MEDIA ADVISORY: Reengagement Center Quality Standards announced to reconnect youth to school and work

Maricopa County, Arizona sent this bulletin at 10/11/2016 09:51 AM MST

--- MEDIA ADVISORY ---

For Event Wednesday, Oct. 12

City of Phoenix, Opportunities for Youth, and National League of Cities Leaders Announces Reengagement Center Quality Standards to reconnect youth to school and work

PHOENIX — Opportunities for Youth, a community collaborative, is officially announcing the Reengagement Center Quality Standards created by local education leaders to help organizations effectively reengage disconnected youth. According to the Morrison Institute (2015), Metro Phoenix area is home to an estimated 92,000 young adults disengaged from work and school – nearly 1 in every five.

“Reengagement Centers are the gateway for youth opportunity to experience a positive journey to success that empowers them to positively develop themselves with respect to education, career, social, psychological, physical and increased self-esteem that enables them to have a successful life” said Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Don Covey.

The standards ensure every youth has the skills needed to complete education and continue on to success in their career and self-efficiency. The framework sets the foundation of knowledge and skills needed to successfully support Opportunity Youth in meeting their long-term success.

“These standards will ensure the community is coordinating services to effectively reconnect disconnected youth,” said Councilwoman Pastor. “Reengaging youth in education and employment services is key to Phoenix’s future economic prosperity.”

Opportunities for Youth Reengagement Centers provides active outreach to engage youth (16-24) who are out of school and not working and assists them in resuming their education and/or training to become career ready. These centers, co-located within existing nonprofits and government agencies, have agreed to adopt innovative quality standards that will help to promote consistency throughout agencies and create a strong referral network of providers.

WHO:
Superintendent Dr. Don Covey

Phoenix Councilwoman Laura Pastor

Andrew Moore, National League of Cities

Thomas Showalter, National Youth Employment Coalition

Community-based Organizations
Community volunteers

WHEN:

11 a.m. to Noon, Wednesday, October 12, 2016

WHERE:

Arizona Center for Youth Resources

649 N 6th Ave

Phoenix, AZ 85003