ORANGE COUNTY CONSERVATION CORPS (3) - 2010

Home Browse Search

Furthermore, a transition specialist fiom Santa Ana College works directly with students to help them complete the necessary application, registration, and financial aid forms for enrolling in community college. Santa Ana College's Continuing Education program welcomes any interested Taller San Jose student or graduate to came to campus and take a free Math and English skills assessment. These students can then participate in free small group or orie-on-one tutoring sessions on campus. As an organization, Taller San Jose is distinguished by program refinement and continuous improvement. Taller San Jose uses an established evah~ation method including: client surveys, focus groups, and feedback collected during mentoring sessions to address client concerns. Taller San Jose program staff meets bi-monthly to discuss and refine existing programs and services. To evaluate its community impac#, Taller measures five "critical to qualify" outcomes: I) recruitment of troubled youth motivated to change; 2) training all students in soft and hard skills; 3) strong and appropriate support services; 4) placement of graduates into permanent jobs with alining-wage prospect; and 5) 24 months ofjob-retention support and follow-up. Taller San Jose uses the Efforts to Outcomes {ETO} student txacking system to monitor= student attendance, goal setting and achievement, educational assessment and progress, graduation rates and job placement, as well as assisting with recruitment and retention efforts. This information also helps staff target students in danger of dropping out of educational or job training programs. Taller San Jose strives to move young people out of poverty and an to employment with a living wage and benefits while maintaining acrime-free lifestyle. In the last fiscal year, 351 students enrolled in Taller San Jose and: . • 201 graduated • 82% of graduates were placed in employment or continued their education though an apprenticeship or community college • $11.26 is the average wage of graduates • 45% of employed graduates receive full health benefits • 92% of graduates with a criminal record did not re-offend. As an employer, the D~CC teaches youth how to work and go to school. The OCCC follows all applicable Labor and charter school laws aizd regulations That California employers and charter schools must follow. Corps members must abide by OCCC policies and pr•acedures for work and school in order to remain employed by the program. To work at the OCCC, corps members must also have an educational goal and demonstrate satisfactory progress towards that goal. Prior to efuollment, all applicants take a TARE test to assess their basic skills and to place them in the appropriate educational program. Once enrolled, Program Specialists meet with corps members regularly to review their progress acid develop a dropout prevention plan. By learning employer expectations and following standard work rules and procedures, corps members are prepared to both find and maintain employment. If a corps member has chronic attendance problems and has exhausted all forms of progressive discipline, then they will be referred to partnering agencies that may be more for suitable for their needs. Program Specialists meet monthly with each corps member's work supervisor and teacher. During these visits, Program Specialists monitor corps member's progress and performance using ISS (WIA Individual Sef•vice St~•ategy). Far corps members who are high school graduates, Program Specialists monitor their progress in the Corps-2-Career program. OCCC corps members may receive the following WIA-recognized credentials: California high school 7 EXH I B I T A tpauored by the Sistcrt of SL Jareph of Oimfge