Workforce Development Subcommittee
June 25, 2008 Meeting Minutes
Members Present
Amy Christianson
Arron Jiron
Sandra McBrayer, Subcommittee Chair
Lori Ward
Darci Smith
Others Present
Kathie Scott, California Department of Education (CDE) liaison to the Subcommittee
Members Absent
Alvaro Cortes
Commencement
Sandra McBrayer, Chair, opened the meeting at 1:07 p.m.
Introduction of Members
All members and the CDE liaison to the Workforce Development Subcommittee (WDS) introduced themselves.
Approval of Minutes from the April 23, 2008 Meeting – Action
Amy Christianson motioned to approve the April 23, 2008, WDS minutes. Arron Jiron seconded the motion, and the members approved the minutes without changes.
Chair Report
The Chair provided an update about the Request for Applications (RFA) released by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO). Applications are due July 15, 2008, and the start date will be early September 2008. The RFA is for $1.5 million for five separate locations.
The funding for this project is from Economic Workforce Development (EWD) dollars under the CCCCO, and will support a pipeline project which promotes education, and after school employment. Five colleges will be selected to serve as pilot sites to develop local collaboratives with after school providers. The Chair pointed out that there is also a small amount of rural funding attached, so one of the five applicants will be a rural program.
Selected sites will offer students subject remediation, child development courses, after school specific education and other related training. At the end of the first semester students must pass basic tests and will then be employed in a local after school program. The Chair added that she will inform members which colleges are selected to receive these grants.
The Chair informed the WDS that Dennis Petrie of the Employment Development Department has agreed to join the Subcommittee. He will be attending the next Subcommittee meeting. The Chair also let WDS members know that we are still working with CalWorks and the CCCCO to recruit a member.
Central Valley After School Foundation
Lindsay Callahan, Executive Director, and Michael Macias, Workforce Specialist, gave a presentation about the Central Valley After School Foundation (CVASF), a member of the California Workforce Investment Network (CalWIN). Lindsay informed the WDS that the CVASF receives both public and private funding. Private funding is provided by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and public funding is provided via the Region 7 after school regional lead (Tulare County Office of Education). The CVASF is a comprehensive project that provides many services focusing on workforce development.
Michael Macias gave a presentation about the CVASF workforce development project. The CVASF was founded in 2005 to support after school programs with the tools they need to deliver high quality programs through technical assistance, fund raising, public policy, and training. The CVASF provides services to after school programs in Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Madera, Merced, and Mariposa counties. Services are guided by a six-member governing board with one member appointed by each county.
Workforce Project
To determine local needs, the CVASF surveyed each of the 35 regional after school programs. The survey questions were related to marketing and staff recruitment and retention policies. The surveys were one-on-one focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of each program. Questions were developed to determine what issues local programs are facing. Survey results will be used to design CVASF services. In addition to written surveys, CVASF staff toured actual sites and spoke to line staff.
The CVASF determined that the main problem in recruiting new staff was not staff quality or the number of positions, but that the message is not being delivered effectively – a marketing problem. In addition, some programs are much better at communication than others. Based on survey results, the CVASF determined that a communication mechanism is needed to share ideas and concepts among programs and to convey information about local programs to the community. The Workforce Project will develop a one-voice marketing process for the community with jobs as the focus. The CVASF also focuses on after school employee recruitment. Recruits are sought from local high school graduating seniors and students attending local community and other colleges. Currently, most college recruiters look mainly at employees for the teaching track. The CVASF is reaching out to local high schools, American Association of Retired People (AARP), and retirees. In addition, the CVASF is developing ways to recruit college students in subject areas other than teaching.
The CVASF would like to stabilize the after school workforce by recruiting high school seniors ready to graduate and who are looking for their first job. High school seniors are likely to stay in the field for two to three years as opposed to seniors in college who may leave after the first year. Other sources of recruits are the California Retired Teachers Association and the AARP. The AARP has a federally-funded workforce program that is federally subsidized and can subsidize employment in after school programs for retired persons. The AARP will pay their wages to work in after school programs so there is a large pool of applicants.
The CVASF is working to create a certificated bridge program through Fresno City College which focuses on the recruitment of unemployed applicants. This project focuses on career fairs on college campuses and the mayor’s jobs initiative.
The CVASF also developed an after school job board. In addition, the CVASF is working with local business to offer incentives for employees in after school programs and public agencies that can employ after school staff when schools are not in session.
Michael Funk informed the members the cost of the survey and job board was approximately $45,000 for 7-8 months of work. Michael demonstrated the job board to the WDS. He explained that employers and potential employees can both search the board, use this tool, and can receive text messages and e-mails when jobs are available. Employers can automatically receive e-mail messages about potential applicants.
The WDS members engaged in a general discussion of benefits, salaries, incentives, and needs of potential after school program workers, and finding creative ways to provide more benefits, and funding to the after school community.
Technical Assistance Needs
The Chair commented that at the full advisory meeting the CDE sought input from members about statewide technical assistance needs. The Chair asked the WDS if there were workforce issues. Members commented about some technical assistance tools that are working across the state. One suggestion was holding a statewide conference or conversation focusing on workforce development as a way to share information. There is a need to get more information out to the field and how to access other public recruitment methods. The group stressed that there is a resource issue regarding how to provide local support and funding. The group discussed the importance of being creative regarding using resources and communication. Timing is also critical. Members believed that statewide projects should not begin in February or March, but should take place much earlier.
Next Meeting
The Chair asked members for topics to be included on the agenda for the next WDS meeting. The members recommended that Children Now be invited to present to the WDS. Topics for the next WDS meeting are:
- Children Now and Fowler/Hoffman Presentation
- College Preparation for After School Staff Update
- Urban Teaching Fellows Presentation
The next WDS meeting will be on September 23, 2008, in Sacramento at 1:00 p.m.
Public Comment
Rebecca Goldberg of the California School-Age Consortium (CalSAC) informed the WDS the Next Generation Youth Work Coalition (NGYWC) is starting a mapping project. The mapping project will include broad-range higher education maps. The NGYWC focuses on workforce development issues for a national group of youth workers. They look at educational and other courses, social services, and working with youth. The CalSAC is looking to bring more in-depth research to California through the work of the NGYWC and others. The CalSAC’s work will connect higher education together with after school programs through a youth-worker perspective.
Adjournment
There being no further business, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 2:13 p.m.
