Fall Edition 2014 Human Resource Development Foundation Volume 1

NEWSLETTEREmployment and Training

Huntington Face Forward Program ThrivesThe Face Forward

Program is funded by the Department of Labor, and engages young adults to participate in healthy activities and behaviors. This program targets 16-24 year old individuals having some involvement with the juvenile justice system. The main focus is on education and employment, and engaging youth in positive activities to avoid future incarceration. Through diversion and/or record expungement strategies, this grant gives youth a chance to succeed in the workplace and to avoid the stigma of a juvenile record.

The Huntington Face Forward has been very

successful in enrolling the target demographic, and through partnerships with local businesses and service providers. Participants have the opportunity to be involved in their communities while participating in the program.

P a r t i c i p a n t s a r e required to engage in the educational component of the program, regardless of their educational attainment level. Some participants are studying to take their (TASC) test in order to complete their high school diploma, while other participants are set in a course to get training in a specific area, such as learning customer service representative skills.

C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e and Service Learning activities are an integral part to the program, as it gives participants a sense of accomplishment and responsibility within their own neighborhoods.

Face Forward and Region II youth participants visiting Job Corps Center in Charleston

Huntington Face Forward participants were offered the opportunity to attend an important Face Forward Leadership Conference where they were able to share their experience with

T h e H u m a n R e s o u r c e Development Foundation, Inc. (HRDF) was granted a Period of Performance Modification by the Department of Labor (DOL) extending the RExO program from December 31, 2014 to June 30, 2015.

This six month program extension will allow continuation of services for participants to engage in training completion, placement, and retention services. The program enrollment goals have been met, however, this extension will provide time for all participants to access the entire menu of services available

HRDF RExO Extended Six Months

to them throughout the duration of the project. Work experience, placement, and retention activities have not yet been fully accessed. This extension allows all enrolled youth the opportunity to flow

Staff and program youth involved in leadership training

through the array of services, allowing them to have the most successful outcomes possible.

Youth will continue receiving other supportive

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WIOA - New Opportunity

New Logo

Roane County NEG

Summer Youth

Youthbuild

Face Success

In This Issue

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all aspects of life, to making linkages with other important service providers across the state.”

HRDF utilized an online marketplace website called, ‘DesignCrowd’ to create a new, fresh logo for the company. The mission statement of ‘DesignCrowd’ is “to provide opportunities to be creative and to provide businesses with risk-free graphic design”.

‘DesignCrowd’ gives people access to a ‘virtual team’ of more than 400,000 designers from around the world to offer logo design services that meet the needs of a variety of industries and businesses.

As part of Design Crowd’s submissions, HRDF staff were able to rate their favorite logo. Through a process of elimination of over 30 logos, staff eventually picked the displayed logo as the favorite.

HRDF has a NEW LOOK!

WIOA - A New Opportunity and ChallengePage 2

On July 22, 2014 the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act was passed. This was the first revision of the Workforce Investment Act in over 15 years. As with WIA there will be common performance measures and there is more of an emphasis that programs will be required to be “evidence-based” , a method that has become increasingly required in other government contracting.

The following is a list of some of the new components of WIOA:•Ensuring that federal core program employment and training services are coordinated and complementary, by requiring a single, 4-year Strategic State Plan for achieving the workforce goals of the State;• Ensuring that federal investments in employment and training programs are evidence-based, data-driven, and accountable to participants and taxpayers by establishing a common performance accountability system for the core programs and requiring other authorized programs to report on the common performance indicators;• Streamlining and strengthening the strategic roles of State and local workforce boards by reducing board size and adding functions that include strategies for meeting the needs of jobseekers and employers;• Enhancing services provided to job seekers and employers through the American Job Center system by requiring the co-location of Wagner-Peyser Employment Services; adding the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families as a required partner; providing for State-established certification to facilitate high-quality American Job Centers; requiring partners to dedicate funding for infrastructure and other shared costs; and promoting the development of integrated intake, case management and reporting systems;• Fostering regional collaboration by having local areas plan and coordinate service delivery within a region;• Emphasizing the use of career pathways and sector partnerships to promote employment in in-demand industries and occupations;• Promoting work-based training by authorizing local areas to provide incumbent worker training and transitional jobs, increasing the reimbursement to employers for on-the-job-training and customized training and by increasing linkages with Registered Apprentices;• Increasing flexibility by authorizing local areas to transfer up to 100 percent funding between Adult and Dislocated Worker; and• Refocusing the youth formula program to serve disconnected youth by requiring a minimum of 75 percent of funds are used for out-of-school youth compared to 30 percent under WIA.

HRDF began with as a contract OJT Service Provider under the Manpower Training Act, which then turned into a provider of other programs under the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), which then turned into programs under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), which then transitioned to WIA and now WIOA. Over these 40 years, HRDF has adapted, improved, and has become a leader in Workforce Development. As always HRDF will rely on experience and dedicated staff to make the transition from WIA to WIOA. In many ways WIOA is a perfect fit. Historically, HRDF has over 40 years experience in developing OJT contracts and working with Out-of-School Youth. It is evident that HRDF can contribute making WIOA will be a success in West Virginia. HRDF’s history in collaborating with other agencies is a perfect fit with the new WIOA. HRDF looks forward to this new challenge.

Over the past two months, Amanda Filippelli, HRDF Communication/Grant Coordinator, began a process to select a new logo. The new logo featured in this newsletter was the selection after a voting process. “We made the selection for a variety of reasons” Amanda said. “The bottom of the logo depicts the rolling hills of West Virginia. The figures represent the many lives that HRDF connects with and offers support, and the spheres above equate to the many facets of providing services that incorporate

More than a year after unprecedented flooding hit parts of Roane County, cleanup work continues.

Thirteen people are employed locally through the Human Resource Development Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Morgantown. The workers are involved in clearing debris from streams that overflowed their banks in June 2013 to inundate some homes and damage infrastructure.

“We’ve pretty much worked on all the streams close to (Spencer),” Andrew Cummings, an HRDF safety superintendent whose office is in the Roane Committee on Aging building. “They were overgrown really bad with brush and trees everywhere. It ends up becoming a dam, pretty much.”

A crew of 11 led by Donald Kennedy started the job in March. The six-month program is funded through USDOL National Emergency Grant Funding distributed to WorkForce West Virginia which matches people seeking work with the local positions.

Cummings said Tanners Run from the Roane County Library to past Go-Mart was the first area completed. Other projects have involved Charles Fork near Spencer Elementary School, Ben’s Run behind the COA building, and Bessie Jones Memorial Park at Walton.

A Reynolds Street resident wrote a letter to Cummings noting that during a recent heavy rainstorm, the water rose but receded much faster than before the work was done.

“We can’t keep the floods from happening, but we can make them drop down a lot quicker,” C u m m i n g s said.

H R D F crews work e i g h t - h o u r days, four days a week on public p r o p e r t y . Both men and women have been a part of the crew.

Cummings said brush and trash clog the waterways in many areas. “We’ve found some random stuff, too,” he said, “We found a hot tub lying in the middle of a creek. But it’s mostly brush.”

Workers are issued hard hats, safety vests, chaps, boots, gloves, and glasses. They work with chain saws, pruners, and bow saws, burning piles of brush on the creek banks.

“We’ve had some close calls with snakes and stuff,” Cummings noted. “But we haven’t had any incident reports.”

On a recent project, Kennedy said a copperhead was spotted along Lick Fork at the Roane County High School softball field. Several softballs were also discovered during the cleanup.

“You couldn’t even see the creek there,” Kennedy said of a spot just a few feet away by a bridge that crosses Lick Fork. “It was all brush.”

The area is now clear for several feet from the streambed, creating an unobstructed path in the event of high water.

Along with minimizing flooding, the program provides temporary jobs for those willing to work. “Six people have gotten other jobs,” he said of the original cleanup crew, “one went into the Army.” Those positions were filled by others. Six months is

the maximum time someone can work in the program.“They’re temporary jobs, but at least they have money coming

in to them,” Cummings said.HRDF has asked for an extension on the grant. Several other

areas have been identified as in need of attention, including Hollywood, Blown Timber, and Grannies Creek in the southern

part of the county, Cain’s Run near Reedy and Charles Fork, Slate Run and Miletree Run, all near Spencer.

Cummings said there was a good chance funding would be provided for at least another three months. “That would get at least 12 more people jobs,” he said. “The streams are pretty bad. There’s plenty of work in this county that needs done.”

This article was published in the Roane County Reporter by Jim Cooper, Editor.

Ball Park Before and After

Andrew Cummings, supervisor (L) surveying a stream with co-worker

Roane County cleanup work continues Page 3

The Human Resource Development Foundation has the privilege of serving participants in the Youth Empowerment Program housed in Region 3, which encompasses Charleston, WV. In return, they get to serve the community that they are in by volunteering and working in participating local organizations and businesses. The summer months offer an opportunity to change the lives of the participants by giving them the confidence to go farther than they could typically imagine.

A participant recently received feedback from the Executive Director of a non-profit organization that participates with the program. The note stated an appreciation of an individual

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Philanthropic organizations in Kanawha and Putnam counties have awarded BridgeValley Community and Technical College and its partner organizations a $45,000 grant to develop the workforce for the regional manufacturing sector.

The pilot project addresses a manufacturing crisis and will put 15 properly trained and credentialed unemployed or underemployed participants to work. Target participants will be residents of Kanawha and Putnam counties and must be at least 18 years of age. Interested participants should call BridgeValley Workforce Division at 304-205-6611 for

additional information. BridgeValley and its partner organizations will collaborate to recruit participants, register them for job services and deliver training to enable them to become certified production technicians through the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council.

Course information on Safety, Quality Practices & Measurement, Manufacturing Production & Processes and Maintenance Awareness will be included on the MSSC CPT exam. The successful participants will be given an opportunity to interview for jobs with local manufactures.

BridgeValley’s employer partners include ICL-IP

KV Council on Philanthropy to Enhance Manufacturing Development

America/Clearon, Nippon Tungsten USA, Gestamp and Precision Services Inc./Precision Pump & Valve Service, Inc.

Nonprofit organization partners include Workforce West Virginia, West Virginia Department of Commerce, West Virginia Manufactures Association, Region 2 and Region 3, Workforce Investment Boards, Kanawha Institute for Social Research and Action, Inc., and Human Resource Development Foundation of West Virginia.

The funder of the community initiative is Kanawha Valley Council on Philanthropy, which was revitalized from the previous

Community Grantmakers Association and was established for funders to learn about the community, to share information and knowledge, to leverage and maximize resources, and to expand potential strategies for making more effective grants. The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation facilitates the KVCOP process.

BridgeValley Community and Technical College was founded on March 20, 2014 after the consolidation of Bridgemont and Kanawha Valley Community and Technical Colleges.

This article was published in the Metro Putnam Opinion & Review

who consistently expresses a great amount of gratitude for the opportunity he had to complete a work experience there. This individual didn’t think certain goals of his were reachable before he started working his summer job.

Now he knows anything is possible. These summer occupation explorations offer a life changing experience to youth by bringing a cohesive feeling of positive energy and fulfillment from working to serve others and earn their own income. They truly glow when they receive positive feedback from something that they had a part in, and for some participants, this is the first time experiencing that. This instills confidence, responsibility, and a sense of pride that they can carry for the rest of their lives.

SummerYouth

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services such as: clothing for work and interviews; and, assistance with fees for youth to obtain their driving license credentials. Supportive services are critical to the youth’s success in placement and retention, and will continue to be an area of need. In order for the youth to be successful over time in their employment goals, it is necessary to ensure that all other needs are being met. Life Skills training, case management, and counseling are all areas that will continue to be addressed as the youth move into employment activities. The program will be adjusted to focus on “paid work experiences” and “OJTs” for out-of-school youth. The extension will help resolve issues of placement and retention by extending the Period of Performance to give youth additional case management and services to ensure they can be successful in placement and retention activties.

RExO continued

Summer Youth at Work

local Carpenter’s Association. While Runner admits that students stories aren’t always this success-oriented, he notes that it’s the “nuggets of success along the way that make it all worth it.” “We’re able to

be a kind of last stop,” he adds, noting that Mon Youthbuild works closely with the court system and it tries “to be part of the alternative.”

Mon Youthbuild is a service not only to the students in its classroom,

but to the local community as well, as the program puts a large emphasis on community service by partnering with local organizations like Habitat for Humanity to do regular

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Mon Youthbuild has been serving high risk young adults (ages 18-24) throughout the North Central WV region since 1995 through Human Resource Development & Employment (HRDE). The program primarily focuses on those that need to complete their high school equivalency TASC.

Program Coordinator Taylor Runner says Mon Youthbuild “is a godsend for young adults that are out of options or misdirected” because the program offers educational opportunities as well as pay. Working with 12-14 students at a time,

Mon Youthbuild provides TASC-focused classroom work and “intensive training in construction skills.” Runner notes that “there is a desperate need for young adults to fill the void of

those aging out of the work force,” particularly those in construction. In addition to the labor-intensive construction training students receive, they also learn leadership skills, work ethic and self-respect that prepares them for a future in any occupation. The program, from start to finish, typically lasts 6 months, at which point Mon Youthbuild attempts to refer students on to colleges, employers, or unions. In its nearly 20 years of work in the North Central WV region, the program has seen many successes.

Recent graduates have

c o m p l e t e d e l e c t r i c a l apprentice examinations, plumbers in training examinations and passed their TASC testing. Another recent graduate has been accepted into the

service projects. Additionally, Runner views the program as “helping the community

at large” because “there’s a burden on society when young people aren’t getting good direction.” He believes that by “training them to be on a positive path,” Mon Youthbuild helps them become employed and productive members of society.

The organization is seeking the local community’s assistance in identifying young people that could benefit from the program. Eligibility for the program will be based on age, income, and a few other basic stipulations. Mon Youthbuild works with young adults in Marion, Monongalia, Harrison, Wetzel, Preston, and Taylor Counties.

To learn more about the work the organization is doing, please visit www.monyouthbuild.org or call 304-366-1119.

This article was published in the Community Life Section of Your Bulletin Board by Tacy Layne.

Preparing Young Adults for Work

the program to the Department of Labor and the other participating sites. While attending the Leadership Conference, participants were required to create a presentation regarding bullying to take back to the communities and present to afterschool groups in the area.

The A.D. Lewis Center in Huntington, WV has been an important partner throughout the program, and has offered several opportunities for the participants to get involved in. The Center participates in the Scratch Gardening Program, and Face Forward participants have offered a hand in this activity. The Scratch Program teaches children how to grow and sell food locally through hands-on, educational activities. It is funded by a five-year U.S.D.A. grant, and run by WVSU’s Extension Services, a community outreach branch of West Virginia State University. Face Forward participants also offer assistance to the A.D. Lewis Center by doing landscaping throughout the center. Face Forward participants often engage in team-building activities and the Center has been a great resource for these activities. Participants have taken part in an Ultimate Frisbee tournament and basketball most recently where they are able to use their teamwork skills to be the most effective players on the court.

Job placement activities are part of the program, and ensuring that participants have the skills and resources required to be successful on the job. Retention services are very important to the program, and staff really enjoy getting to see the participants grow into mature, community-minded adults. As of the end of this most recent quarter, more than 50 participants were observed in their various worksites. Some examples of successful placements include: Trinity Healthcare, Logan Animal Hospital, Joey’s Print Shop, Goodwill, Harbor Steel, Prestige Body Piercing, Cottage Flower Shop, and The Barnett Center. The jobs acquired represent a very diverse array of interests, and show that the program is able to meet the needs of each individual participant and offer an individualized menu of services that allow for the participants to find their own path, free of incarceration.

Jessica Watts is an in-school youth residing in Cabell County. She comes from a single parent home with four individuals, with very little income coming into the home. She is a single parent to a one year old child. Against these odds, she was able to complete High School through the Cabell County Career Center and graduate on time with her peers. She knew that she needed to make time available to complete her schooling and through her self-motivation and her determination to better herself and her child, she was able to complete school and graduate on the honor roll. She is currently working at Playmates Day Care in Westmoreland, WV through the Summer Employment program. Christina Boggs, director of Playmates, reports that Jessica is one of her best employees and has nothing

“We want them to learn how to be horticultural producers and entrepreneurs, but some of these kids have been through

so much [hardship] that we primarily want them to seek solace in the gardens and build life skills and self-esteem” - Melissa Stewart, a WVSU faculty member and principal investigator for the

SCRATCH grant.

Huntington Face Forward Continued from page 1

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but positive things to say about her and her work ethic. Christina likes Jessica’s work so much, that she is currently working on finding money in the budget to be able to hire her full-time in the fall. Jessica has been presented with numerous hurdles in her life, but every time she has been able to make the adjustments and succeed no matter of the circumstance. Jessica’s story goes to show that no matter the circumstances, success can be found through resolve and self-motivation.

The main focus of Region 2 Summer Youth is to gain experience to obtain successful and meaningful employment. Assisting youth with barriers who may need additional supports to overcome their situation is rewarding for both the staff and the participant.

The Region 2 Summer Youth Program was able to

Jessica - An In-School Success Story

spend over $50,000 in funds for work experiences. The Youth Program has been successful in continuing to enroll eligible participants and partner with many local businesses and service providers to enhance these

opportunities. The Summer Youth

experience is an integral part of the youth program, as it gives participants a sense of accomplishment, responsibility, and hope for the future.

“Providing individuals the resources to achieve self-sufficiency through employment, training,

and advocacy supported by collaborative efforts and networks dedicated to this goal. This is further

achieved by maintaining HRDF’s recognized leadership in the field of human services and

development.”

<insert address here>

1644 MilegroundMorgantown, WV 26505

Phone: (304) 296-8223TDD: 1-800-982-8771Fax: (304) 296-8839

Email: hrdf@hrdfwv.org

We’re on the web!www.hrdfwv.org

HRDF History

Human Resource Development Foundation, Inc. (HRDF) was incorporated in 1967, with the mission of providing economically disadvantaged West Virginians an opportunity for self-sufficiency through education, training, and employment. Disadvantaged youth have been an ongoing target population for program services since the organization’s inception with the Neighborhood Youth Corps and continues today with training and employment services.

HRDF’s youth programs serve 58 percent of the counties in the state and HRDF is currently the largest single provider of WIA-funded youth services in WV, with over 1,000 youth served in the aforementioned programs since July 1, 2009.HRDF, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Auxiliary Aids and Services are Available upon Request

to Individuals with Disabilities.Veterans Priority for Participants: The Jobs for Veterans Act (Public Law 107-288) requires priority of service for veterans and

spouses of certain veterans for employment, training, and placement. EOE M/F/V/D AFT 4009, AFL-CIO