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North Carolina 68 5. Youth Incentive Program - The youth incentive program is less structured than the adult program to allow for flexibility and each unique child. The incentives are similar and will be given as progress is made toward achieving their educational goals. The social worker will begin engaging with youth aged 14 and up to begin the discussion and goal planning for their future. The purpose of these incentives is to help instill a strong work ethic (success brings reward) at an early age. The program places an emphasis on education or the work experience needed to achieve their future goals and dreams. MACON COUNTY 1. To receive Work First, the children must live with an adult relative who is within a certain degree of kinship: A. Parent, including a biological mother, father, and adoptive parent. B. Legal father or mother, step-parents. C. An alleged father or other alleged paternal relatives. D. Spouses of these individuals also meet kinship even if the marriage has been terminated by death or divorce. E. Grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents. F. Uncles or aunts, great uncle or aunt, great-great uncle or aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin. G. Brother, sister, half-brothers, half-sister, step-brother and step-sister. H. Other adults who have court ordered legal custody or legal guardianship of a child. I. Brother, sister, including half-brothers and sisters. Biological parents and relatives are not eligible to receive Work First for a child that has been adopted out of the family. This relative must be providing care for the child on a day-to-day basis and be responsible for ongoing decisions regarding the child’s well-being. A relative who meets the above relationships must be included in the case with the child, unless they are an SSI recipient receiving SSI benefits. 2. All Work First applicants will have a three-month penalty imposed for quitting a job unless “good cause” is established by intake caseworker and supervisor. The ineligibility period is defined as the month of application and the next three months. The individual may reapply for Work First at any time but are not eligible during the job quit penalty period. There is no cure for the job quit penalty once the penalty begins. It continues until the full four months is completed, even if the individual obtains employment. 3. Vendor payments will be agreed upon by the families and DSS and documented in the MRA upon signing that form. Families who fail to complete their required hours as agreed upon in their MRA are in non-compliance. Families must complete the required hours to be eligible to receive the benefit assistance. 4. All Work First work eligible individuals are required to be actively participating in work and work-related activities for a total of 40 hours per week. Participation will be a combination of activities which include but not limited to employment, subsidized employment, vocational training, skills training, education, work experience, substance abuse counseling, mental health, vocational rehabilitation, and job readiness/job search. 5. Reviews for Child-Only cases will be completed every year unless the following circumstances indicate an earlier review: • the child reaches 18 years of age;