| PEPNet Accreditation |
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CAMDEN, NJ- Eight youth-serving organizations from across the country recently embarked on an Accreditation Pilot through the National Youth Employment Coalition’s Promising and Effective Practices (NYEC PEPNet). The pilot, conducted over the past 16 months, with support from the William Penn Foundation and registration fees from pilot sites, sought to identify successful practices, foster a culture of continuous improvement and continue to implement a national system of quality standards for youth organizations. Twelve organizations participated in the NYEC PEPNet Accreditation Pilot, the core component of which involved completing a comprehensive organizational self-assessment and continuous improvement process. Of the organizations that applied for accreditation during the pilot only four received NYEC PEPNet Accreditation, The Work Group’s New Jersey Youth Corps Program based in Pennsauken, NJ being one. NYEC PEPNet Accredited organizations demonstrate a high level of quality in a range of criteria related to organizational management, program design and delivery, youth development workforce employment, and a focus on youth outcomes. These organizations show an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, documentation of activities that achieve superior results, and a thorough understanding of the services and supports youth need to develop and succeed. “The pilot process is the first critical step in developing and implementing a permanent and ongoing PEPNet quality improvement and accreditation process,” says NYEC Executive Director Mala B. Thakur. “We hope PEPNet Accreditation will come to represent a seal of excellence in youth programming.” “Now, more than ever, with a slowing economy, a lack of well-trained, qualified workers, and an alarmingly low high school completion rate, youth programs and youth-serving systems need to ensure that our nation’s young people are adequately prepared to meet ever-changing labor market demands and successfully transition into adulthood,” states Ms. Thakur. |
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