenders.

10. How has the Council been effective?
The Council has been effective in reaching out and broadening the horizon of available services for youth and for those individuals who provide services to youth. We have also been successful in bringing together various agencies, groups, etc. and developing new ideas for serving youth.

11. What impact do you feel that the Council has made?
The Centralina Youth Council has raised the awareness of youth related issues in the region. Many of the topics covered at Council meetings extend beyond the traditional "programs and services". With upcoming "community youth forums", the Centralina Youth Council will be recognized as the voice for youth and youth services in our region.

12. What decision-making power does the Council have on Work Implementation Boards?

a. Does the Council need to get its decisions approved by the Board?
The Centralina WDB has given the Youth Council broad powers in handling many issues. The Council gets funding decisions (i.e. WIA funding) approved by the Centralina WDB. The Youth Council handles almost everything else. The Youth Council chairman reports to the Centralina WDB on a regular basis and he also participates in the quarterly meeting of WDB committee chairs to share and gather new ideas.

13. What have been the major obstacles and how are they overcome?
The major obstacles have been getting the "buy-in" from agencies and groups in the region, seeking additional funding for many of the Council's initiatives (WIA is only a very small part of what the Council wishes to deal with), and assuring quality representatives serve on the Council. On the "buy-in" part, we feel that we have made in-roads with many agencies through the Youth Council survey and encouraging their participation at Youth Council meetings. For additional funding, the Council has applied for 2 separate USDOL grants and, as part of the Centralina WDB, Inc. - a 501( C ) (3) non-profit, is actively working with local corporations for foundation funding.

14. What are the next steps for the Council?
A priority next step for the youth council is to implement The Mentoring/ Youth and Family Literacy Project for the Centralina region. The foundation has been established and securing funding for the program will be in the near future. Other steps include developing and monitoring implementation plans for pilot programs; developing strategies for more youth input and/or involvement (focus groups, career development coordinators, website "chat room", etc.); obtaining funding resources (beyond WIA) for youth services.

15. If you are an advocate, what tools have you used to insure that the Council is effective?
The Centralina WDB staff to the Youth Council has been actively involved with the "Youth Council" project through the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, including participating in the development of the "WIA Youth System Cookbook". The Centralina Youth Council has reviewed case examples from Youth Councils around the country, constantly discusses new opportunities based on gaps in service to youth in individual communities, and shares/reviews the "Youth Council Works" newsletters on a regular basis. We also ask for feedback from our Council members on the effectiveness of the Council - its meetings, its services, and its role in the community.