Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Wagner-Peyser Program (Employment Services)
All Program-Specific Requirements provided for the WIOA core programs in this section must be addressed for either a Unified or Combined State Plan.
- e. Agricultural Outreach Plan (AOP). Each State agency must develop an AOP every four years as part of the Unified or Combined State Plan required under sections 102 or 103 of WIOA. The AOP must include an assessment of need. An assessment need describes the unique needs of farmworkers in the area based on past and projected agricultural and farmworker activity in the State. Such needs may include but are not limited to: employment, training, and housing.
- 4. Outreach Activities
The local offices outreach activities must be designed to meet the needs of MSFWs in the State and to locate and contact MSFWs who are not being reached through normal intake activities. Describe the State agency's proposed strategies for:
- 4. Outreach Activities
- e. Agricultural Outreach Plan (AOP). Each State agency must develop an AOP every four years as part of the Unified or Combined State Plan required under sections 102 or 103 of WIOA. The AOP must include an assessment of need. An assessment need describes the unique needs of farmworkers in the area based on past and projected agricultural and farmworker activity in the State. Such needs may include but are not limited to: employment, training, and housing.
e. 4. E. Coordinating outreach efforts with NFJP grantees as well as with public and private community service agencies and MSFW groups
Current Narrative:
The Office of Workforce Development, Workforce Development Boards, and their sub recipients will continue to partner with local agencies whenever possible including the WIOA Title I section 167 grantee. The Office of Workforce Development (OWD) and the 167 grantee, United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS), have a signed MOU. The purpose of the MOU is to ensure the most effective and efficient utilization of the funds provided for the MSFW program. OWD and UMOS will continue to work together as partners to provide a full spectrum of services to Missouri’s MSFW’s and agricultural employers. OWD and UMOS worked together to develop brochures and other outreach materials that featuring both agencies and the services they provide in English and Spanish. These brochures are used during outreach with both employers and MSFWs to increase knowledge about employment and training services.
Missouri’s Migrant Farmworkers Assistance Fund and churches are two of active partners. Local churches provide a variety of supportive services including food, rent money, clothing, and transportation. Migrant Farmworkers Assistance Fund provides health assistance, legal referral, and hunger relief services. Outreach tools include printed materials and personal contact. Personal contact results in better performance outcomes. This method is also the preferred method of outreach for the workers. On-site interaction gives workers the opportunity to have questions answered with intake completed via laptop.
As part of our marketing efforts an agricultural services page was implemented on Facebook. However, the AES Facebook page did not provide us the results we were looking for, as far as reaching agricultural employers and MSFW jobseekers. As a result, communications unit will be working with the SMA and AES outreach staff to post content regarding MSFW services in our already establish Jobs Mo Gov (JMG) Facebook page. MSFW services will have its own scheduling slot and branding within JMG. Social media increases the ability to reach jobseekers who are seeking agricultural employment and agricultural employers who need farmworkers.'