Legislative findings

The Legislative Assembly finds that: (1) Oregon youth require meaningful job training and workforce development opportunities, and opportunities to learn about stewardship, rehabilitation and conservation of this state’s public lands, natural resources and recreational areas. These opportunities are needed by youth from all economic and cultural backgrounds. (2) Public bodies that have responsibility for projects to protect, conserve, rehabilitate or improve public lands, natural resources or recreational areas are in a position to make available, and benefit from, employment and training opportunities for Oregon youth. (3) Cooperative agreements between youth job development organizations and public bodies will create job training opportunities for youth that will provide critical job and workforce skills for Oregon youth and will provide significant cost savings and flexibility to public bodies in public resource projects. (4) A streamlined, collaborative, project-based process is required for the establishment of mutually beneficial job training opportunities for youth by youth job development organizations and public bodies under cooperative agreements entered into in connection with public resource projects.