Juvenile services seeks partnership with employers

Humboldt County Juvenile Services is seeking businesses to partner with in which juvenile services will pay the wage of youth to work at a partnering business for a 90 day period. After that, the juvenile could have the opportunity to transition into permanent employment with the business.

"The ultimate goal is for the youth to secure employment," said Director of Juvenile Services Pauline Salla.

During the on-the-job training period with the business, a Juvenile Services Workforce Facilitator will facilitate the program by conducting weekly meetings with the youth and their supervisor to review progress and work with the youth on any identified areas of needed improvement, if necessary.

"Juvenile Services is asking for your consideration to partner with us as a participating business. Teaching appropriate job skills is a win-win situation for both you as a business owner or manager and the youth of our community," said Salla in a letter to businesses.

Youth eligible to work in the program are those currently involved in the juvenile justice system who are passing all classes and have been clean for at least 30 days, if applicable.

The eligible youth then complete a ten week training where they are taught various "soft skills" of employment including interviewing skills, customer service, job application completion, communication and conflict resolution, among others. The training period last 8 weeks, then the youth spend two weeks practicing interviewing skills and filling out job applications.

Upon successful completion of the 10-week training, the youth is placed with a partnering business for up to 90 days for on-the-job training, with wages paid by juvenile services. After the initial on-the-job training period, the employer can choose to hire the youth as a permanent employee of the business.

Youth enrolled in the program are required to put at least 20 percent of their earned wages toward any court fines and restitution owed, if applicable. They are allowed to work up to 30 hours per week if still in school and up to 40 hours per week if on summer break or already graduated.

The Skills to Pay the Bills program is funded by a grant obtained by juvenile services in July 2017 through the Frontier Community Coalition, State Prevention Infrastructure and state Substance Abuse Primary Prevention (SAPP) funds.

"Skills to Pay the Bills is an evidence-based program. The goal is to implement programming that is effective for our youth offenders and to build sustainability into our general budget," said Salla in an email. "By doing this, it allows us to use grant funding to implement new cutting-edge programs."

There are currently five employers signed up as partners for the program, but Salla said she is looking for at least four more, and would like to enroll some businesses where the youth ages 15-18 can learn some trade skills while on the job, such as a mechanic shop or landscaping company.

Three youth participants have already successfully completed a 90-day on-the-job training period and since graduated with their high school diploma and transitioned into other full-time work. There are four youth currently working in an on-the-job training program with partnering businesses in the community. Eight others have gone through the initial training and could be eligible for placement in the future.

The current grant funds will be available for the program until September 30, 2018, at which time juvenile services plans to re-apply for funds for the following year, according to Salla.

The goal for the program is to operate under grant funding for two years and collect performance outcomes to determine how job training and placement could reduce recidivism, increase school attendance and participation, increase sobriety duration and provide restorative justice to victims of juvenile crime, according to Salla.

Businesses interested in partnering with Humboldt County Juvenile Services for this program can contact Pauline Salla at (775) 623-6382 or p.salla@hcjsnv.com for more information.