Research conducted during the Youth Research and Technical Assistance project established that the process of designing effective job training/employment programs for at-risk youth can be framed in terms of the following broad themes: focusing on youth as youth by developing program designs that are appropriate for their age and level of development; connecting work and learning by providing opportunities for youth to develop basic and cognitive skills in a "real world" context; providing opportunities for longer-term sequences of services; and promoting quality in a decentralized system. Among the elements that must be included in a longer-term, comprehensive system of services for youth are the following: flexible entry/exit through a developmental sequence of programs and services; mechanisms to match youth to appropriate services and track their progress over time; community-wide interagency partnerships to provide long-term, comprehensive services; and a variety of program strategies. The following elements are key to promoting quality in a decentralized system: active investment in capacity building and professional development; an assessment system providing accurate information for matching youth to services, assessing gains, and tracking progress through a sequence of services; and a clearly defined, meaningful set of program outcomes that form the basis for an ongoing performance management system. (MN)