Although many centers are already actively serving a diverse population, every center needs to consider how the strategic plan might affect center operations. As with all new programs, there will be a transition period during which the center’s senior administrators make management-level decisions, disseminate the plan to staff, and provide tools, such as this website, to help staff enhance the effectiveness and improve the quality of services for ELL youth on center.

There are a number of essential capacities that centers will need to have in order to be effective in serving youth whose first language is not English. Center management has a responsibility to employ or subcontract with qualified and competent staff and instructors who understand cultural diversity. Promoting creativity and flexibility with regard to multiculturalism from all staff on center will further enhance the quality of the services students receive.

Steps that management can take to strengthen implementation efforts during this transition period include making sure that all staff members are informed about the objectives of the Strategic Plan. This means:

• The center must designate a staff person to serve as ELL Coordinator and Point of Contact for ELL plan development, implementation, and related resources.
• The center should establish a team that includes the center director, assistant director, and several managers, who will be responsible for disseminating information about the Strategic Plan.
• Management should publish, post, and publicize the strategic objectives in conference rooms and other staff offices.
• Each Job Corps staff member should be provided with a letter or memo highlighting the Strategic Plan objectives.
• Management should establish a process to inform new employees about the Strategic Plan objectives.
• A link on the center's website or intranet should be created to direct staff to information on the Plan.
• Leadership should highlight staff training that addresses how everyone at Job Corps can make the center a more accepting and welcoming environment for people from all cultural backgrounds.

Management-level commitment is reflected in continuous communication with center staff, and in staff engagement in a united effort to achieve the Strategic Plan objectives. Depending on the size of the center, and the number of buildings, effective communication can be supported with technology. For example:

• The center can make appropriate use of the center website or intranet to support the objectives.
• Management can create an employee forum, e.g., all-staff meetings or departmental meetings, for getting feedback and answering questions regarding the Strategic Plan.
• Likewise, procedures for follow-up on questions or feedback from the meetings should be established.

Finally, management should recognize and document the resources that are being brought to the effort, whether specific funds are set aside or not. When needs change, so should the allocation of financial and other resources to the new priorities.

The person designated as the ELL Coordinator or resource person should be familiar with the Strategic Plan and the implementation efforts taking place system-wide. While the management team makes sure that all staff members are informed about the objectives of the Strategic Plan and promotes staff collaboration to improve the environment of the center, the ELL Coordinator directly helps staff in making those changes.

The ELL Coordinator can also collect and organize suggestions on techniques to use with ELLs, and be in charge of updating an intranet web page or center website with this information on a monthly or quarterly basis. Centers each have different levels of experience and expertise in serving ELLs, and depending on the needs of the center, the ELL Coordinator may not need to be a full-time position and can be taken on by an existing staff person with other duties as well. The important thing is that someone be designated to take responsibility.