The purpose of the wioa youth grants is to provide resources for local workforce development areas to deliver comprehensive youth services that focus on assisting out-of-school youth and in-school…

The Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration awarded a $11,203,397 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Activities Formula Grant (CFDA 17.259) to the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. The grant aims to provide comprehensive workforce development services that prepare low-income youth aged 14-24, including those with barriers to employment, for postsecondary education and careers. Key services delivered through the grant and sub-awards include tutoring, paid and unpaid work experiences, occupational skills training, supportive services, and comprehensive guidance and counseling. Sub-awardees such as local workforce boards, nonprofits, and community colleges will administer the grant funds to deliver these services directly to eligible youth participants across Missouri. The grant period runs from April 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026.

Activities

Wioa specifies that states provide resources for local workforce development areas to administer youth services. Local workforce development areas deliver comprehensive youth services to out-of-school youth and in-school youth. Services include: tutoring alternative secondary school services paid and unpaid work experiences, which include: summer and year round employment opportunities, pre-apprenticeship programs, internships and job shadowing, and on-the-job training occupational skill training education offered concurrently with workforce preparation and training leadership development opportunities supportive services mentoring follow-up services comprehensive guidance and counseling financial literacy education entrepreneurial skills training services that provide labor market and employment information and postsecondary education and training preparation activities.

Expected outcomes

The wioa youth program outcomes are to provide activities that lead to the attainment of a secondary school diploma or recognized post-secondary credential and or employment.

Intended beneficiaries

Youth, between the ages of 14 and 24, with one or more of the following characteristics: low-income basic skills deficient english language learner justice system involvement homeless runaway in foster care pregnant or parenting individual with a disability or who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program.

Subrecipient activities

Local workforce development agencies deliver comprehensive services to out-of-school and in-school youth to prepare them for postsecondary education and employment. Some of the types of service activities may include but are not limited to: tutoring paid and unpaid work experiences, occupational skill training, follow-up services and comprehensive guidance and counseling, and supportive services.