Laserfiche WebLink
2022-23 Orange County Children's Therapeutic Arts Center <br />Youth Employment Program -WIOA Proposal <br />majority of the barriers include youth with disabilities, youth with basic skills deficient, <br />English language learners, low-income youth, homeless youth, youth in foster care or <br />emancipated, pregnant or parenting youth, high school dropout s and other barriers. <br />OCCTAC is very committed to serving all youth with these barriers. The following numbers <br />represent the youth we served during the 2017-18 program year with different barriers. <br />Out of the 20 youth served, 50 % had a disability, 15 % were Parenting Teens, 20% were HS <br />dr opouts, 10 % were homeless youth and 5 % were foster youth. Currently, we are serving <br />the following youth with the following barriers during the 2018-2019 program year: 52% <br />have a disability, 17% are Parenting Teens, 9% are HS dropouts, 4% are homeless youth and <br />are foster youth. <br />D.Specify how your organization will address the barriers that youth encounter -OCCTAC <br />WIOA staff is very dedicated and committed to all the youth that we enroll in our Youth <br />Employment (WIOA) program at OCCTAC. We have offered this WIOA program for the past <br />14 years to the Santa Ana youth! Our staff Is comprised of a hardworking group of <br />individuals that are passionate about making a difference in the community, and are <br />prepared to address all of the barriers that youth encounter. Our TEAM of dedicated staff <br />guide and mentor the youth, and assist them during the entire program year. The team is <br />comprised of a Case manager, a Literacy/Numeracy Tutor, a Career Counselor, a Job <br />Developer and Work Experience mentors that help youth attain their educational and <br />career goals. All of the youth are also required to attend monthly job skills/life skills <br />works hops, focusing anywhere from employment attainment/retention, to how to improve <br />and change their own personal lives, and the community in which they live. In addition, to <br />aid in academic barriers that youth experience, all participants will be assigned to an <br />Educational counselor who will provide direction and coaching on any academic aspect, <br />such as scholarship writin g and enrollment into an institution of their interest. This service <br />is crucial for all youth participating in the program because it will allow them to learn about <br />various academic paths, including vocational training, HS recovery programs and 4-year <br />institutions, while narrowing down a career of interest and actually committing to a <br />program. <br />Furthermore, all participants will be provided with psychological counseling (if needed), and <br />other important support services. OCCTA's environment is very nurturing, fun and <br />supportive, and provides youth opportunities to maintain a high level of involvement in our <br />pr ograms. WIOA youth are supported emotionally throughout the entire year at OCCTAC, <br />and are provided with a positive and welcoming envir onment that also encourages youth <br />to partake on various leadership roles within the various programs and activities at our <br />agency. These additional activities provide youth with an opportunity to gain self­ <br />confidence, self-esteem and leadership skills. Our goal is to empower youth and provide a <br />life changing opportunity through this WIOA program I <br />6 <br />EXHIBIT 1