Attention Chicago Partners!!!!!

Congrats to an amazing summer start where over 22,000 youth are being empowered in programs and worksites across the city!

This post will help clarify and inspire the 21st Century Skills Development expectations for Summer 2014, as well as, supporting all One Summer Chicago, After School Matters, Chicago Public Libraries, DFSS Youth Division (CDBG+) and more. If you are a program manager, please send to ALL interested parties in your organization.

SUMMER GOAL:
Every young person had the opportunity to build 21st century skills in their program setting or in the job –  where instructors, mentors and employers are regularly giving feedback on each youth’s skill strengths and growth areas (aka power profile). Download the Feedback worksheet.

SUMMER OUTCOME:
Through real time feedback and end of summer sessions/reflections, youth leave summer knowing their power profile – at least 3-5 of their core skill strengths and 2-3 areas for growth. Some programs will use online assessment tools to facilitate this process. See below for assessment expectations per program.

10 SUMMER SKILLS SUGGESTIONS: MHA Practice Guide and Worksheets for Skills and Goals.

Click here to download the full free toolkit.

  1. Give youth real-time strength-based feedback on their skills. When they do something well and meet your expectations, tell them why and give tangible suggestions to become even more amazing.
  2. Give youth real-time growth feedback. When they miss the mark on an expectation, tell them why and give tangible suggestions on how to improve.
  3. Get to know the individual dreams, goals or aspirations of each youth and directly link the skills they are learning in your program or on the job and their personal goals.
  4. Use feedback sessions, Be Amazing..Post-Its and MHA Skills profile worksheets to have youth self reflect and report on their own strengths and growth areas.
  5. Create and track skills development goals based on immediate performance issues as well as longer term goals using MHA goal planning worksheets or your own tools.
  6. Conduct skills reflection check-outs after each session where youth highlight what skills they used that day to successful complete the program activity or work task.
  7. If you are mentoring youth working on a job-site, have youth skills debrief one positive story and one growth story from work each week. Use the skills framework to help them discover what skills they used to make the positive outcome and what skills could have changed the growth story to a success story.
  8. Celebrate skills development every week so that youth can see the positive progress they are making.
  9. If required, in the final week complete an MHA skills performance assessment where you will effectively translate your observations into a “skills power” profile. Youth can now understand their power and growth areas and use it to unlock future opportunities. This year data from the Employer Appraisal will be proactively used to help youth seeking employment after summer.
  10. During the last week, mark the end of this important summer experience and conduct a final skills reflection with each youth (when possible) or as a group. Your MHA assessment results are immediately sent to your email for use in this final reflection. Use the MHA Certificated of Achievement to celebrate.

CALL IN  – STOP IN HOTLINE
Conference # (712) 432-1212
Meeting ID: 262-386-097
Drop-In – 125 S Clark, Suite 1825
Appointments by Request, email lbeller@mhalabs.org

  • Wednesday, July 9th, 9:30 – 10:30am
  • Thursday, July 10th, 9-10am
  • Thursday, July 10th, 4-5pm

MHA ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM/CONTRACT:
On July 10th, each agency program manager will receive a custom online link to their assessment form(s) to send to their employers, instructors and/or mentors. This online service provides EACH RATER with their results immediately via an HTML scorecard in their email inbox. This allows for data to be used in final reflection sessions.

DASHBOARD: This year, agencies will also be provided online login and password to monitor their own completion process and data dashboard with access to full reporting tools. MHA Labs will still do aggregate reporting for DFSS or CHA contracts.

COMPLETION DATE: All assessment to be completed at the BEGINNING of final week or sooner so that the information can be used during the final reflection sessions. It is vital that youth get summary feedback on their experience from their supervisor, mentor or instructor.

  • DFSS & CHA SYEP: MEA Employer Appraisal sent to internship/job supervisors
  • OSC PLUS: MEA Employer Appraisal sent to internship/job supervisors and HAQ Formative Assessment sent to mentors
  • GREEN CORPS: HAQ Formative Assessment sent to mentors and instructors
  • JISC/RISE: HAQ Formative Assessment sent to mentors
  • CHASE: MEA Employer Appraisal sent to internship/job supervisors
  • ASM ADVANCED INTERNSHIPS: MEA Employer Appraisal sent to internship/job supervisors
  • CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY: MEA Employer Appraisal sent to internship/job supervisors
  • DFSS Youth Division (CDBG+) : NO Assessment Summer 2014 – Focus on skills development and feedback
  • ASM Non-Advanced Internship Programs: NO Assessment Summer 2014 – Focus on skills development and feedback

HIGHLIGHT: This year youth with positive employer appraisals will be able to give MHA Labs permission to share their information with workforce development programs and employers placing part time and full time jobs after summer. MEA completion this year is not just about reflection and data, it can unlock future opportunity.

In closing, I AM HERE TO HELP YOU BE SUCCESSFUL. Email, call or text me anytime for questions, insights and celebrations.

Best,
Leslie Beller

Author: / Posted in: Announcements, News