Learning Session 2-7 Effective Collaborations to Serve Young Adults in Rural Communities

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THE CHALLENGES OF RURAL YOUTH IN WESTERN

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Working Collaboratively to Provide Work and Learning Opportunities for

Young Adults: A Conference for Teams that Cross Delivery Systems 1

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NH Department of Employment Security

Community Action Programs (CAPs)

NH Department of Education

NH Department of Labor

NH Dept of Resources and Economic Development

Community College System of NH

Partners

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CCSNH is New Hampshire's statewide system of two-year colleges, offering associate degrees, professional training, and transfer pathways to four-year degrees.

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River Valley Community College At A Glance Founded in 1968, the main college campus is located, two

miles north of the city of Claremont, NH, within easy access to I-91. Situated on 180 acres, the setting provides the enjoyment of a rural existence and yet is within easy reach of cultural, business and shopping centers. Courses are also offered at the RVCC Academic Center located in Keene, NH.

1,094 total students: 330 full-time, 764 part-time Gender: 25% male, 75% female Average age: 24 Faculty: Full-time: 30; Adjunct: 52 Students represent 9 states and 6 countries. 3.3% of students

report Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander or Native American ethnicity

17 Associate Degree Programs and 19 Certificate/Diploma Programs offered

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Sullivan County Contains 537.8 square miles of land area and 14.3 square miles of inland water area. Based on the estimated 2009 population, the population density is 78.8 persons per square mile. Sullivan County includes one city, Claremont, and14 towns. Population Trends: Sullivan County is moderately small in both square

miles and population, and holds the fourth-highest population density among the counties. The

county has not experienced any dramatic increases or decreases in population seen by several other

counties. 2009 Population:42,692

Age 20 to 34 6,835Keene:

22,420 Population Age 20 to 34 5,808

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PROGRAMS TO ASSIST YOUNG ADULTS:

SHARED YOUTH VISION

CUFSAP (COMMUNITIES UNITED FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION )

PROJECT RISE

WORKREADY NH

STAR PROGRAM

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Shared Youth Vision

Youth Vision is a collaboration of local agencies, and organizations serving our

communities' neediest youth.

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Claremont/ Lebanon: Career Readiness for Youth based on the U.S. Army’s “You Can Program”

Keene : Jobfest

Job Fest Links Area Businesses and Job-Seeking Students

Job Fest was created after a speaker at the N.H. State Youth Vision Forum issued a challenge in October 2005. "He said employers wanted youth to show up, speak up, dress up, and respect work,"

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CUFSAPCommunities United for Substance Abuse

Prevention

Focus Concern for substance abuse prevention Reduce substance abuse in our

community Use Strategic Prevention Framework

(SPF) to document issues and implement a prevention plan

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Project RISE Is designed to assist individuals defined as Single Parents,

Single Pregnant Women and Displaced Homemakers. A SINGLE PARENT is an individual who is unmarried or legally separated from a spouse and has custody or joint custody of a minor child or children. A DISPLACED HOMEMAKER is an individual who is an adult and has worked primarily without renumeration to care for home, family, and for that reason has diminished marketable skills.

Project RISE provides financial assistance above and beyond the financial aid programs in place. It will fund education-related expenses such as: tuition and fees, books and some supplies (such as uniforms and other affiliation related expenses), child care, and travel.

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WorkReady NH WorkReady NH helps job-seekers

improve their skills and add a nationally recognized credential to their resume. WorkReady NH helps companies foster a skilled workforce, and find qualified applicants and employees.

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STAR PROGRAM

The STAR program launched in December of 2008 offers workers an accelerated, two-year advanced manufacturing apprenticeship while being employed with local manufacturers. At the same time, these workers will earn college credits which can be applied towards an associate’s degree at the college.

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EMPOWERING YOUNG ADULTS IN DOWNEAST MAINE

Innovation, Collaboration, and Cross Delivery

Working Collaboratively to Provide Work and Learning Opportunities for Young Adults: A Conference for Teams that Cross Delivery Systems

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WASHINGTON COUNTY, MAINE• The Sunrise County - Easternmost county

in the United States• Wild Blueberry Capital of the World• Seasonal economy supported by fishing,

forestry, and agriculture• Other larger industry clusters include

health, education, and social services; manufacturing; and retail trade

• Emerging industries include tidal and wind energy

• Creative economy and small business ventures are key components


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WASHINGTON COUNTY, ME~ Demographics ~

• Population 33,892• 2569 square miles (about the size of the

state of Rhode Island)• 13 people per square mile• Per capita income $29,464• 12% unemployment rate• 20.5% poverty rate


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WASHINGTON COUNTY, MAINE~ Challenges ~

• No public transportation• No homeless shelters• Two Native American reservations• Lower than average educational

attainment• One community college and one

university, geographically separated• Very limited adult education services• Higher than average opiate dependency


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Three Common Projects – Three Common Themes

Innovation, Collaboration, and Cross Delivery

Passamaquoddy Pride

PASSAGES

My Past is Not So Hot –

My Future’s Looking Bright


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PASSAMAQUODDY PRIDE

Passamaquoddy Pride was a special project designed to introduce young adults to the culture and tradition of the

Passamaquoddy Tribe in Pleasant Point, ME while incorporating skills attainment and work readiness.

• Individualized plans, group settings• Raising aspirations, increasing work readiness and

experience, increasing basic skill levels, overcoming barriers to employment, and gaining credentials

• Tribal mentoring• High need population, multiple barriers


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PASSAMAQUODDY PRIDE

• Pleasant Point Tribal Youth Program and Maine Department of Labor (MDOL)

• Other partners included Adult Education, Community Colleges, Tribal Elders

• MDOL $ = ARRA SY/WIA Year Round Youth/ARRA Adult

• 18 young adults (11 females/7males)• 18-24 age cohort• On-site (Pleasant Point)


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PASSAMAQUODDY PRIDE

• Cultural Awareness • GED/ABE• Driver’s Education• Work Experience/OJT• Work Readiness• Self-Esteem Building/Raising Aspirations• Parenting• Credentialing – energy

auditor/weatherization, CRMA w/ PSS, CDA


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Basket and Paddle Making:Teaching Culture and Tradition

• Classes taught by tribal elders/mentors• Learning a trade = income supplement


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Basket and Paddle Making:Teaching Culture and Tradition

• Instilled a sense of accomplishment• Generational cultural knowledge transfer


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CREDENTIALING

• GED and ABE provided on-site and locally by Adult Ed partners

• Weatherization certification training paid for by MDOL under ARRA SY

• Energy Auditor certification training paid for by the Tribe and provided by community college

• CRMA w/ PSS paid for and organized by the Tribe

Everyone who attended occupational training passed their certifications including five energy auditors, three weatherization techs,

and seven CRMA’s!!!!!!


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WORK & LIFE SKILLS

• Career prep, college awareness, and self-esteem building was organized and provided by MDOL. One tribal elder facilitated self-esteem boosting for males.

• Parenting skills classes were facilitated by tribal child care providers and teachers.

• Driver’s education was paid for by the Tribe.• Work experience was provided and paid for by MDOL

under both ARRA SY and regular WIA Youth. OJT funding provided under ARRA Adult.

At program end, three participants gained unsubsidized employment and two participants entered post-secondary training!!!!


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PASSAGES

Passages at the Cobscook Community Learning Center (CCLC) is a home-based, self-paced, high school diploma

program for pregnant and parenting teens in the Washington County area.

• One-on-one instruction at home• Group work with other young parents• Focuses on 24 core skills involving parenting, life skills,

and regular academic areas• Builds on resiliency and self-sufficiency


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PASSAGES

• Cobscook Community Learning Center and MDOL

• Other partners include Maine Commission on Community Service/AmeriCorps, DHHS

• DOL $ = ARRA SY/WIA Year Round Youth

Ongoing and evolving project utilizing AmeriCorps volunteer and MDOL staff as mentors. Also, building increased coordination of case

management services used with MDOL and DHHS.


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PASSAGES

• Raising aspirations• Credentialing - HS Completion and post-

secondary attainment• Parenting• Career development• College awareness• Work experience

To date eleven participants have completed high school through Passages and all were/are WIA participants. Five have entered post-secondary

training, and four have obtained unsubsidized employment.


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My Past is Not So Hot – My Future’s Looking Bright

A drug court is a special court given the responsibility to handle cases involving drug-using offenders through comprehensive supervision, drug testing, treatment services, and immediate sanctions and incentives.

• Similar to diversion programs – guilty plea = program participation = graduation = reduced sentence

• Very rigorous and strictly supervised program focusing on treatment and recovery

• Team focused, team managed• Court centered• Millions of $’s saved in prison/jail costs• MDOL/CC activities are required components, not optional


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• Washington County Adult Drug Treatment Court (OSA/ME Judicial/DOJ) and MDOL

• Other partners include Community College, Adult Ed, Business Community, DOC Adult Probation

• MDOL $ = WIA Adult/ARRA SY• 34 participants so far in 18-24 age cohort• Direct referral process (key component)



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• Raising aspirations• Establishing trust• Increasing self-esteem• Work readiness• Career development• Credentialing – GED and post-secondary• Federal bonding and WOTC• Coming soon – SSI/SSDI benefits and

work analysis


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• Small, incremental steps = huge progress• 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th chances• Knowledge sharing/transfer via drug court

staff re: addiction and recovery• Ongoing and evolving, learning from

experiencesTo date in this age cohort, three participants have completed GED, five have

entered post-secondary training, two have completed post-secondary credentials, and three have obtained unsubsidized employment.


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COMMON THEMES• Raising aspirations• Establishing trust • Leveraging resources – as many players

as possible• Unique combinations of service options –

a package deal• Breaking historical barriers – no “been

there, done that” attitudes• Evolving projects - lots of tweaking and

many experiments