How to Become a Youth Vendor
Overview -- Youth Programs
The GLWIB, as the Advisory Board to the Career Center of Lowell, provides Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding to support youth serving agencies in the Greater Lowell community. All programs for WIA eligible youth are required to offer an objective assessment (identification of strengths/weaknesses), development of Individual Service Strategy (a plan to establish career goals), and case management (tracking progress and providing assistance with any obstacles in the way of achieving goals set in the ISS). The Career Center of Lowell can refer youth to a program funded by WIA.
Overview - Becoming a Youth Vendor
As the local administrator of the federal workforce legislation, the Greater Lowell Workforce Investment Board(GLWIB) awards WIA (Workforce Investment Act) funds as an outcome of an annual Request for Proposal (RFP) process. In partnership with the Career Center of Lowell, our objective is to use these funds to support and maintain a framework of education, training and employment services for at-risk youth 14-21 years of age. Our goal is to re-connect these youth with education and employment strategies, which will lead to a life long attachment with the workforce and ultimately economic self-sufficiency. The RFP is issued in March of each calendar year. Volunteers from the WIB's Youth Council, evaluate each proposal according to criteria established by federal and state WIA performance standards. Successful program designs must observe and strive to meet the following performance standards:
Funding Requirements
| In-School | Out of School | ||||
| Attainment of Degree/ Certificate/Credential (GED) |
75% | Attainment of Degree/Certificate/Credential (GED) | 82% | ||
|
Entered Employment, Post Secondary Education/Advanced Training/Military |
75% |
Entered Employment, Post Secondary Education/Advanced Training/Military | 82% | ||
| Literacy and Numeracy Gains |
50% | ||||
Requirements for Youth in our Programs
All youth programs administered by the Greater Lowell Workforce Investment and the Career Center of Lowell have to work through and with Young Adult Career Center for eligibility certification and referral to the most appropriate Youth Provider for employment and training services. In this way we are able to monitor duplication of effort as well as services. Eligibility can vary depending on the grant.
In general, participation in a GLWIB/CCL youth program is determined by four main eligibility requirements:
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Age, (14-21)
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Income level (low income, free lunch)
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Risk factor *
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Geographic residence.
The Commonwealth of Mass. has established the following criterion as factors, which may contribute to a youth's failure to attain academic credentials, post secondary education and employment:
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A history of juvenile delinquency: having the status of 'court involved ';in the custody of DYS; or on juvenile court probation
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Poor academic performance (failed MCAS) or a school dropout
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Homelessness or being a runaway
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Having aged out of foster care, or being close to aging out of foster care
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Being the child of a single working parent
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Lack of fluency in English, or being a foreign immigrant being a teen parent
* It is important to note that eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis. These are provided as general guidelines.
For more information on becoming a vendor, please contact:
Barbara O'Neil, Director
Greater Lowell WIB
107 Merrimack Street
Lowell, MA 01852
978-805-4804