Pathways to Employment:Collaborative Approach to

Serve Employed and Underemployed

AJFCA, April 16, 2007

PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT: PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT: COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO SERVE

EMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED

Presented by: Wendy Wolfman, M.A.

Director of Family and Community Services

Jewish Family & Child Service of Greater Toronto

Rita Dumov, MSW

Manager, Employment Services

JVS Toronto

WORKSHOP OUTLINEWORKSHOP OUTLINE Overview of JF&CS Services Overview of JVS Toronto Who We Are - JF&CS Who We Are - JVS Toronto Jewish Family & Child Service of Greater Toronto JVS Toronto Services Pathways to Employment Program Population Served Barriers Towards Employment JF&CS & JVS Toronto Collaborative Model Employability Model The Power of Effective Collaboration: Lessons Learned Vignettes Questions/Answers

Overview of JF&CS ServicesOverview of JF&CS Services

JF&CS celebrates 140 years of service to the greater Toronto community

Originally founded as Toronto’s Jewish Benevolent Society

Has helped hundreds of thousands of Jewish clients since its inception

Overview of JF&CS ServicesOverview of JF&CS Services

Today, JF&CS is a multi service agency offering

a variety of programs The agency is a not for profit charitable

organization Partners with government, UJA Federation,

Toronto and the United Way Has grown to more than 100 staff at four different

locations

Overview of JVS Toronto ServicesOverview of JVS Toronto Services

JVS Toronto celebrates 60 years of service to the Greater Toronto Community

Originally founded by Jewish community at the end of the Second World War

Helped over 400,000 individuals

Overview of JVS Toronto ServicesOverview of JVS Toronto Services

Today, JVS Toronto is a multi service agency offering a variety of programs

The agency is a not for profit, non-sectarian, charitable organization

Partners with government, business sectors and with Jewish community

From staff of three, we have grown to more than 180 and offer services in 14 locations

Who We Are – JF&CSWho We Are – JF&CS

Mission: To support and promote the healthy development

of individuals, families and communities in the greater Toronto area through prevention, protection, counselling and advocacy services within the context of Jewish values.

Who We Are – JF&CSWho We Are – JF&CS

Our Values: Tzedakah – Social Justice Ahraiut Hadadit –acceptance of communal and

mutual responsibility – ( ability to live “Jewishly”) Chesed –kindness and caring Kavod –all humans treated with respect Tikkun Olam –repair of the world Eilu V’eilu – diversity and unity

Who We Are – JVS TorontoWho We Are – JVS Toronto

“The highest degree of righteousness is to give assistance to those who have fallen upon hard times”

Maimonides, 13thcentury

Mission: To be an outstanding provider of Services

for achieving success at school and at work

Our Values:*Customer-Centred *Collaboration*Quality *Leadership*Integrity

Jewish Family and Child Service Jewish Family and Child Service of Greater Torontoof Greater Toronto

JF & CS

CHILDWELFARESERVICES

CHILDREN’SMENTALHEALTH

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

& REHAB

FAMILYSERVICES

ANTI-VIOLENCE & WOMAN

ABUSE PROGRAMS

CHAPLAINCYVOLUNTEER

SERVICES HOSPICECOUNSELLING

& GROUPSERVICES

EVALUATION / RESEARCH/CONTINUOUS QUALTIY IMPROVEMENT

JVS Toronto ServicesJVS Toronto Services

Assessm ent& Testing

C areerExp lora tion

Tra in ingP rogram s

Em ploym entServ ices

Em ployerServ ices

JV SToronto

Pathways to Employment ProgramPathways to Employment Program

Initiated in 1997 by three agencies: UJA Federation, Toronto, Jewish Family and Child Service of Greater Toronto, and JVS Toronto

Since 1999, the program has been co-funded by JF&CS and JVS; each party has contributed $10,000 annually

The objective of this program is to bring the expertise of two agencies together in a collaborative effort to assist economically disadvantaged clients achieve self – sufficiency

Since the inception of the program, over 700 clients have been served and 45% obtained either full time or part time employment

Pathways to Employment ProgramPathways to Employment Program

Significant community and government dollars have been saved as a result of this program

The strength of the program is in its highly individualized planning process

The program responds to the needs of clients by ensuring access to services offered by JF&CS, JVS and other community providers

JF&CS and JVS bring a variety of perspectives and approaches to helping clients: multi-disciplinary collaboration, clinical expertise, concrete support, employment strategies, etc.

Population ServedPopulation Served

The client base is diverse and includes underemployed and unemployed individuals

who want to return to the workforce. The program serves: single mothers/fathers,

abused women, immigrants, people with mental illness, unstable work histories, learning disabilities, developmental challenges, addiction problems, criminal background, etc.

Barriers Towards EmploymentBarriers Towards Employment

27

87

10

30

24

36

80

98

98

54

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Limited Canadian Experience

Personal/Emotional Issues

Learning Disabilities

Mental Health Issues

Language Barriers

Medical Barriers

Poor Employment History

Age Barrier

Absence of Job Search Skills

Absence of Lbr. Mkt Knowledge

JF&CS & JVS Collaborative ModelJF&CS & JVS Collaborative ModelStage One

JF&CS/JVS

Rehab Plan Meeting

Education/TrainingOntario Disability

Support Program Employment Discussions

Stage Two

JF&CS

Pathways to Employment

Group

JVS Workshop Consultation

JVS & JF&CS StaffConsultation

Client/JVS/JF&CS

Stage Three

JVS Toronto

Pathways to Employment Program

Individual/Group Employment Counselling

JF&CS & JVS Collaborative ModelJF&CS & JVS Collaborative ModelStage Three

JVS Toronto

Pathways to Employment Program

Individual/Group Employment Counselling

JF&CS, JVS &

Client

Consultation

Based on need

JVS Staff &

Client meetJF&CS and JVS

Consult

Stage Four

JVS Toronto

Employment Counselling

Employability Assessment

Diagnostic

Services

Career

Exploration

Training

Programs

Job Search Skills

Training/Coaching

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Internship

Job Development

Job Matching

Job Retention

Stage Five

Program Outcomes

JF&CS & JVS Collaborative ModelJF&CS & JVS Collaborative Model

Stage Five

JVS Toronto/JF&CS

Program Outcomes

Clients

Volunteer/

Work Experience/

Internships

Clients Employed

Job Retention

Clients who require

ongoing support

Clients in Skills

Training

Programs

Employability ModelEmployability Model

Personal/Environmental Issues (health,

housing, family issues, child care) Career Decision Making Job Related Skills Job Search Skills Work Maintenance Skills

The Power of Effective The Power of Effective Collaboration: Lessons LearnedCollaboration: Lessons Learned

In terms of employability clients fall into three categories: Employable; Employable over time with support and training; Unemployable

Unemployable clients are dealing with difficult circumstances; may be reluctant or resistant; have unstable work histories; or mental health issues with financial difficulties

Collaboration between JVS and JF&CS has helped clients:

to take risks and achieve beyond their aspirations to participate in new training programs, to develop

new skills to seek work in areas which they previously might

have thought to be impossible to learn and accept their strengths and limitations

The Power of Effective Collaboration: Lessons Learned

The Power of Effective Collaboration: The Power of Effective Collaboration: Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Collaborative interviews with clients have been particularly fruitful in ensuring that the agencies are not working in isolation, allowing for a review of progress and in developing mutually agreed upon goals and timelines

VignettesVignettes Bonnie is a single mother with two special needs

children Very limited and unstable work history Diagnosed with a learning disability and an anxiety

disorder Great difficulties with consistency, attitude,

interview and work situations Long term collaborative effort resulted in Bonnie

volunteering and being placed in a work environment under the direction of a job coach

VignettesVignettes Jullian, 35 years old, studied food technology in South

Africa He was in distress, his newborn child was in poor health,

and Jullian could not find employment Julian was allergic to dough and had no Canadian

experience Jullian was referred for vocational testing. Testing

reinforced his professional choice He was provided with assistance for his resume and

interview skills In two months, he obtained a job as a food technologist. Jullian wrote: “I’d like to thank you for all your help with

my job search. In a period of about two months of intensive job hunting, I succeeded in getting 6 interview invitations and two offers, one of which I was quite happy to accept.”

VignettesVignettes Jeannette is a 55 year old depressed, single mother who left

an abusive marriage She has a grade 12 education and no employment history. Was referred for a vocational assessment which

recommended employment in an office or customer service/sales environment.

JVS funded her in-house training in a Retail and Customer Service program

Collaborative efforts between JF&CS’ woman abuse team and JVS resulted in a successful work integration experience

She was able to flourish in a retail environment for 4 years. Presently, she is taking courses to become a medical

secretary.

VignettesVignettes Jacob is a 57 year old married man whose wife is dying from

cancer. He has two children in university Jacob was a musician in Russia. In Canada, while battling

his depression, Jacob completed a 3 year college program and became a computer programmer. He soon realized that he did not like this occupation

He had been working as a security guard for 5 years Jacob was provided with assistance to do skills inventory,

resume and interview skills Jacob was placed as a sales project manager within a month.

Collaborative support from JF&CS hospice worker and JVS staff resulted in Jacob moving on with his life during hard times. Jacob wrote: ”Thank you very much for your time and effort, and the main thing, for reinforcing my believe in myself!”