2018-2019

StateYouthCouncilStrategicPlan

STATEYOUTHCOUNCILSTRATEGICPLAN

1|P a g e 2018-2019 State Youth Council Strategic Plan

TheStateYouthCouncil(SYC)hasbeenconvenedtofocusoninitiativessurroundingyouth/youngadultsinColoradoandhowtheycanbestreceivetraining,education,andworkforceassistancethroughtheworkforcedevelopmentsystem.TheCouncilisasubcommitteeoftheEducationandTrainingSteeringCommitteewithintheColoradoWorkforceDevelopmentCouncil(CWDC)andworkstoconnectlocalyouthcouncils/subcommitteestotheresourcesnecessarytohelpyoungadultsfindmeaningfulemploymentandgaintheexperiencenecessarytocompeteinColorado’sglobaleconomy.ThemissionoftheStateYouthCouncilistoinfluencepolicyandpracticeatboththestateandlocallevelinthedevelopmentandimplementationofpathwaystoeconomicsuccessforColoradobusinessandyoungadults.Whilestateandnationalunemploymentratescontinuetodecrease,theunemploymentrateamongyoungadultsinColoradowas16.7percentin2012.Wecontinuetoseeagrowingpopulationofhomelessness,pregnancy,unemployment,andpovertyamongouryoungadultpopulation.Alltoooften,federal,stateandlocalgovernmentmakescriticaldecisionsaffectingthelivesofyoungpeople,andyoungpeopleareoftenthetopicofdiscussioninworkforcedevelopmentprogramsratherthanactiveparticipants.Ifyoungpeoplearepartoftheprocessatall,theyarefrequentlytreatedaslessimportantandlesscapablethanadults.Additionally,theyareoftenaskedtospeaktoonlyoneaspectoftheirlivesandsilotheissuestheyfaceratherthantakeaholisticapproachtochange.ThepurposeoftheSYCistoconveneyouth/youngadults,education,workforce,business,andotherstakeholdersfocusedonservingyoungadultsages16-24toaligneffortsatthestateandlocallevelsandtoincreasecollaborationandefficiency.OURMISSIONTheSYCinfluencespolicyandpracticeatboththestateandlocallevelinthedevelopmentandimplementationofpathwaystoeconomicsuccessforColoradobusinessesandyouth/youngadults.OURROLEMembersoftheColoradoStateYouthCouncilhonortheirfollowingroles:

• ResponsibleforthecontinuousimprovementoftheColoradoyouth/youngadultworkforcesystem.• SupporttheColoradoWorkforceDevelopmentCouncilregardingyouth/youngadultoversightofthe

WorkforceInnovationandOpportunityAct.• Ensureyoungpeoplehaveinputoneffortsstatewidebyelevatingyoungadultvoicethrough

professionaldevelopmenttrainingandbuildingauthenticrelationshipsbetweenadultsandyouth/youngadults.

• Focusonbusinessneedstocreateatalent-based,skilledworkforcethroughthealignmentofinitiativesineducation,workforce,andeconomicdevelopment.

• Leveragepartnershipstoidentifyneedsandgapsandcreatesustainablesolutionsandtheirfunding.• Alignwiththeworkforcesystem,education,business/industry,andyouthservingpartnering

organizations.• Stressperformanceandevidence-baseddata.• Actasamodelandresourceforlocalyouthcouncils/youthsub-committees.• Understandthecurrenteconomicrealities.• Connectbusiness/industryandyouth/youngadults.

STATEYOUTHCOUNCILSTRATEGICPLAN

2|P a g e 2018-2019 State Youth Council Strategic Plan

TheColoradoStateYouthCouncilconductedastrategicplanningsessiononJanuary27,2018.DuringthatsessiontheCouncilre-evaluatedtheirmission,vision,roles,andstrategicpriorities.

UtilizingseveralmethodsforcertifyingtheCouncil’sexpertise,skillsandabilities,theCouncilagreedtothenewstructuralchanges,thecurrentmission,anewvision,currentandnewroles,anddeterminednewstrategicpriorities.ThenewCouncilstructureoutlinedthreeareasoffocus.Theseareasincludeyouth/youngadultvoice,businessengagementandcareerpathways,andcommunications.ThenewCouncilstructurealsooutlinednewworkgroupsthatwilladdressthevariousstrategicprioritiesthatweredeterminedtoensureimplementation.TheworkgroupsweredefinedasagroupofCouncilmembersutilizingtheirexpertisetoanalyze,investigate,andsolvespecificissues,gaps,andneedsofthecommunity.Theworkgroupsthatweredeterminedincludeayouthvoiceworkgroup,acommunicationsworkgroup,andabusinessengagementandcareerpathwaysworkgroup.TheCouncilmembersandCWDCstaffwereabletoidentifywhatkeycomponentswillneedtobeinplaceinordertocontinueaddressingneedswithinthestateconcerningyouth/youngadults,aswellasprovidingtheworkforcedevelopmentsystemwiththecomponentsneededtoensurethatsustainableyouthemploymentandeducationisobtainedthroughstrategichumancapitalinvestmentsthatproducepositiveeconomicreturnsforbusiness/industryandourcommunities.

Young Leaders Delwin Maben, Katalina Garcia, Isaiah Jiron, and Isreal Juarez

STATEYOUTHCOUNCILSTRATEGICPLAN

3|P a g e 2018-2019 State Youth Council Strategic Plan

Aftercompletionofthestrategicplanning,theColoradoStateYouthCouncilwasabletoobjectivelylayoutthestrategicprioritiesfor2018-2019.Theseprioritiesareasfollows:StrategicPriorityOne:Advocateforandincreaseopportunitiesforyoungadultinputandvoiceinalllevelsofgovernmentandyouthservingorganizationstostrengthentheircapacitytousetheirvoiceandinformsystem-levelchange.Actionsand/orGoals:

• Connectandpromoteyouthcouncilsandadvisoryboardsthroughoutthestate.• Createacoalitionofyoungleadersacrossthestateandincreaseyouthvoiceinstateandlocal

governmentaswellasyouthservingorganizations.• LaunchStateSystemsCouncilPilottobuildagroundworkofcomprehensiveyoungadult/adult

partnershipsacrosssystemsthataugmenttheCouncil’sprioritiesandenrichtheoverallyouth/youngadultservicedelivery.

• YoungadultleaderswillsharerecommendationswiththeSYConstrategiesforincorporatingyouthvoiceintoorganizationalandinstitutionaldecisionmaking.

YoungLeaderKatalinaGarciapresentsattheTalentFoundSummitStrategicPriorityTwo:IncreaseimpactandaccessoftheStateYouthCouncil

Actionsand/orGoals:

• EstablishaStateYouthCouncilmembershipstructurethatreflectsthegeographic,racial,socioeconomic,andphilosophicaldiversityofthestateofColoradoincludingyoungadultrepresentation.

• ClarifyrolesandresponsibilitiesofSYCmembers.

STATEYOUTHCOUNCILSTRATEGICPLAN

4|P a g e 2018-2019 State Youth Council Strategic Plan

• Developandexecuteacomprehensivecommunicationsplanfor2018includingarevampandlaunchoftheStateYouthCouncilWebsite.

• Assistindevelopingcommonmessagesandacoordinatedcommunicationsstrategytoraiseawarenessofanddriveunderstandingandinvolvementinwork-basedlearninginitiatives.

2018YouthLeadershipAcademy

YoungLeadersIsraelJuarez&KatalinaGarciaatTheGovernor’sMansion

StrategicPriorityThree:Coordinateandfocusonbusinessneedstoincreaseatalent-based,skilledyoungadultworkforcethroughthealignmentofmessagingandinitiativesineducation,workforce,andeconomicdevelopment,whichsupportswork-basedlearningandcareerpathwaymodels.

Actionsand/orGoals:

• Providesmallinnovationfundingtosupportworkbeingdonethroughoutthestatewhichdevelopshiringinitiativeswithbusiness/industryandcreatesmoreopportunitiesforyouth/youngadultjobseekers.

• DevelopasponsorshipprogramforyoungadultsandCWDCbusinesses• Promoteandmarkethigh-qualitywork-basedlearningmodulestoincreasetheinvolvementof

Coloradobusinesses.

STATEYOUTHCOUNCILSTRATEGICPLAN

5|P a g e 2018-2019 State Youth Council Strategic Plan

• Encouragesystemstoworkcross-collaborativelytocreatemodelswhichcombinetalentdevelopmentstrategiesthatformulateayouth/youngadult’sknowledgeandskillstosupporttheneedsofbusiness/industry.

• AssistCWDCinmappingandpublicizingexistingwork-basedlearninginitiativesandresources.

YoungleadersQuintaishaWake,KatalinaGarcia&IsraelJuarezpresentforCDLE’sEducationandTrainingCommittee.