A consortium of federal agencies is coordinating this project on a national level.  These agencies include: U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration and the Office of Disability Employment Policy); Corporation for National Community Service; U.S. Department of Education (Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Office of Indian Education, and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services);  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Administration for Children & Families and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration); U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; U.S. Department of Justice (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention); and the U.S. Social Security Administration.

Neediest Youth Definition:

• Out of school
• Have dropped out of school
• Are a runaway or homeless youth
• Are in or exiting the foster care system
• Exiting the juvenile justice system
• Children of incarcerated parents
• Migrant youth
• Native American youth
• Youth with disabilities

In December 2004, DOL hosted its first regional forum and invited a team from Arizona state agencies to attend. Following the event, the US Department of Labor, tasked each state that attended with continuing and expanding their state teams.

Goals for 2006-2007 include:

• Increase knowledge of each other’s agency and improve working relationships in the areas of both policy and practice.
• Develop and promote implementation of recommendations for workforce readiness for youth, particularly those at risk due to inclusion in the following categories: youth who are in foster care, who have dropped out of school, who have incarcerated parents, who are juvenile offenders, who are migrants, and/or who have disabilities.

In September, 2006 the Arizona Vision for Youth Task Force was competitively selected by the U.S. DOL to be one of 16 states to attend an advanced training forum with a working group of Arizona representatives to discuss a work plan and strategies to serve Arizona’s neediest youth.  Based on this selection and the team’s participation in this event, Arizona is eligible and will be competing to for funding to implement a pilot program.

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