Information for Educators
and Human Service Organizations

Purpose: The purpose of the Youth EmployAbility Services (YES) program is to help low income and academically at risk youth realize their full potential personally, at school, and in the workforce. We focus on assisting low income youth ages 16-21 who are out of school, in obtaining employability results.
As of May 2007, the YES program is accepting referrals from youth

• who have completed their GED
• have graduated from high school
• or have officially dropped out of high school.

We will also receive referrals from youth in their senior year of high school if they are in custody of the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) or Juvenile Justice Services (JJS). These guidelines are dictated by our funding and contractual requirements. </strong> YES provides access to a wide range of services including:

• occupational skills training
• GED or high school diploma completion
• tutoring services
• leadership development
• mentoring
• internship opportunities

to help program participants choose a career and obtain employment.

Recruitment and Referrals

The populations we serve are vulnerable and sometimes hard to reach, particularly ethnic and cultural minorities. It is easy for youth to “fall through the cracks” and continue struggling without assistance to their own and society's detriment. Therefore, high school counselors, teachers, and administrators, as well as personnel at local human service organizations play a critical role in identifying and referring potential YES program participants to us. In order to facilitate referrals and to diversify our recruitment efforts we seek to develop and strengthen our network of affiliated schools and community agencies through establishing personal relationships and sharing information and resources.

Eligibility Requirements

Salt Lake County Division of Youth Services administers the YES program. Funding is provided by the Workforce Investment Act through the US Department of Labor and the Utah Department of Workforce Services. All services are provided free of charge.

In order to be eligible, youth- must meet the following requirements:

• Come from a low income family.
• Be between 16 – 21 years of age.
• Be a high school graduate or have obtained a GED or have officially dropped out of school.
• Face significant obstacles to success, such as being a parent; having below grade level math, reading, or language skills; having language or cultural barriers, or coping with other substantial challenges that limit his or her ability to complete goals.
• Be willing to set goals, commit to the program, work hard, and be self-motivated to achieve those goals.
• Live in Salt Lake County or Tooele County.
• Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident alien.

Application Process

The application process is made up of three phases. Throughout the application process youth must demonstrate their willingness to work hard and dedication to achieve their educational and employment goals.

• First, applicants must fill out an information sheet and return it to the YES program office.

Salt Lake County
Youth EmployAbility Services
1385 South State Street #123
Salt Lake City, Utah 84115

The information sheet may be downloaded and printed using Adobe Acrobat reader.

If you are not able to download the information sheet ask that a printed copy be mailed to you by calling the YES program at 801 468-0115.

Or email your request to have an information sheet mailed to you. The email address is yes@slco.org.

• Once we receive and approve the information sheet, a YES program staff member will contact the applicant and set up an orientation and a personal interview at the YES program office. During the interview the staff member will discuss the program with the applicant in detail and verify his or her eligibility. The applicant’s basic math, reading, and language skills will also be tested to determine what educational opportunities and services will best meet their needs.
• Finally, if the applicant meets all eligibility requirements, provides the needed documentation, and demonstrates his or her personal commitment to hard work consistently throughout the application process, the applicant may be certified as a participant in the YES program.

Following the orientation a staff member will be assigned to the youth to be a personal advisor and mentor while he or she is a participant in the YES program.

Personal Accountability

One of the decisive eligibility requirements is the applicant’s personal commitment to set and achieve goals. Success depends entirely on the applicant’s self motivation, efforts, and willingness to follow through. Most youth who complete the program are able to achieve their goals within approximately 24 months.

Benefits of Participating in the YES Program

YES program participants work closely with a YES Case Manager who will assist them in setting and achieving educational and career goals based on their individual interests and needs. The education and employment plan may include:

• Grants and scholarships for post high school and vocational training at the Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake/Tooele Applied Technology College, and other educational institutions.
• Assistance with staying in school, such as developing study skills or receiving tutoring in math, English, or reading.
• Incentives and bonuses to reward the participant’ hard work and accomplishments.
• Life skill training such as time management, leadership development, and conflict management.
• Parenting and interpersonal communication education.
• Mentoring from adults who care about the participant’s success.
• Help finding financial aid for post high school training and education.
• Referrals to available community services and resources.
• Follow-up services to support program participant’s continued success.

YES Program Activities

Depending on the participant’s needs he or she will meet with a designated case manager on a regular basis to review progress toward achieving goals. Program participants may also participate in special training opportunities such as paid or unpaid internships, Leadership Program, and have access to ancillary support through Educational Resources and Employment and Career Resources. Follow the links to learn more about these exciting offerings. The purpose of all these activities is to build and strengthen participant’s skills and capability to do well at school and compete more successfully on the job market.

Available Recruitment Materials

The YES program has the following free recruitment and informational materials and services available:

• Brochure
• Flyer
• Poster
• YES staff representative (available for staff training, one-on-one consultation, small group presentations, etc.)
• Table top display (for use in job fairs, PTA meetings and activities, special events, etc.)
• Youth speakers (special arrangements required)

More Information

To receive more information on our services or request recruitment materials, contact the YES program staff at 801 468-0115 or via e-mail: yes@slco.org. We look forward to working with you.