Providers are taking issue with key aspects of the program design for the Workforce Investment Act Out-of-School Youth RFP recently released by the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development. 

“We have serious concerns that the program model put forward…will limit innovative approaches and leave out the lowest-skilled youth who are most in need,” said the Campaign for Tomorrow’s Workforce (CTW), a coalition of 40 service providers, in a January 14^th letter to DYCD Commissioner Jeanne Mullgrav.

CTW wants the RFP to be amended to:

·         Include programs that prioritize education and preparation for college, in addition to those that provide occupational training for one or more career tracks;

·         Allow two 12-month service periods for a percentage of youth with the lowest levels of literacy and basic skills; and

·         Remove what they see as “prescriptive program requirements” for service provisions, including “strategic collaborations”.

“The WIA-OSY program is one of the few public funding streams that support comprehensive services for disconnected youth,” said Sierra Stoneman-Bell, Co-Coordinator of CTW and Co-Director of the Neighborhood Family Services Coalition.  “While the City has moved in the right direction by devoting more funds to this population, we are disappointed that DYCD's new OSY RFP emphasizes occupational training over education and continues to effectively leave out the young people with the lowest skills and the highest need.”

“Youth and young adults ages 16-24 have experienced the highest levels of unemployment in our economic recession,” said Anthony Ng, CTW Co-Coordinator and Deputy Director of Policy and Advocacy, United Neighborhood Houses. “The WIA Out-of-School Youth program is a chance for young adults to gain the education and employment skills they need.  However, DYCD’s program design limits those with the greatest need – below an 8th grade reading and math level -- to up to one year’s worth of education and workforce skills preparation, even if they could benefit from an additional 12 month service period.  We believe this was the wrong policy decision to make.”

“This RFP represents a missed opportunity for the City to prioritize education and long-term skills development for low-skilled young adults who are facing a labor market that has few jobs and requires more education than ever,” said Stoneman-Bell.

“The Out-of School Youth (OSY) Request for Proposals (RFP) seeks programs that will successfully integrate educational services and workforce development, in keeping with the express purpose and requirements of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA),” said DYCD in response to the CTW letter.  

“DYCD is committed to helping lower-skilled youth catch up and fulfill their potential,” DYCD continued.  “…. However, we must always strike a balance between serving more participants for a shorter period of time or fewer participants for a longer period of time, particularly given the number of disconnected youth in New York City is estimated to be as high as 170,000.

“In administering OSY, DYCD has found that the most effective programs have developed partnerships with other organizations to provide necessary services to OSY participants.”

For a fuller understanding of the issues under discussion, read both the CTW letter and the DYCD response in full.

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