WorkStartYES (Youth Education and Employment Services) is a joint partnership program between San Joaquin County WorkNet and the San Joaquin County Office of Education under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
The eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Not attending any secondary or post-secondary school not including Title II Adult Education.
- Age 16 to 24 years old and meet one or more of the following barriers:
- A school dropout
- A youth who is within the age of compulsory school attendance which is 16 to 17, but has not attended school for at least the most recent complete school year quarter
- A recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is a low-income individual and is either basic skills deficient or an English language learner
- An offender
- A homeless individual or a runaway
- An individual in foster care or who has aged out of the foster care system or who has attained 16 years of age and left foster care for kinship guardianship or adoption, a child eligible for assistance under Section 477 of the Social Security Act, or in an out-of-home placement
- An individual who is pregnant or parenting (custodial and non-custodial parent including non-custodial fathers)
- An individual with a disability
- A low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment
WorkStartYES is a free program that serves 16 to 24 year old at-opportunity youth in San Joaquin County. More than 75% of the participants in their program enroll as out-of-school youth.
WorkStartYES provides high school completion or GED assistance, supportive services, work readiness and soft skills training, career exploration opportunities, financial literacy workshops, resume building, cover letter and job application assistance, paid work experience and more.
Youth receive follow-up services for up to 1 year after exiting WorkStartYES to ensure maintenance of achievements and access to necessary resources. The WorkStartYES mission is to empower youth to achieve and maintain academic, occupational, and leadership success.
