By Jordan Studer
CCN Reporter

BUCYRUS — Representatives from Crawford County Job and Family Services met with the Crawford County Commissioners Tuesday afternoon to present an update of the happenings for the month of June.  

Job and Family Services representatives present were: Cassandra Holtzmann – Director, Melinda Crall-Cauley – Assistant Director, and Angela Neef – Supervisor.  

One of the items presented was a report for the Crawford County Youth Program (CCYP) for June 2018. The CCYP is designed to reach individuals ages 14-24 that desire help to reach their educational or employment goals.  

Supervisor, Angela Neef was excited to announce that enrollment for the CCYP is steadily climbing and currently has 22 individuals enrolled through Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and 38 enrolled through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. There are also pending enrollments in the process.  

“I think we are on the right track. We got a slow start, but I think we made a lot of ground up. I feel like we are picking up steam, and we should be able to carry that on into next year,” Neef explained.  

Out of the 22 enrolled through WIOA, 10 are enrolled in or have plan to enroll in post secondary programs for jobs that are in need of employees in the area. It was also explained that earlier in June, a Graduation Recognition Event was held for 20 Youth Program Participants who graduated high school this year or had received their GED this year.  

Neef was proud to reveal that 5 out of the 20 chose to continue on to higher education. Neef and Holtzmann couldn’t say enough about how proud they were of the graduates and how touched they were to see them succeed.  

“Let’s remember that some of these young people really had to overcome some significant barriers, and they did it. That was really moving… it was just a really warm, beautiful event,” Holtzmann expressed through teary-eyes.   

Also in June, the CCYP began two contracted training programs in Customer Service and Industrial Readiness. The program is set up to be a half day of training followed by a half day in a local business applying what they learned.  

It was also mentioned that OSU is doing an Engagement/Encouragement study that the CCYP will be participating in beginning on July 11. The goal of the study is to see how youth can be engaged or encouraged to participate more in the program and reach those who fall out.  

On the fiscal side of the update, Crall-Cauley gave a report of the agency’s work to steadily pay off any debt they owe.  

It was explained that in due to the lack of adequate funds being presented to Public Children Service Agencies in the past, many counties suffered and had to use funds from elsewhere. Crall-Cauley explained that although there is a good amount left to pay, they are steadily chopping away at what they owe and now have the means to double their payments when made.   

Holtzmann also explained that there are various items in the works for Job and Family Services that will have high-hopes to continually improve the abilities and services they can provide to the community.