Program Services

Under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, the WIOA Youth program provides funds to states and outlying areas. States provide local workforce development areas resources to deliver comprehensive youth services that focus on assisting out-of-school youth and in-school youth, with one or more barriers to employment, prepare for employment and postsecondary education opportunities; attain educational and/or skills training credentials; and secure employment with career/promotional opportunities.

The WIOA Youth program includes the following program elements: 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.

Eligibility/Target Population: Out-of-school youth (OSY) and in-school youth (ISY)

An OSY is an individual who is:
(a) Not attending any school (as defined under State law);
(b) Not younger than age 16 or older than age 24 at time of enrollment; and
(c) One or more of the following:
     (1) A school dropout;
     (2) A youth who is within the age of compulsory school attendance, but has not attended school for at least the most recent complete school year calendar quarter;
     (3) A recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is a low-income individual and is either basic skills deficient or an English language learner;
     (4) An offender;
     (5) A homeless individual, a homeless child or youth, or a runaway;
     (6) An individual in foster care or who has aged out of the foster care system or who has attained 16 years of age and left foster care for kinship guardianship or adoption, a child eligible for assistance under sec. 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677), or in an out-of-home placement;
     (7) An individual who is pregnant or parenting;
     (8) An individual with a disability; or
     (9) A low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment.

An ISY is an individual who is:
(a) Attending school (as defined by State law), including secondary and postsecondary school;
(b) Not younger than age 14 or (unless an individual with a disability who is attending school under State law) older than age 21 at time of enrollment;
(c) A low-income individual; and
(d) One or more of the following:
     (1) Basic skills deficient;
     (2) An English language learner;
     (3) An offender;
     (4) A homeless individual, a homeless child or youth, or a runaway;
     (5) An individual in foster care or who has aged out of the foster care system or who has attained 16 years of age and left foster care for kinship guardianship or adoption, a child eligible for assistance under sec. 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677), or in an out-of-home placement;
     (6) An individual who is pregnant or parenting;
     (7) An individual with a disability; or
     (8) An individual who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment.