Download - 3.11 Amy Rynell

NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS CONFERENCE

JULY 14, 2011

Lessons Learned: Transitional Employment for Families,

Singles, and Youth

www.transitionaljobs.net

The National Transitional Jobs Network

The NTJN exists to ensure that policies account for the hard-to-employ, that programs are able to effectively serve as many individuals as possible, and that best practices and technical assistance are widely shared and implemented throughout

the network. Technical Assistance State and Federal AdvocacyMonthly Newsletters – sign up at www.transitionaljobs.netNational Conference

Button From a Previous Conference

Employment

+Housing

ENDS HOMELESSNESS

Presentation Overview

What are Transitional Jobs?

Lessons Learned & Promising Practices

Transitional Jobs Field Advancement

Transitional Jobs

Transitional Jobs (TJ) is a workforce strategy designed to overcome employment obstacles by using

time-limited, wage-paying jobs that combine real work, skill development,

and supportive services, to transition participants successfully

into the labor market.

Lessons LearnedTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional Jobs Field Advancement

Transitional Jobs Lessons LearnedTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional Jobs Field Advancement

The premise of Transitional Jobs programs is that everyone can work.

TJ is a stepping stone out of poverty for populations with barriers to employment.

Transitional Jobs programs offer experiential workplace learning so participants can:

gain on-the-job success build work history increase stability at a job increase soft and hard job skills

Theory of Change…


1. Address barriers to work

2. Stabilize participants through income

3. Increase soft skills and some hard skills

4. Transition to unsubsidized employment when ready

“Work organizes life” – William Julius Wilson

Goals…


Orientation & Assessment

Job Readiness/Life Skills Classes

Case Management Support

Transitional Job - Real Work Experience

Unsubsidized Job Placement & Retention

Linkages to Education and Training

Unpacking the Model…


Subsidized jobs in a non-profit, for profit, and/or government setting

Time-limited. The TJ typically lasts 3-9 months depending upon the population & participant needs

Wage-paid

Unpacking the Transitional Job…


TJ programs have a strong employment case management structure and wrap-around support with linkages to the following:

Transportation Child Care Clothing

Housing Substance Abuse Mental Health

Probation/Parole Requirements

Unpacking Supportive Services…


Scattered Site – Participants work in for-profit, non-profit or government sites with 1-2 workers per site. (Examples: Heartland Human Care Services, TWC, GA Goodworks and WA Community Jobs)

Work Crew – Crews of 5-7 people work on a project often within maintenance, janitorial, parks, and community renewal projects. (Examples: CEO, Roca, Doe Fund)

Social Enterprise – Participants work as an employee of the product or service revenue generating arm of an organization. (Examples: Sweet Beginnings, Circle Catering, Goodwill)

Program Structures…


Participant’s interests in work matter as motivation Evaluate aptitudes Identify employer perceived barriers Address realistic opportunities in local market Attempt to match interest, aptitudes and labor

market with the TJ placement Develop a work focused Plan with participant with

short term goals, defined responsibilities and all necessary to achieve outcome

From theory to practice…

Transitional Jobs Lessons LearnedTransitional JobsTransitional Jobs Field AdvancementLessons Learned

Structure and intensify on-site mentoring and coaching activities

Gradually increase responsibilities and stress Provide daily structured feedback on performance Increase time spent in TJ for those whose chances

of success in the competitive labor market are especially limited.

Lesson Learned: The Transitional Jobs experience must be a developmental process


OngoingOngoing, consistentconsistent and structured structured retention services are necessary to help support transitions to employment and success, including: Conduct at least 6 months of follow-up; 3 contacts per

month Provide cash and non-cash incentives for retention Offer reemployment services and reentry into TJ if

needed

Lesson Learned: Intensive retention services are critical to support participant success


TJ programs are most effective when targeted to people with substantial barriers to employment as opposed to individuals with better prospects of finding work on their own or with less intensive help, such as:Long term welfare recipientsPublic housing recipientsNo work experienceRecently released from prisonUp-front screenings should identify who can most benefit.

Lessons Learned: Transitional Jobs are most successful when targeted to the most In need


TJ participants face a number of barriers to employment and service needs.

In order to supportsuccessful transitions to employment, supportive service and referral relationships must beestablished and nurtured.

Lessons Learned: Supportive service and referral relationships are critical for participant success but take time to develop


Promising Practice: Integration of contextualized adult basic education and literacy with Transitional Jobs Literacy and numeracy are significant

barriers to employment and advancement for TJ populations

Contextualized ABE, which employs materials, situations and problems drawn directly from the workplace has potential to work especially well in conjunction with TJ

Transitional Jobs Lessons LearnedTransitional JobsTransitional Jobs Field Advancement

DOL awarded 7 grants to organizations from across the country to test effectiveness of the TJ strategy with enhancements like:Longer TJ programs Step-down subsidy periods with for-profit employersRetention and follow-up enhancements Linkages with occupational skills training

DOL Enhanced Transitional Jobs Demonstration: Testing program enhancements & promising practices

Transitional Jobs Lessons LearnedTransitional JobsTransitional Jobs Field Advancement

Develop peer relationships between service providers providing employment services to individuals experiencing homelessness

Develop practitioner-informed promising practices on providing employment services to the population

Identify areas of further study needed

Identify and promote policy and systems changes needed

Working to End Homelessness: National Transitional Jobs Network Community of Practice

For more information, contact:

[email protected]

or visit:

www.transitionaljobs.net

Download - 3.11 Amy Rynell

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