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…

This $8,614,181 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Activities formula grant (CFDA 17.259) was awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES). The grant funds will be used by MDES to deliver comprehensive workforce development services focused on assisting low-income and disadvantaged youth aged 14-24 in Mississippi. Key services to be provided include: tutoring, paid and unpaid work experiences, occupational skills training, leadership development opportunities, supportive services, and follow-up assistance. These activities are intended to help youth participants attain educational and skills credentials, and secure employment with career advancement opportunities. MDES will distribute sub-awards to local workforce development boards, community organizations, and other entities to implement the youth services at the community level across the state.

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 thefollowing 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.