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NATIONAL TRANSITIONAL JOBS NETWORK 2012 CONFERENCEBaltimore, MD

April 12-13

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INTRODUCTION

Conference Objective

To get together Heartland Alliance, Advocacy staff, TJ Program Managers, and stakeholders across the US, under one platform in order to get a deeper understanding of policies and programs that support subsidized employment and transitional jobs

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NTJN DEFINITION OF A TRANSITIONAL JOB

The Transitional Jobs model seeks to overcome . . . barriers by providing individuals with a wage-paying, short-term job that combines real work, skills development, and supportive services to successfully transition participants into the labor market . . . [the] Transitional Job is the first step toward permanent employment and economic opportunity.

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BENEFIT TO SVDP

Understanding Transitional Jobs Looking at how other Transitional Jobs programs

work by Site Visit What ways SVdP could develop its program given

the realities of the current – labor market Networking with other TJ Programs

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SITE VISIT TO BALTIMORE CENTER FOR GREEN CAREERS

Projects such as the B’More Green Energy Efficient Retrofit Program provides real work through Transitional Jobs and classroom training leading to Industry recognized environmental health and safety certifications, such as OSHA Construction Safety Cert, Painting Certification and EPA renovation repair.

Engages low-income Baltimore residents through transitional jobs

Poverty Opportunity

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SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS

Gary MaynardSecretary, Dept of Public Safety and Correctional Services,

State of Maryland

If you address chronic unemployment you can address homelessness, race, ….

Some people have problems other than economic unemployment, they require ingenious solutions

Some 15 yrs ago, practical ingenious individuals came about with solutions in the UK, Scotland

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CONT’D

This is a patient approach, that involved visiting Sites, involving local officials, and national advocacy organizations.

TJ now exists in over 36 states, services hundreds of thousands of low-income individuals with barriers to work

Cultivate public officials to understand TJs 260,000 people were placed into temp jobs under

the Stimulus Plan

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GUEST SPEAKER CONT’D

Mindy TarlowExecutive Director and CEO of

Center for Employment Opportunities

“Out of Jail and into a Job”…Opinionator, NY Times online

MDRC published its evaluation of the program and found that for people who started within three months of getting out of prison, the program reduced recidivism by 16 to 22 percent.

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SUCCESS AT C.E.O.

At C.E.O., the clients are not dropped into a regular workplace, but organized into work crews.  Although most of the time, felons are not allowed to have contact with other felons, the parole system makes exceptions for programs like these.   The men work together, eat lunch together, take coffee breaks together.   They are closely supervised by people who have served time themselves.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/28/out-of-jail-and-into-jobs/

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EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TJ EXPERIENCE

Chris Warland

• Integrated, contexualized adult basic ed• Participant peer support• Flexible length of the time spent in a TJ

Free resources and tools at www. Transitionaljobs.netNTJN offers low cost, low intensity support

by email or phone call

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CONT’D

Can be hired to work in person from the Planning through the Implementation

Can help you make a case to funders Any question related to planning, deliver, etc.

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ENSURING TRANSITIONAL JOBS ARE MORE THAN A TIME-LIMITED PAYCHECK

Chris Warland, Manager, Program and Technical Assistance, National Transitional Jobs Network

Lili Elkins, Chief Strategy and Development Officer, Roca, Inc.

Ensure the TJ is a developmental experience

Goals: Earned income, job references, access to supportive services, access to EITC, skills and experience to transition into.

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CONT’D

Researchers tell us that transitional employment should provide an opportunity for experiential learning

Participants learn to work by working Participants offer encouragement to each other –

peer support Supportive staff relationships is necessary, helps

participants succeed in employment Offers PD to staff Reinforcement feedback through passport Be flexible to allow for mistakes

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Provide opportunities to re-enter a TJ after termination

Create a safe environment

ROCAINC. findings:• Learning is a process that occurs over time and in

stages• Transforming, modifying, re-doing attitudes, beliefs

and behaviors• People change when they are ready and willing• Relapse is part of the process

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A client can be fired from TJ but not from ROCA, they can be rehired

Develop your curriculum on the hiring criteria of companies

E.g. Marriott Hotel

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Richard GreenwaldActing Vice President, Program Effectiveness, Public Private

Ventures & Chair National TJ Network Exec. Comm.

• Is it a real job? Qualify for tax credits?• Is there a Sectoral strategy? Does it offer

employment in a particular sector?

e.g. Parks Opportunity Programo Cleaning and greening parkso $9.21c for 6 months

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CONT’D 4 days a week field work Anywhere you have green space you can have

people maintain the green space 40 hrs per week The counselor that day is your supervisor

Work Assignments include:o Cleaning and landscapingo Maintaining comfort stationso Repairing and restoringo Staffing recreational centers

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CONT’D

Office administration We develop partnerships to train people in other

hard skills Industry Recognized Certifications Serv Safe, Time Management

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Liza Ehrlich, Director of Operations and Client Services, Parks Opportunity Program

Differences between traditional POP and specialized Sector Focused Programs

Focus less on soft skills and more on the hard skills The end result is emphasized rather than the

smaller steps

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STEPPING STONES TO CAREER PATHWAYS: PAIRING TRANSITIONAL JOBS

The Doe Fund

Street Clean operation• How to take direction from a supervisor• Graduates receive $1000 in 5 months, if they

maintain employment• Learn office skills and mail house• Culinary, security that includes fire training,

licenses, industry recognized certificates• Commercial drivers license

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CONT’D

• Go with drivers to pickup used cooking oil and send to the warehouse which is then sold for fuel

Program Development• Linking with employer partners• Find partners who relate to the Mission• Understand the advancement opportunities• Encourage and seek out feedback from partners• Figure out ways to engage in non-employment

ways

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CONT’D

• Assist graduates with navigating and understanding their potential career path

• What makes these training initiatives sector focused?

• Include technology job specific training• Career pathway classes• Basic English and Math skills• Clearly defined and accessible career path• Support to people with barriers• E.g. Café Reconcile

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RETENTION MATTERS: HELPING PARTICIPANTS KEEP THE JOB

Goodwill Easter Seals - Minnesota To sustain employment outcomes Motivator for participants to remain employed Improves employer relationships Assists with job advancement Helps decrease recidivism

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PRE-EMPLOYMENT FOCUSED RETENTION STRATEGY

Cognitive skills classes Address criminogenic needs Address adjustment needs, personal and family

concerns Job related conflict resolution practices Employment Readiness Training Videotaped mock interviews Improve access and interaction with employers Use role play to teach how to look differently at

authority figures Involve peer interaction

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CONT’D

Developing a culture and practice of performance management

Theory of Change Process If we do this, then this will happen Looking at attendances is a pretty good indicator if

a person will move through a process of not Output vs outcome, what we do, what service we

provide vs what difference does it make? Move is towards a pay for success model

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The trick is to explain, not only the outcome happened but your intervention helped to make it happen

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ROCAINC.HTTP://WWW.ROCAINC.ORG/

ROCA has customized the Stages of Change Assumptions or Answers How do we know? How do we really know? What are our outcomes, performance indicator,

measures? Do we have clearly articulated methods/ strategies?

Evidence based on best practices? Do we have job descriptions linked to performance,

clear expectations, performance review processes, coaching, pathways for growth?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER

Are we ready, willing and able to change?

From good intention to strategic intervention• Vision, Mission, Purpose• Defined Target Population• Clearly identified outcomes• Performance Indicators• Programming operations• Staff competencies and expectations required to

deliver outcomes

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Organizational leadership, structures, systems Output is what is done intentionally and outcome is

How it affects the world

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USING FEDERAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT EMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT

Sam Tuttelman – AC WIB Director

Anthony Love – Dep Dir US Interagency Council on Homelessness

Things to consider for Fed Funding• What are the funding streams• Does it match your population• Is Benefit worth the Cost?• Capacity of your organization• Do you have the capacity to track the outcomes?• “All money ain’t good money”

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CONT’D

Employment Retention Education and Training Supportive Services Infrastructure Activities

Strategy to Advancing Employment Collaborate with economic recovery and jobs

programs Review program policies, procedures and

regulations Improve coordination and integration of

employment programs

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2012 NATIONAL TRANSITIONAL JOBS NETWORK CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE

http://www.heartlandalliance.org/ntjn/2012-ntjn-conference.html

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