1、1,Assessment and Planning,Agency for Workforce Innovation August 2007,2,What is Assessment?,According to the dictionary, assess means The act of appraising To determine value The collection of information,3,Assessment,For the Welfare Transition program, assessments allow staff to make official evalu
2、ations based on information collected Information from assessments are used to Offer appropriate services Assign appropriate activities Develop a plan with the participant to guide him/her towards his/her goals,4,Assessment,An assessment is not just a test, it is an ongoing process Assessments Are a
3、n introduction to the participant Help staff to learn about the participant Help the participant to get to know him/herself,5,Assessment,Enable the participant to address needs, barriers and achieve goals Find the starting point for plan development Follow the participants progress for meeting goals
4、,6,Assessment,When should program applicants or participants be assessed The assessment process should begin With work registration, orientation or career specialist appointment Each time the case reopens Before entering certain activities Before being referred to an employer Etc.,7,Thinking Points,
5、When does the RWB require participants to complete the initial assessment? What is the regions initial assessment process? Are the results reviewed with the participant by a career specialist? Does the RWB require an assessment or employability review before entering job search, training or being re
6、ferred to an employer?,8,Initial Assessment,Federal law requires an initial assessment To be completed within 30 days of eligibility determination The 30 days is based on the date the OSST system creates a To-Do or an alert to the work program Or the date the driver was run for both mandatory partic
7、ipation and cash receipt*,9,Initial Assessment,The initial assessment is designed by the RWB or program provider and must include an assessment of the participants (45 CFR 261.11) Work history Employability Skills,10,Initial Assessment,This information must be used To offer the right services or ref
8、errals to other agencies for services To engage the participant in the right activities To develop the Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP) To help guide the participant towards self-sufficiency,11,Initial Assessment,The initial assessment process is developed locally and may include A series of tes
9、ts A form An interview Or a combination of all of the above,12,Initial Assessment,Think about which components of the initial assessment in your area secures the following information required under federal law? The participants skills The participants prior work experience The participants employab
10、ility,13,Initial Assessment,Why is it important for us to gather information about the participants skills, prior work experience and employability?,14,Skills,Can (s)he read? Can (s)he run a register? Can (s)he speak English? Can (s)he type? Has (s)he ever used a computer? Does (s)he know how to ans
11、wer a multi-line phone? What do (s)he sound like when (s)he answers the phone?,15,Skills,Are program staff prepared to secure this information Skills may be offered by the participant, or staff may have to dig to get the information Skills may be found in Work history Job duties Education history Ac
12、tivities around the home Volunteer work,16,Why Does It Matter Anyway?,Correctly referring the participant to the correct activity directly impacts participation and performance The participant is referred to an employer for a clerical position The participant interviews at a school that serves hundr
13、eds of customers (parents and children) The participant does not like children The participant has never worked a multi-line phone The participant can only type 10 WPM The participant has never learned to use a data entry system,17,Will this participant be successful at the worksite or job? Will the
14、 participant accept the job? If the participant accepts the job, will (s)he remain employed for a long time? How will the employer feel about receiving an unqualified and inappropriate applicant from the Career Center?,Why Does It Matter Anyway?,18,Prior Work Experience,The initial assessment must g
15、ather information about the participants prior work history and experience Has (s)he ever had a steady job (not “as needed”)? How long does (s)he usually stay employed? When is the last time (s)he worked? Why did (s)he leave?,19,Why Does It Matter Anyway?,Work experience information directly impacts
16、 the participants ability to secure a job immediately and keep a job Work experience can also provide notification of trends regarding work behaviors Arguing with a supervisor Being tardy Being fired Promotions,20,Why Does It Matter Anyway?,The participant has kept the last three jobs for longer tha
17、n two years The participant was fired from the last three jobs for insubordination The participant has not been in the workplace in eight months Is job search appropriate for this customer? What about training or Work Experience?,21,Why Does It Matter Anyway?,The participant has kept the last three
18、jobs for longer than two years We should review his/her skills to see if (s)he can re-enter the workforce immediately The individual appears to have a steady work history that may positively impact his/her work search We should highlight his/her length of employment on applications and resumes,22,Th
19、e participant was fired from the last three jobs for insubordination The participant may need anger management and employability skills classes prior to a job referral or entry in to a job search program The participant has not been in the workplace in eight months The participant may need skills an
20、d work experience relevant to the current job market before entering the workplace or prior to entry in a job search program The participant does not have a current employer for his/her references. A Work Experience supervisor may be a good start,Why Does It Matter Anyway?,23,Employability,Employabi
21、lity appears to be a very broad topic There are a lot of items that can “meet” the definition of employability The local operating procedures must identify those items that are relevant for the region and ensure that information is secured,24,Employability,Can (s)he apply for a job and start today?
22、Can (s)he enter in a job that she will keep? Can (s)he begin her career? What barriers are preventing him/her from working? Need for childcare Need for transportation assistance Inability to complete a job application Inability to provide a current and professional resume Need for interview skills N
23、eed for interview clothes Need for skills, license or certification,25,What Does It Matter Anyway?,If we have not properly assessed barriers to employment or participation The participant will not show to his/her appointment or activity The participant will not complete hours in his/her activity The
24、 participation rate will be impacted negatively Most importantly, the participant will not reach his/her goals,26,What Does It Matter Anyway?,His/her children get out of school every day at 3:00 PM (S)he does not have childcare (S)he leaves her classes early every day to get his/her children (S)he c
25、ompletes only 25 hours per week (S)he does not get a satisfactory grade and does not progress to secure a certification,27,Initial Assessment,Does staff know how to use this information to Develop a road map for the participant Assign activities Provide supportive services Remember, we are building
26、a foundation for engagement,28,Using the Initial Assessment,Identify needs Identify barriers Issues that would prevent the participant from meeting goals Issues that would prevent the participant from completing steps Need for childcare Unreliable transportation Money for gas or bus pass No clothing
27、 to interview in Mental health or substance abuse issues,29,Using the Initial Assessment,Services Transportation Childcare Domestic violence counseling/shelter Clothing Counseling/Treatment,30,Using the Initial Assessment,Identify skills and strengths Include this information on a resume Include thi
28、s information on applications Use this information to connect to possible career opportunities Match participants to employers,31,Using the Initial Assessment,Use this information to encourage further training Use this information to encourage work experience activities,32,Using the Initial Assessme
29、nt,Identify goals Employment goals Goals for earnings Help the customer identify what (s)he wants Home Car Money for holidays and birthdays,33,Using the Initial Assessment,What does the participant want? Help him/her connect the career path to securing what (s)he wants Help him/her understand that (
30、s)he can get what (s)he want by working with our program Help him/her plan a path towards career goals,34,Assign appropriate activities Connect the participant to an activity that will help him/her reach his/her goals Connecting the participant to an activity that helps him/her achieve career goals
31、will directly impact his/her participation This is called “buy-in” Ensure the activities are appropriate based on skills, employability needs, etc.,Using the Initial Assessment,35,What is an IRP?,36,What is an IRP?,Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP) is designed with the participant To be a road ma
32、p to reach goals To be a road map to reach wants To document the participants weekly requirements To document accountability on a regular basis,37,What is an IRP?,The IRP can be a broad road map showing each major milestone towards the goal, but the IRP must also show The activities the participant
33、is engaged in Hours the participant is required to complete each week for each activity Expected completion dates for each activity and each step These completion dates may be interim dates for turning in documentation or meeting with staff,38,What is an IRP?,We recommend using the steps to self-suf
34、ficiency to document what the customer has agreed to do in a set period of time We can immediately hold the participant accountable for each success and failure The participant can see each requirement and how it moves him/her towards her goals,39,What is an IRP?,IRP A complete IRP must be signed by
35、 both parties within 30 days of becoming eligible The complete signed IRP must include Services provided to the participant to overcome barriers to employment Steps the participant has to take to participate in the program Activities, training and alternative activities the participant is engaged in
36、 to reach self-sufficiency Number of hours assigned to each work and alternative activity Expected completion dates for each work or alternative activity,40,What is an IRP?,The complete IRP must be developed with the participant The complete IRP must be agreed on and signed by both parties How often
37、 should the IRP be updated?,41,How Often Should the IRP be Updated?,The entire IRP should be updated when the participant changes an activity or has another change regarding barriers, goals or life circumstances However, the step to self-sufficiency, may be updated more frequently Clear, written req
38、uirements that connect the participant to his/her wants, goals and path to self-sufficiency will lead to increased participation,42,Steps to Self-Sufficiency,The “steps to self-sufficiency” is a critical component of the IRP Based on research and monitoring, the steps should be clear and concise req
39、uirements for the participant Provides written documentation of participation requirements Use the steps to hold the participant accountable for successes and failures,43,Steps to Self-Sufficiency,General steps versus specific steps Participants need to learn the major benchmarks that demonstrate th
40、ey are moving towards their goals Participants also need to know what to do on a daily basis to reach the major benchmarks,44,Frequent Statement,“My participant knows what to do. We talked about it at his/her appointment” That is great. We should discuss with participants their activities and how it
41、 helps them reach their goals All of our lives are busy. Many of our participants are dealing with daily “drama” A written set of requirements reduces the likelihood of miscommunication and provides a notice or reminder to the participant,45,Steps to Self-Sufficiency,General Get GED Get a job Keep w
42、orking Complete 40 hours per week Turn in proof of participation,This is a goal and major benchmark for success, but how does (s)he get a GED? Where does (s)he take classes? How does (s)he register? When are timesheets due? What steps does (s)he need to take to get a job?,46,Steps to Self-Sufficienc
43、y,General Get GED Get a job Keep working Complete 40 hours per week Turn in proof of participation,What does the participant have to do to complete 40 hours each week What if classes are only 15 hours and (s)he completes unsupervised job search because (s)he was not directed to attend a program? Did
44、 (s)he really fail to comply? Or, did we fail to communicate what we really wanted?,47,Be careful Do not assume that the participant understands exactly what is required Do not assume the participant will remember what (s)he is required to do,Steps to Self-Sufficiency,48,Just Remember,Our participan
45、ts are not concerned with the participation rate (S)he is focused on his/her wants, needs and goals We need to provide clear direction regarding participation We need to connect their activities with their goals,49,Steps to Self-Sufficiency,General-get a GED Documents the first step with the partici
46、pant Provides a clear deadline to secure a schedule Provides the number of hours required for each week Provides a requirement to start class and secure signed time sheets,Specific Sign up for GED classes at “XX school” on June 1, 2007 Bring in GED schedule and instructors names for 15 hours per wee
47、k on June 15, 2007 Attend GED classes 15 hours per week based on schedule and have time sheet signed by the teacher daily,50,Steps to Self-Sufficiency,Steps to self-sufficiency should be Simple Clear Concise Steps should include What the participant is supposed to do for a specific period of time Ac
48、tivities Deadlines Return appointment When documentation is due,51,Steps to Self-Sufficiency,Why are we now training for specific steps to self-sufficiency Monitoring results clearly showed Customers were unclear of daily requirements Customers did not connect daily requirements to general weekly pa
49、rticipation requirements (complete 40 hours per week) Requirements the participant was sanctioned for could not be established during audit,52,Steps to Self-Sufficiency,Allows for staff to hold participant accountable in writing Requires the steps to be updated on a frequent basis The RWB may opt to
50、 use the system or a locally developed form,53,System Break,Lets review what we need to enter in OSST Lets review how to use OSST Lets review some examples,54,Needs and Barriers,We need to enter “needs and barriers”. Needs and barriers provide very important Information. Even if the region has a locally developed IRP, please enter needs and barriers in OSST.,
