transitional jobs: giving everyone the opportunity to succeed in work employing transitional jobs as...
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Transitional Jobs: Giving Everyone the Opportunity to Succeed in Work
Employing Transitional Jobs as a Workforce Strategy for Disconnected and Court-Involved
Youth
www.transitionaljobs.net
History Of Transitional Jobs
1930’s: Works Progress Administration – provided jobs and income to unemployed during depression. At peak – 3.3 million people provided work each month through program.
1970s: – Public Service Employment Program - created 150,000
transitional jobs for unemployed favoring veterans, those with little or no job training, and unskilled youth.
– CETA programs that created subsidized jobs in public and nonprofit sectors.
– National Supported Work Demonstration – provided individuals with severe employment problems with work experience of a year or so, under close supervision and gradually increasing demands.
History Of Transitional Jobs, Continued
2009: – Today, Transitional Jobs programs serve all people with
barriers to employment – TANF recipients, people with criminal records, youth, people experiencing homelessness, public housing residents, veterans & refugees.
– There are programs in over 30 states
What is Transitional Jobs: Definition
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.
TJ Definition Break Down:
“Time-limited, Wage-paying Jobs”
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
TJ Definition Break Down:
“Skill Development”
TJ programs offer the opportunity to learn and re-learn behaviors of work
Soft-skill Development sometimes combined with Hard-skill Development
Access to industry specific training, bridge programs, and educational opportunities
TJ Definition Break Down:
“Supportive Services”
TJ programs have a strong employment case management structure and wrap-around support with linkages to the following:
Transportation Child Care ClothingHousing Substance Abuse Mental Health
Probation/Parole Requirements
TJ Definition Break Down: “Transition participants successfully
into the labor market”
Transition TJ participants into unsubsidized work in nonprofit or for profit job site following TJ placement.
Retention Support
Linkages to education & training
TJ Definition Break Down:What does it mean?
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
Transitional Jobs Program Elements
Orientation & Assessment
Job Readiness/Life Skills Classes
Case Management Support
Transitional Job - Real Work Experience
Unsubsidized Job Placement & Retention
Linkages to Education and Training
Transitional Jobs Program Elements:Orientation and Assessment
Goal is to assess needs in the following areas:
• Academic skills
• Vocational goals and interests
• Employment experience
• Counseling requirements
• Non-employment system commitments
• Drug testing – to identify not exclude
Transitional Jobs Program Elements:Job Readiness/Life Skills Classes
Goal is to prepare participants for success in both subsidized and unsubsidized work:• Resume writing• Employment application• Interview skills• Budgeting a paycheck• Review income supports• Basic financial literacy• Goals/next steps
Transitional Jobs Program Elements:Case Management Support & Linkages
Goal is to manage barriers and support lifeskills development:• Work-focused, individual career and service plan• Ongoing counseling to succeed in work• Linkages to supports:
• Childcare • Healthcare• Stable housing• Transportation• Complying with parole or probation• ESL/GED/Vocational Training
Transitional Jobs Program Elements:Transitional Job
Goal is to provide real work experience
supported with wages:• Lasts 3-9 months (typically 3-4 months)• Work 20-35 hours per week • Wage is usually state or Federal minimum wage
• There is weekly review of job performance reports• Support to manage barriers
Transitional Jobs Program Elements:Unsubsidized Job Placement
Goal is to assist TJ participant in finding andunsubsidized job placement:
• Work with Job Development staff while in TJ
• Job retention services—best practice is at least 6 months of
follow-up including participant incentives• For-profit employers typically agree to hire participants once
the Transitional Job is complete
Outcomes of Transitional Jobs Programs
TJ participants are more likely to be employed and stay employedfollowing TJ. 72% of Community Jobs (TJ) participants found gainful employment.92% of Transitional Work Corporation participants found gainful employment. Onaverage a TJ participants show a 20% higher rate of employment and 17%increase in job retention as compared to those not in TJ.
TJ participants show increased wages and less reliance on publicbenefits over time. Average income of post-TJ workers increased 60% during firsttwo years in the workforce and is 148% higher than pre-TJ income.
Dramatic reductions in recidivism for persons engaged in TJ programswithin 90 days of release. MDRC study shows 50% reduction in recidivism forthose persons engaged in TJ program within 90 days of release.
Why Transitional Jobs for Youth?
Many youth are not prepared to succeed in today’s workplace or the workforce of the future:
– 30% of young people who enter public high school do not graduate four years later.
– Unemployment rate is much higher than overall jobs market—and currently at an all-time high since record-keeping began in 1948
– Graduation rate for African American and Native American youth is only 50%
Why Transitional Jobs for Youth? continued
Disconnected youth face many barriers to entering and succeeding in the workforce:
– Incomplete education– Lack of work experience and references– Unclear career direction– Unstable housing– Overwhelming personal and family circumstances
TJ Provides Necessary Work Experience for Disconnected Youth
The transitional work component of TJ builds a work history and develops solid work references.
Employers are more likely to hire individuals with prior work experience and references
Establishes an experiential base from which youth can make a successful transition into the regular workforce.
Transitional Jobs for Youth—Program Example
Roca, Boston
Youth development organization serving disenfranchised and disengaged young people ages 14-24--street/court/gang involved; drop-outs; young parents; and refugees & immigrants
Operates social enterprise providing TJ work experience in painting & maintenance
Currently has 28 TJ slots employing about 120 youth per year; plans to offer 45-50 slots
65% of 101 young people who completed the Transitional Employment Program over a two year period were successfully placed in unsubsidized employment
Transitional Jobs for Youth—Program Example
Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Young Adult Program
CEO provides Transitional Jobs to formerly incarcerated people in New York City—in the last decade CEO has placed over 10,000 people in unsubsidized permanent employment
CEO’s Young Adult Program focuses on formerly incarcerated young adults age 18-25.
Young Adult participants work fewer hours and receive more intensive supportive services than CEO’s general program, and participate in specialized young adult programming based in part on Roca’s model
Young Adult Program participants are 1.4 times more likely to be placed in a job than people in the same age group in CEO’s regular program
Transitional Jobs Program Structures
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)
TJ Program Structures: Individual Placement / Scattered Site
ADVANTAGES CHALLENGES
1) Maximum Choice – Matching job site and participant skills/interests.
2) Diversity & Number of Employer Relationships – Community buy-in and support through employer engagement and relationship building. = Strong Champions.
3) “Realest” of Real Work Experience - Participant working with people NOT in an employment program. Immediate feedback from colleagues and peers.
1) Staff Intensive – Monitoring individual job sites (subsidized & unsubsidized )and participants.
2) Diversity & Number of Employer Relationships – A lot of relationships to manage. Need for good organization.
3) High Need for Role Clarity, Communication of Expectations - Program staff must set clear roles and expectations of employer. Employment site mentor is critical.
TJ Program Structure:Work Crews
ADVANTAGES CHALLENGES
1) High Control – Work environment is highly controlled by crew leader.
2) Job Developer Role Streamlined – Job developer concentrates on unsubsidized placement sites only.
3) Daily Observation of Progress – Supervisor onsite to see growth and progress of participant.
4) “Good” Peer Pressure – Group of participants helps foster adherence to ideal behaviors of work.
1) Less Flexibility – Job environment is less flexible to TJ participant skills/interests.
2) Job Congruency – What jobs are participants transitioning to in unsubsidized employment?
3) Focus on Behaviors of Work – Work setting forces TJ program to think critically about behaviors of work that must be achieved before transition.
TJ Program Structure: Social Enterprises
ADVANTAGES CHALLENGES
1) Maximum Control - Every TJ position is one you develop and manage through your business.
2) Diversified Work Experience – Participant has the opportunity to work in a number of different jobs, all within the same program.
3) Revenue For Wages – Product or service allows for non-restricted program funds for participant wages.
4) Similar Advantages to a Work-Crew Model
Capital Needed to Start – Social Enterprises are expensive to start.
Staff Intensive Creation & management of business WHILE employing persons with barriers to employment.
Transitioning BEST workers dilemma - The goal of TJ is the transition. When people are ready to transition – they are your BEST workers. Balancing social and business mission.
Market Influence – Your program depends heavily on demand for your product or service.
Engaging Employers
Build/leverage community relationships; e.g. Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, informal networks
Emphasize the training, experience and supports TJ graduates receive—soft skills, coaching & case management, retention supports
Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and other incentives for hiring—WOTC offers incentives for both youth and formerly incarcerated
Community Benefit—”Giving Back;” identify employers who “buy in” to social mission—they are out there!
Snapshot of General TJ Program Staff
Case Management Team – Intake/Assessment, Counseling, Referral Services
Job Development Team – Job Coach, Job Developer, Crew Supervisor
Job/Life Skills Trainers
Retention Specialist
Education/Training Specialist
Budget Considerations for TJ Program Planning
Participant Wages
Staff
Training and Education
Support Services
Incentives
Data Collection and Evaluation
Administrative Costs
NTJN Role & Services
The NTJN exists to influence audiences to ensure that policies account for the hard-to-employ, that the public understands
the need to invest in these services, 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.
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