Mary’s Place Class 3

Suzanne PakLeah

KimberlyDebraFeben

Developing Community Employment Pathways Page 1: Feben

• Challenges to overcome:– Providing a job search lab for job seekers in homeless shelters– Making sure the public understands how hard it is for homeless

job seekers, who don’t yet have all the experiences the job requires

– Holding Worksource and government employment services accountable: make sure they are referring jobs that are geographically within reach and that job applicants have pre-requisites (like driver’s license)

– Asking government housing & homeless agencies and homeless shelters to provide packet of housing (the resources could be who you need to contact, or what you can do yourself)

Computer Tips

• How to create sub-bullet– When you are at a bullet, just hit “Tab” button. It moves

the bullet to the right, creating a sub-bullet• How to create main bullet (when you have a sub-

bullet)– Go to top menu and click on button with arrow pointing left

• Powerpoint writing tip: begin each bullet or sub-bullet the same way (eg. Nouns, present tense verbs, past tense verbs, adjectives)

• Ie. = means “that is”. Eg. = means “for example”

Developing Community Employment Pathways Page 2: Leah

• Identified that the report brought up issues not addressed by other mainstream reports on homelessness– Adequately & appropriately addressing mental health. Degrees of mental

health and substance abuse issues: some have such severe illness that they should be receiving treatment and not being encouraged to look for jobs. Some have gotten the illness under control and would benefit from employment.

– Employment is a good thing and most who are ready seek it. But we can’t penalize homeless job seekers for getting low wage jobs, by taking away benefits, housing, health (ie. Basic needs). We should be training and preparing homeless job seekers for living wage jobs, not minimum wage jobs because 20% of homeless living on streets are employed and minimum wage can’t support families. Many homeless programs are not comprehensive (some homeless shelters cut off services as soon as someone gets a job, like public transportation or clothing, when they need these services as soon as they get a job)

Developing Community Employment Pathways Page 2: Leah (cont.)

• Identified areas that are not addressed by this report either– Move away from long-term (chronic) benefits management toward

providing short-term (acute) benefits for broader set of people in need. Because a few “lucky” people are taking advantage of the system (through disability benefits and long-term housing), it makes it really hard for those who truly need the services and benefits to access it. Idea proposed is to make it is easier to access the benefits, but cap it at six months or a year, and put in accountability requirements (eg. showing up to treatment, showing up for training or job search, or volunteering)

– Tie in volunteering to job readiness more concretely (coach job seekers to utilize volunteering to actively build up skills and experience they need in the areas they are looking for work, and guide them in building up networking contacts and learn to ask for references)

Developing Community Employment Pathways Page 3: Debra

Identified segments of homeless job seekersFrom the report:• Moms & kids• Veterans• Those with multiple disabilities• Those who exited criminal justice systemFrom our class:• Never finished high school• Domestic violence survivors• Elderly• Immigrants

Project A: Life Skills Class (Feben & Debra)

• Moms & kids• Veterans• Those with multiple disabilities• Those who exited criminal justice system• Never finished high school• Domestic violence survivors• Elderly• Immigrants

Project B: Employment Class

• Moms & kids• Veterans• Those with multiple disabilities• Those who exited criminal justice system• Never finished high school• Domestic violence survivors• Elderly• Immigrants

Project C: Fitness Class (Kimberly & Leah)

• Moms & kids

• Veterans• Those with multiple disabilities• Those who exited criminal justice system• Never finished high school• Domestic violence survivors• Elderly• Immigrants