The impact of migrant education program services on migrant here-to-work out-of-school youth voices from the field

Here to work Out of School Youth (OSY) are an important population in the Migrant Education Program (MEP), yet because of their transiency are they are among the most difficult group of youth to find and even more complex to serve. This group of migrant youth is divided into two subgroups; Recovery students (aka dropouts) and youth that arrive in the United States primarily to work (aka Here-to Work). This study examined the impact of the MEP practices and services for Here-to-Work (HTW) OSY through the perspective of the youth. The research question posed was How do the identified practices and services impact migrant 18 to 21 year old HTW OSY in the Migrant Education Program, Region XVI, Monterey County Office of Education in California. Specifically, the study sought to find the impact of those strategies and services on HTW OSY. A Participatory Action Research methodology was used with a total of 16 HTW OSY participating in ten interviews and one focus group of six. Findings from the study were divided into five themes: Identification and Recruitment, Program Services, Recommendations, Motivation, Cultural Proficiency. The study concluded that field-based identification and recruitment are critical to locating, enrolling, and serving HTW OSY, the importance of a network of friends and family, the importance of the advocate's role with the HTW OSY and the benefits of health examinations to HTW OSY. The study concluded that HTW OSY are interested in furthering their education and learning English and the importance of the social development MEP services provide for HTW OSY. It was also found that HTW OSY are highly motivated and interested in furthering their education. Recommendations include that the MEP build and/or further develop relationships with local agricultural companies; focus on technology, augment winter programs and continue health services for HTW OSY; include HTW OSY in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of program; develop cultural proficiency among MEP staff; that the California Department of Education and Office of Migrant Education provide consistent technical assistance for serving HTW OSY and that further research be an expansion of this study.