9802
. Programs shall provide, at a minimum, all of the following
services:
(a) (1) Acquisition, rehabilitation, acquisition and
rehabilitation, or construction of housing and related facilities to
be used for the purpose of providing home ownership for disadvantaged
persons, residential housing for homeless individuals and very low
income families, or transitional housing for persons who are
homeless, ill, deinstitutionalized, or who have disabilities or
special needs.
(2) Rehabilitation or construction of community facilities owned
by public agencies or nonprofit entities.
(b) (1) Integrated education and job training services and
activities or an equally divided basis, with 50 percent of
participants' time spent in classroom-based instruction, counseling,
and leadership development instruction, and 50 percent of
participants' time spent in experiential training on the construction
site.
(2) The education component described in paragraph (1) shall
include basic skills instruction, secondary education services, and
other activities designed to lead to the attainment of a high school
diploma or its equivalent. The curriculum for this component shall
include math, language arts, vocational education, life skills
training, social studies related to the cultural and community
history of the participants, leadership skills, and other topics at
the discretion of the program. Bilingual services shall be available
for individuals with limited-English proficiency. A program shall
have a goal of a minimum teacher-to-participant ratio of one teacher
for every 18 participants.
(3) The job training component described in paragraph (1) shall
involve work experience and skills training apprenticeships related
to construction and rehabilitation activities described in
subdivision (a). The process of construction shall be coupled with
skills training and with close onsite supervision by experienced
trainers. The curriculum for this component shall contain a set of
locally agreed upon skills and competencies that are systematically
taught, with participants' mastery assessed individually on a
regular, ongoing basis. Safety skills shall be taught at the outset.
A program shall have a goal of a minimum trainer-to-participant ratio
of one trainer for every seven participants. This component shall be
coordinated to the maximum extent feasible with preapprenticeship
and apprenticeship opportunities.
(4) Assistance in attaining postsecondary education and in
obtaining financial aid shall be made available to participants prior
to graduation from the program.
(c) Counseling services designed to assist participants in
positively participating in society, including all of the following,
as necessary: outreach, assessment, and orientation; individual and
peer counseling; life skills training, drug and alcohol abuse
education and prevention; and referral to appropriate drug
rehabilitation, medical, mental health, legal, housing, and other
community services and resources. A program shall have a goal of a
minimum counselor-to-participant ratio of one counselor for every 28
participants.
(d) (1) Leadership development training that provides participants
with meaningful opportunities to develop leadership skills,
including decisionmaking, problem solving, and negotiating. A program
shall encourage participants to develop strong peer group ties that
support their mutual pursuit of skills and values.
(2) Each program shall establish a youth council in which
participants are afforded opportunities to develop public speaking
and negotiating skills, and management and policymaking participation
in specific aspects of the program.
(e) Each participant shall be provided with a training subsidy,
living allowance, or stipend of not less than eight dollars ($8) per
hour for the time spent at the worksite in construction training. For
those participants who receive public assistance, this training
subsidy, living allowance, or stipend shall not affect housing
benefits, medical benefits, child care benefits, or CalFresh
benefits, to the extent consistent with federal law. The training
subsidy, living allowance, or stipend may be distributed in a manner
that offers incentives for good performance.
(f) Full-time participation in a program shall be offered for a
period of not less than 6 months and not more than 24 months.
(g) A concentrated effort shall be made to find construction,
construction-related, or nonconstruction jobs for all graduates of
the program who have performed well. The job training curriculum
shall provide participants with basic preparation for seeking and
maintaining a job. Followup counseling and assistance in job seeking
shall also be provided to participants for a period of 12 months
following graduation from the program.
(h) A program serving 20 or more participants is required to have
a full-time director responsible for the coordination of the
requirements of this article.