Step 2: Navigate the System

No single institution or organization in the workforce development system can provide the full range of services that youth need to become successful adults, so communities, states, the federal government and multiple organizations at all levels must work together to ensure youth and employers receive the assistance they need.

The navigation process begins with Guideposts that are research and evidence based frameworks that can be adapted by state and local policy and program operators as well as help guide youth and families in planning and preparing for the future. The section then moves on to provide a wide array of tools for both audiences built upon the Guideposts.

Guideposts for Success for Youth

An extensive literature review of research, demonstration projects and effective practices covering a wide range of programs and services -- including lessons from youth development, quality education, and workforce development programs.

There are five categories of the Guideposts for Success that can help workforce development practitioners and policymakers develop strategic frameworks for developing coordinated services, setting priorities for serving youth, and evaluating their work and help youth and families plot strategies for a successful transition strategy.

Employer Guideposts

The Employer Guideposts are organized to support two parts of the workforce development system. One, system designers (state and local), and two, individual programs. These Guideposts are built upon the interdependence between these two levels of needed support to assist the employers within a labor market area.

Read the research on which the Employer Guideposts are based.

Read what the research says about how to organize state and local workforce development systems to support employers.

For the Professionals:

There are materials to answer such questions as:

• Which staff has the know-how to perform their jobs?
• How to Design Programs?
• How to connect to other stakeholders in the workforce development system?
• What are good sources of funding?

What do youth professionals need to know and be able to do?

Knowledgeable staff is one of the most important strategies that exist to help ensure success for programs. Learn about the documented Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs) based upon the Guideposts required for transitional professional and training resources for use by any organization.

How can programs be designed to meet the needs of all youth and provide support to meet the needs of special populations based on research that works?

Here you will find an array of guides that can help you design programs that can be offered both in or out of school or focus on program strategies such mentoring or entrepreneurial education, or learn how to work with special populations such as youth in foster care and the juvenile justice system, or with specific learning or mental health disabilities and strategies to improve assessment and counseling services. Invaluable information is contained within our manuals and guides and within our special population guideposts.

How can there be improvement with other stakeholders in the workforce development system?

Collaboration among agencies is a central reality of the workforce development system yet it is well known that collaboration among state and local agencies and programs can be challenging and time consuming. How can work with stakeholders be made easier, sustainable and accessible for all involved?

Learn more about the concept of Universal Access.

How can programs be financed?

Locating resources to support and sustain the cross-system, multiple organization effort needed for providing the services and assistance youth and employers need is always a challenge. What laws and programs can be used to help in the transition process?

Access TA modules about partnership-driven funding strategies.

Review important disability legislation.

Want a quick answer or tools that can be kept on your desk to answer questions about where to go to get an answer about an array of issues that can make your job easier?

Download Quick Reference Guides, Jump Starts, short Information Briefs, and Shortcuts.

For Youth and Families

These are materials to answer such questions as:

• What do youth and families need to know to develop a transition process that will help youth become a part of the workforce and be as independent as possible?
• How can you learn about what your career interests are?
• If you have a disability what are what the up and downside of disclosing your disability when you have a choice?
• How can you maneuver throughout the “adult system of services?
• What are the eligibility requirements for programs?
• What are your the rights and responsibilities and those of the organizations providing services to you?
• What are some key courses school courses needed for high tech jobs?

These types of questions and more are answered on the Youth & Family audience section of this site.

Browse NCWD/Youth resources & publications for this stage of the roadmap

Move on to step 3

Step 3: Discover Innovative Strategies