Quality Elements
Five Quality Elements guide the work of the State and Local Youth Councils, Foster Youth Transition Action Teams, Improving Transitional Options for Youth with Disabilities Project (ITOP) Intermediaries, and other youth-service professionals and educators. These elements, components of the All Youth-One System frameworks, were developed by New Ways to Work for the California Youth Council Institute (YCi), a nationally recognized initiative designed to assist California’s 50 Youth Councils in developing comprehensive youth-serving systems. The Quality Elements have been modified and updated though a series of stakeholder meetings of practitioners and policy makers to reflect the needs of all youth, including those in the foster care system and youth with disabilities. These stakeholders include foster youth and alumni, local and state department of social service representatives, special education instructors, local practitioners and providers, workforce development partners, and other professionals working in the workforce development, education, child welfare and special education systems.
Each of these Quality Elements must be in place to provide a balanced set of services and supports to youth and ensure their success as they transition to adulthood. The elements are supported though a community-wide structure that ensures the coordination of a continuum of services across programs, institutions and projects.
The image of a young person at the center of the frameworks intentionally points to the importance of keeping youth at the center of the initiative. The images surrounding the young person represent the four desired outcomes for Youth in Transition.
EDUCATED and ready to learn
EXPERIENCED and ready for career
CONNECTED to adults, peers and services
CONFIDENT and ready for life
The five elements of a comprehensive local youth-serving system are:
Academic Excellence
All youth are engaged in their learning in the classroom.
- Adults promote high academic achievement
- Workplace experiences support academic learning
- Multiple educational approaches address individual needs
- Quality educational options exist for all youth
- All youth are educated and ready to learn
Career Preparation
All youth are engaged in their learning in the workplace and community.
- Adults facilitate access to workplace opportunities
- Classroom learning supports career preparation
- Quality work-based learning opportunities are in place
- Early employment exposure and experiences are provided
- All youth are experienced and ready for a career
Youth Development and Support
All activities and services incorporate a youth development approach.
- A broad range of services addresses individual needs
- Activities are asset focused and foster personal identity
- All youth have strong and enduring adult and peer connections
- All youth have safe and stable living arrangements
- All youth are connected to adults, peers, and service
Youth Leadership
Youth are visible and active in leadership roles.
- Youth are actively engaged in planning for adulthood
- Youth voice actively drives policy and decision making
- Youth are encouraged and supported in leadership roles
- Youth leadership opportunities are leveraged and connected
- All youth are confident and ready for life
Comprehensive Approach
A formal network provides the foundation for an equitable, coordinated system.
- Engaged community leadership supports collaboration
- An operational infrastructure is in place
- A quality system is responsive to emerging needs
- All components of the system are connected
- Adequate resources are available and leveraged
- The community publicly supports a focus on youth issues
The YCi Elements of a Comprehensive Local Youth-Serving System chart can be found in the All Youth One System, YCi Guidebook. This guidebook was funded by the California Workforce Investment Board and produced by New Ways to Work.
Funded under a grant/contract supported by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U. S. Department of Labor, grant/contract #E-9-4-X-XXXX and the California Workforce Investment Board. The opinions contained in this publication are those of the grantee/contractor and do not necessarily reflect those of the U. S. Department of Labor.
Marin Brown, ITOP Project Coordinator
Phone: 707-849-2265
Email: marin.brown@calstat.org