Northwest Georgia Career Depot: One-Stop Plan Phase II

Part II
Address the following areas and questions. This narrative should be no more than five pages.

1.	Describe your phase II planned activities and projected outcomes. Include a brief schedule of events. The Northwest Georgia Workforce Development Project, covering the fifteen counties in service delivery area one (1), will expand upon its phase I plan of.
	a.	developing a hub of six to eight one-stop shops that offer integrated, co-located, and/or coordinated services;
	b.	organizing into collaboratives of between one to four counties which meet regularly to plan services and resolve localized problems/issues;
	c.	having electronic connectivity, including video telecommunications where appropriate, among the partners involved in the collaborative;
	d..	providing more and improved opportunities for customer self-service through resource centers and the internet including increasing the locations where free internet access is available to the public;
	e.	increasing the quantity of and improving the quality of information available to both customers and collaborative staff through media and training.
	In addition to the Career Depots at Northwestern Technical Institute [Walker Technical Institute] and the Dalton Field Service Office and the Virtual Career Depot at Coosa Valley Technical Institute - Calhoun Campus, a One-Stop Shop opened at Coosa Valley Technical Institute - Rome Campus in September 1998. We have held discussions with Cartersville and Blue Ridge FSOs and Pickens Technical Institute and expect them to have One-Stop Shops operational by the first quarter of 1999. In addition, when the satellite campuses of Coosa Valley Technical Institute in Polk and Gordon Counties are finished, space will be provided for One Stops. These will probably be operational by the fourth quarter of 1999. With the second phase grant, the service delivery area will focus on the following items:
	a.	Equipment, materials, and supplies for customer self-service job search activities at one-stop shops and collaborative partners' offices. Most of the items were purchased with the Phase I grant; however, some additional items are still needed. All purchases should be completed by the second quarter of 1999.
	b.	Telephone lines and internet connectivity for customer self-service and collaborative video telecommunications. This item was planned with Phase I; however, we are still determining the best, most economical means to achieve this end. Installation and connectivity should be complete by second quarter 1999. WaCaDaCha (Walker, Catoosa, Dade, and Chattooga Counties) will participate in the Common Intake Pilot which begins the first quarter 1999. If the video telecommunications pilot proves successful for WaCaDaCha, equipment will be purchased for other collaborative partners.
	c.	Equipment, materials, and supplies for marketing and training activities. We have found that we must upgrade the equipment we originally intended to purchase. We are producing more items, in greater quantity, than we originally anticipated. In addition, partners are expressing a desire to produce more brochures, booklets, etc. for customers. The equipment and supplies will be availasble for the use of all collaborative partners. This will be an on-going item through the termination of the Phase II grant.
	d.	Equipment, materials, and supplies for the service delivery area's mobile laboratory. The lab currently is operating with old 286 computers which are woefully inadequate. The lab has been utilized in the past as a GED training site for dislocated workers and as a career assessment lab. After upgrade, it can also be utilized as a mobile one-stop site. We anticipate that the equipment will be purchased by the third quarter 1999.
	e.	Career assessment materials and instruments. Common career assessment instruments for the use of partners and self-service customers have been requested by collaborative partners. They view this as an essential component towards helping individuals achieve their career goals. These purchases should be complete by the third quarter 1999.
	f.	Information and training for collaborative staff and potential partners. Whenever possible informational materials and training will be provided in-house; however, training may be purchased should the demand or expertise required exceed the level available through local staff.
2.	Discuss how your plan will build on the efforts of the GDL One-Stop initiative including Georgia Connections. The agencies involved in the Georgia Works/Georgia Connections Collaborative have been involved in the region's one-stop efforts since the Workforce Development Project began in July 1996. Many other agencies have also been, and continue to be, involved in the development of the system. Our energies in this process have been directed at establishing a hub of six to eight one-stop/full-service locations throughout the fifteen county region. Central to our planning from the beginning, in addition to the physical sites, was the recognition that electronic connectivity and online information was essential for the varying agencies to be able to communicate and provide integrated and/or coordinated services. To that end, we started in July 1996 to collect information on job banks, job search resources, training and education, and community social services resources within our region. The information was compiled into an extensive web site that went on line April 1997. Information and services available on line have continually been expanded and updated. In an effort to enhance communications and to keep all interested parties informed of the activities of the Project, since March 1997 we have continued to prepare and distribute newsletters to agencies, organizations, and businesses in our region which focus on the activities of all collaborative partners and Georgia Work Connection. In addition, four of the service delivery area's counties will participate in the Common Intake Pilot, including utilizing video telecommunications.
3.	Discuss how your plan will build collaboration between the partners. What information sharing and access issues will be addressed. Collaboration efforts continue to be a priority in the Northwest Georgia region. The communications processes we have established have helped staff in their understanding of the one-stop initiative in both our region and the statewide collaborative. The purchase of state-of-the-art equipment and materials has generated enthusiasm among agency staff who are initiating new ways to do business and more efficiently and effectively address the needs of customers. Some access and information sharing issues we will continue to focus on in the coming months include:
	a.	piloting video telecommunications access to services to help overcome the region's transportation problems;
	b.	expanding the locations where free internet access is available;
	c.	improving coordination of job development activities among the various agencies;
	d.	improving coordination of workshop activities among the various agencies;
	e.	improving coordination of case management and assessment activities to provide better, more comprehensive services for customers;
	f.	improving the quantity and quality of information provided to staff of the various agencies and organizations so that all have a clear and common understanding of the direction in which workforce development is heading;
	g.	providing training to staff so that they have the ability to move as many customers as possible towards self-directed access to services.
4.	List accomplishments to date and your criteria for success during this second phase of your efforts. This information may be used for monitoring purposes and as part of the review process for future funds. Accomplishments to date:
	a.	The Career Depot newsletter was produced and distributed monthly to 600 agencies and organizations and included information on both local and state collaborative initiatives.
	b.	Six of the Field Service Offices have an expanded resource room equipped with computers and other equipment and materials to be utilized in job search activities.
	c.	A one-stop shop is operational in Floyd County at Coosa Valley Technical Institute.
	d.	Space has been allocated at Pickens Technical Institute for a one-stop shop.
	e.	Video telecommunications equipment has been purchased for the WaCaDaCha collaborative.
	f.	Promotional materials and brochures have been distributed to current one-stop shops. In addition, one-stop materials were provided for the Georgia Work Connection Workforce Development Conference, Department of Labor One-Stop Conference, NAWDP Miami Conference, UTC, Chattanooga State, MRGR and SER Regional Conference in Gadsden AL. Formal presentations were made at the GWC, NAWDP, and MRGR and SER conferences.
	g.	The Career Depot web site receives between 1200 and 1500 visits monthly. A section for job seekers' resumes has been added.
	h.	The Northwest Georgia Workforce Development Project will receive an award for Workforce Excellence at the National Association of Counties Conference in November. We are one of seven projects in the nation selected for the award.
	Second Phase Criteria for Success:
	a.	One-Stop shops will be operational at Pickens Technical Institute, Blue Ridge FSO, and Cartersville FSO.
	b.	The Career Depot mobile laboratory will be equipped with updated supplies, materials and equipment.
	c.	If the Common Intake pilot is successful, video telecommunications will be utilized by partners in the collaboratives in WaCaDaCha, Whitfield/Murray, Floyd, and Fannin/Gilmer/Pickens counties.
	d.	Monthly newsletters will be distributed to 650 agencies and organizations within the Northwest Georgia region, to statewide collaborative partners, and to interested legislators.
	e.	All seven FSOs in the region will have updated Career Resource rooms with internet access for self-service customers.
	f.	Information and promotional materials will be prepared for each one-stop shop and will be distributed to all collaborative partners.
	g.	At least four regional meetings/training sessions will be held to provide one-stop shop information to collaborative partners and interested parties.

We will continue to seek donated or surplus items prior to purchasing. We will look at purchasing multi-purpose equipment to reduce overall costs. Cost includes installation and connectivity for above items.

Note: We sent letters to all collaborative partners in the 15-county region asking that they submit a "wish list" to us of items they deem necessary or desirable to further the purposes of the collaborative and the one-stop effort. Should the requests exceed the available funds (which we expect they will), we will prioritize the requests and seek other funding sources to purchase the balance of the requests. Not all partners have responded so the above chart reflects only the requests to date.

Software: How to Type, Spanish/English-English/Spanish Communications or Universal Translator, Print Shop, How to Prepare Resumes and Cover Letters including versions that may be utilized by the disabled, Kid Proof to control access to certain areas on the internet. Professional Career Assessment System - Career Scope is being considered but a final determination has not been made.

Other Supplies: General office supplies such as typing and copying paper, pens and pencils, staplers, paper clips, rulers, rubber bands, white out, lamination and binding supplies, etc. Promotional materials and supplies. Cost associated with meeting and training sessions.

1. Personnel
a. Personnel
b. Fringe Benefits
Subtotal Personnel

2. Non-personnel
a. Equipment		$60,000
b. Supplies		$24,000
c. Subgrant or Contract
d. Training Costs
e. Other
Subtotal Non-personnel		$84,000

3. Indirect

4. Total Funds Requested		$84,000

Agency	Bookcase	Desk	Computer Desk	Computer	File Cabinets	Printer	Color Laser Printer
NWGA FSO	1	2	1		2
Dade DFCS			1			1
Blue Ridge FSO			1	1		2*
Marketing/Training				2			2
LaFayette FSO			1			2
Mobile Lab				12		4
LaFayette Rehab			1
*combination fax/copier/scanner & color deskjet printer

Agency	Copier	Color Copier	Digital Camera	Presentation Projector	Telecom Camera	TV/VCR	PC to TV
LaFayette FSO	1
Marketing/Training		2	1	1			1
Mobile Lab	1
Various Partners					15
Blue Ridge FSO						1