Supplemental Youth Employment and Training Program
The Supplemental Youth Em- ployment and Training Program (SYSP) is a component of the WIOA service provided by NCIDC. This program is designed to pro- vide a meaningful work experi- ence for American Indian youth between the ages of 16 and 24. Job sites in local Native organi- zations and various other local businesses are developed to pre- pare participants for future work environments. A combination of educational and vocational skill development is used to benefit clients. There are three major strategies for linking work and learning:
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Job links which combine learn- ing with work experience or oc- cupational training;
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Functional Context Education, which integrates workplace ma- terials and problems into basic skills curriculum; and
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WorksiteTraining,whichteaches basic skills through actual work performed on the job.
The specific strategy used is matched to the needs of the youth being served and the goals of the pro- gram. However, there are several key elements common to all three work and learning strategies:
- Some exposure to real work is built into every basic skills pro- gram, whether in the form of job shadowing, summer jobs, part- time work, or on-the-job train- ing.
- Quality worksites are key, in- cluding real work for real pay and close, caring supervision.
- Collaboration between busi- ness and employment pro- fessionals is also essential—to develop curriculum, arrange credit and flexible work hours and to ensure communica- tion between instructors and supervisors.
NCIDC’s Supplemental Youth Employment and Training Program brochure