YOUTH, are individuals between the ages of 14 and 21, who are unemployed or underemployed and need WIA services to improve their employability.  The program provides funding to serve younger youth ages 14 to 18 and older youth ages 19 to 21.  One of the goals for the younger youth population is school retention to prevent dropout.   All youth applicants must meet federally established financial and other need guidelines in order to qualify.

Targeted Population

WIA youth programs focus on young people from families with low incomes. Before participating in a WIA youth program, a young person must provide evidence that he or she meets the income eligibility requirements.  In addition to the financial requirements, youth enrolled in WIA programs must also face one or more other issues that make succeeding a challenge.

WIA Youth Eligibility

A youth is eligible for WIA youth services if he or she meets all 5 of these criteria.

1. Is 14-21 years of age

2. Is authorized to work in the U.S.

3. Is registered for Selective Service (if male age 18 or older)

4. Is one or more of the following: 

•         Deficient in basic literacy skills
•         A school dropout at the date of participation
•         A homeless, runaway, or foster child
•         Pregnant or parenting
•         An offender
•         An individual (including a youth with a disability) who requires
•         additional assistance to complete an educational program or to
•         secure and hold employment as determined by local areas
• 5.  Is a low-income individual

What is a Low-Income Individual?

A youth is a low-income individual if he or she meets any of these 7 criteria.

1. Is a member of a family that receives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),  Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Disability Assistance (DA), Refugee Assistance, or local 

assistance cash payments.

2. Is a member of a household that receives Food Stamps or has been determined to be eligible for Food Stamps within the last 6 months.

3. Is a member of a family that received a total income for the last 6 months that does not exceed the higher of these 2 standards for an equivalent period and for the family size

      a.  the poverty line, for an equivalent period

      b.  70 percent of the lower living standard income level

Note:  "Total income" does not include unemployment compensation, child support payments, income-based public assistance cash payments, or old-age and survivors insurance benefits received under section 202 of the Social Security Act.

4. Qualifies as a homeless individual.

5. Is a foster child on behalf of whom State or local government payments are made.

6. Is disabled and his or her own income meets the requirements for receiving TANF, SSI, DA, Refugee Assistance, or local assistance cash payments, even if his or her family income does not meet those requirements.

7. Is disabled and his or her own income does not exceed the higher of these 2 standards for an equivalent period and for the family size

      a. the poverty line, for an equivalent period

      b. 70 percent of the lower living standard income level even if his or her family income does not

          meet those requirements. 

"Family" and "Family of One"

The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) definition of family is used to determine whether a youth is a member of a family.  If a youth meets the USDOL definition of a self-supporting individual, the youth is considered a family of one, and the youth's low-income status is determined as an individual under criteria 1 - 5 above.  Under criteria 6 and 7, a disabled youth may be deemed a family of one without meeting the USDOL definition of a self-supporting individual.

Youth Program Elements

WIA requires that ten activities be available to everyone in a WIA youth program. Those elements are:

• 1. Tutoring, study skills training, and instruction;
• 2. Alternative education;
• 3. Summer employment when linked to academic and occupational learning;
• 4. Paid and unpaid work experiences;
• 5. Occupational skill training;
• 6. Leadership development;
• 7. Supportive services (transportation, child care, work uniforms, tools, etc.);
• 8. Adult mentoring for 12 months;
• 9. Follow-up services for 12 months; and
• 10. Comprehensive guidance and counseling.

This does not mean that every young person is involved in every program element. When a young person enrolls in a WIA youth program, a case managers works with him or her to develop an Individual Service Strategy, or ISS. Part of that strategy is deciding which program elements each young person needs to help them succeed.