In an effort to assure leadership in the areas of customer service and service delivery, NCAC and the Youth Council have conducted a youth-lead evaluation of our WIA Youth programs.

This project was overseen by an adult Steering Committee, chaired by Youth Council member Dr. Eva Young from DeVry University. Other members included Youth Council member Laurene McLemore, Anderson Williams with the Oasis Center, and Ellen Zinkiewicz with NCAC.

Nine young adults representing each of the area’s 6 WIA Youth programs were selected to work on the committee. The young adults were supported in their work by NCAC Manager and Youth Evaluation Coordinator, Dorcas Sheffield and Cheri Hoffman, a Data Analyst student, from Vanderbilt University. The team compiled a survey designed to determine how well each WIA Youth program was operating from the customer’s point of view.

The work team meetings were held at DeVry University beginning in March 2008. Meetings were held twice a month for approximately 2.5 hours.

The young adults were responsible for the distribution and collection of the paper surveys to the participants of their youth programs. Results were collected and presented to the Youth Council on May 15th, 2008.

Within those results were 3 main areas to be addressed.

1. Relationships between youth and program adults.
2. Satisfaction with peer interaction opportunities
3. Utilization of all available program activities.

The survey response rate was approximately 20% and findings overall supported that the WIA Youth programs, with their embedded adult relationships, were overall very positively received by the youth participating.

To View the entire survey report click the following link 2008 Youth Evaluation Project files or go the www.NCACWorkforce.org and click on the Young Worker tab.