Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Youth Initiative Employment Data Collection and Reporting

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENTASHINGTON, D.C. 20240http://www.blm.govApril 28, 2010In Reply Refer To: 1115 (172) PEMS TRANSMISSION 05/11/2010Information Bulletin No. 2010-070To: State Directors and Assistant DirectorsAttn: State Youth LeadsFrom: Director, Office of the National Landscape Conservation System and Community PartnershipsSubject: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Youth Initiative Employment Data Collection and ReportingPurpose: The purpose of this Information Bulletin (IB) is to provide BLM State Youth Leads with a tool to track actual and projected youth employment for Fiscal_Year (FY) 2010 and 2011, and to request periodic reports on youth employment.Background: The Department of the Interior (DOI) has established Bureau-specific goals for increasing youth employment in FY 2010. The goal for the BLM is to increase youth employment by 35 percent over 2009 levels. An Instruction Memorandum (IM) from Deputy Director Mike Pool provided State Directors with 2010 employment goals for each State. These goals represent a 35 percent increase over the employment numbers that the States provided to the Washington Office (WO) in a data call in August of 2009. A copy of the chart with State goals is attached.The IM also included information on the categories of youth employment that can be counted. States are requested to track youth employment that meets the following criteria:-- Youth are between the ages of 15-25.-- The youth are employed for a minimum of 80 hours of paid compensation. The 80 hours can be cumulative over the fiscal year. Compensation can come in the form of a stipend or an hourly wage. Longer terms of employment are encouraged because they provide a more meaningful experience for the youth participant, allowing more time for mentoring the youth, providing them with employable skills, and instilling valuable stewardship and conservation ethics.Youth job opportunities are provided:

• through non-competitive hiring authorities, such as those offered by the Student Educational Employment Programs (SEEP), Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program, Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP), and other intern programs;
• through cooperative agreements with partner organizations, such as service and conservation corps, other government agencies, community-based environmental and heritage organizations, and educational institutions, using the authority provided by the Public Land Corps Act of 1993;
• for youth ages 15-18 using the authority provided by the Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1970;
• for seasonal employees, such as firefighting crew members.

Action: In an effort to provide the States and the WO with a means to track progress through the year, the Division of Education, Interpretation, and Partnerships (WO-172), with the assistance of the Youth Initiative Working Group, has prepared a spreadsheet to be used for tracking actual and projected youth employment in FY 2010 and 2011. The spreadsheet is attached.The Youth Employment tracking spreadsheet is divided into four separate sheets: Actual Partner-Supported Youth Employment to date -- to be used to track youth employed through partners from the beginning of FY 2010 (October 1, 2009) until the present. Do not include youth employees who are or have been on the Federal Personnel Payroll System (FPPS). Human Capital Management staff will track FPPS youth employees to date, including STEP, SCEP, PMF, FCIP, and seasonal or temporary employees.Projected Youth Employment for FY 2010 -- to be used to track all categories of youth employees, including those on FPPS, who are projected to be hired through the end of FY 2011. Projected Youth Employment for FY 2011 in all categories to be used in planning for FY 2011.Definitions -- provides details on the information to be provided in each of the spreadsheet cells. State Youth Leads are asked to coordinate with Field Offices in order to complete the spreadsheet as accurately as possible and post it on the Youth Initiative Sharepoint site by May 30, 2010. Updated reports should be completed and posted on July 15 and August 30, with a final year-end report due on October 1, 2010. Any questions about this IB or the spreadsheet may be directed to National Youth Programs Coordinator, Betsy Wooster (Elizabeth_wooster@blm.gov; 202-912-7450).Signed by: Carl Rountree, Director, National Landscape Conservation System and Community PartnershipsAuthenticated by: Robert M. Williams, Division of IRM Governance, WO-5602 - Attachments1 -- State Employment Goals 2010 (1 p)2-- Employment Tracking Spreadsheet