Focusing Better on Youth: Legislative Recommendations from the Field. A Report from the National Youth Practitioners' Network.

This report synthesizes recommendations on future youth employment policy that emerged from a series of 10 regional Policy Forums sponsored by the National Youth Practitioners' Network. Introductory information lists the sessions and the five discussion questions on the agenda at 10 forums. These three general recommendations are then discussed: the youth unemployment problem will not go away or cure itself, long term developmental needs of young people are different from the more immediate job placement needs of adults, and creation of a separate youth title/tier within a consolidated employment and training program is the most effective way to ensure adequate service to youth. Specific recommendations for the discussion questions follow, including (1) targeting to ensure availability of funds to serve those in greatest need and prescribed eligibility criteria; (2) comprehensive program approaches with a wide range of allowable program activities, local institutional collaboration, and forward funding; (3) expanded private sector involvement; (4) developmental approach to youth programming and performance-based management system; and (5) local control of employment and training programs. Appendixes, amounting to over one-half of the report, include background notes on youth unemployment, network background notes, and questions and answers on Youth Practitioners' Network. (An executive summary precedes the report.) (YLB)