The guide describes the STEPS program: Successful Transition to Employment for People with Special needs. Step I begins as a prevocational curriculum in the ninth grade, with students doing hands-on tasks in the classroom and school environment, while receiving related classroom instruction. Step II provides a continuation of activities in Step I…

The Catalyst Training Package was developed by project On The Other Hand, a 16-month project which used two rural Vermont high school districts to field test materials focused on educating youth to reach their full potential, and the roles of men and women in society. Three basic strategies were used to improve educational equity in rural high…

This paper assesses the youth employment situation from a policymaking perspective. The first of three main sections provides a largely statistical overview of the current youth labor market. The 1980s recession is said to be a depression for youth, especially minority youth. Increases in teenage unemployment are documented, and asserted to be the…

Intended as a general blueprint for monitoring and assessing activities under the Youth Employment and Demonstration Projects Act of 1977, this document discusses the expected constraints, evaluation and assessment tools, the analytic framework, and monitoring and review schedule. Five problem areas are recognized as potential constraints in…

The Human Environment Center held a national conference on Youth Conservation Jobs and Service in May, 1981, in Washington, D.C., attended by approximately 100 representatives of minority, employment, youth, environmental, and national service interests. The conferees concurred that the Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) and the Youth…

The document presents curriculum materials for integrating career exploration activities into grade 9 social studies units. The plan and calendar for implementing career exploration activities in the Parkrose (Oregon) public schools are presented first. Materials for the 11-week program are then presented by week. Some of the topics include how to…

The document presents student materials which were developed to be used to integrate career exploration into the social studies curriculum in the Parkrose (Oregon) school system. Topics of the units are: world of work, world of economics, occupations and employment trends, technology and change, the job, manpower market, the student, nature of…

This report, the third derived from research out of the National Faith-Based Initiative (NFBI), examines how faith-based organizations designed and implemented mentoring programs for high-risk youth. Focusing on four NFBI sites (in the Bronx and Brooklyn, NY; Baton Rouge, LA; and Philadelphia, PA), the report takes up three key questions: How were…

This Resources for Welfare Decisions highlights publications that offer guidance on developing youth systems under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). An introductory section discusses the changes WIA made to youth services; the opportunities and challenges these changes created for Youth Councils and youth service providers; states' role…

This paper identifies six core principles and recommends strategies that will foster high academic achievement, close the achievement gap, and promote civic and personal growth among all high-school-age youth in the high schools and communities. At the center of the framework is the Alliance's belief that the purpose of high school is to ensure…

Fewer job opportunities, rising violence, and failing schools have all shaped the structure of opportunities for both youth and adults in urban communities. However, researchers understand very little about how these factors influence the capacity for adults in urban communities to form meaningful partnerships with youth. First, this article…

This article reviews trends in school-to-work transitions since the 1970s and argues that educational expansion (more young people extending their school and college careers) is a large part of the problem, rather than an actual or potential solution to young people's transition difficulties. The causes of educational expansion are identified as…

Although the school-to-work and youth development fields come from very different beginnings, they share the goal of preparing all young people, including "high-risk youth," for adulthood by learning in context, actively participating in their own learning, and being challenged and supported to excel. Despite their shared visions for…

An experience in evaluating a program which is designed to help high risk adolescents is described. The program attempts to develop basic work and social skills of adolescents (N=40) living in slums or on the streets in Brazil. Psychological and social effects of the program were assessed by means of interviews and psychological tests…

Both the school-to-work system and youth development theory emphasize preparing youth for adulthood. They share the following characteristics: prevention of problem behaviors, a belief that young people develop by learning actively and in context, a conviction that young people need opportunities to interact with and be respected by adults who…