Professional Documents
Culture Documents
National Transitional Jobs Network Conference Baltimore, Maryland April 12-13, 2012
Presented by: Marcelle Wellington, Workforce Development Council Seattle-King County Patrick Burkhart, Maricopa County Human Services Department David Raymond, Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust
The best defense against homelessness is a job that pays enough to afford a place to live
Barriers:
Homeless Jobseekers - Criminal history, employment gaps, bad
debt, physical illness, mental illness, substance abuse, working while homeless, increasing set-asides for veterans
low knowledge base of how to serve this special population Both systems: Cross-system cultural differences, lack of partnerships, limited/reduced funding
Learning Objectives
What worked and what didnt work in five cities:
Portland, OR Houston, TX Seattle, WA Miami, FL Phoenix, AZ
Approaches
Successes
Wrap around services with On-the-Job-Training, employment Prosperity Planner Invested in two organizations that focus on homeless youth services Fund and support technology for regional homeless youth/family provider Maintain relationships with multiple homeless service organizations System alignment/collaboration Integrated planning efforts Merge housing with redevelopment Ensure the right questions are asked at intake (E.G., have you ever been in foster care?) Pursue and partner for targeted grants/set-asides -- E.G., Ending Chronic Homelessness, Homeless Vets, navigator and liaison services Mapped area agencys spending on homelessness; found $150 million in resources ($15 million from workforce system) Redefined WIA eligibility, enhancing access for homeless individuals Deemphasized WIA performance - Eliminated performance standards since it takes people who are homeless longer to achieve standards, and employers wont or cant compromise Emphasized employment as key strategy in 10 year plan Member of local Coordinating Committee to End Homelessness
Challenges
Declining WIA resources, rise in demand 6,000 served in 2008 65,000 served in 2010 A lot of recipients have exhausted benefits 65% tested below a 9th grade level
duplicate
Flexible funding - public and private sources Innovative services Policy support - Redefine WIA criteria, deemphasize performance (focus on outcomes)
Whatever it Takes
Houston-Galveston Area Workforce Council and SEARCH Homeless Services
Successes
Combined deep knowledge and the resources of both
the Workforce Council and SEARCH Increased customer success Increased access to employment services, and leveraged training Increased flexibility to meet customers abilities and needs 44 % Employed at 90-day follow-up
Challenges
Overcoming cultural differences between systems
Understanding homeless customers unique needs in
Workforce system More higher-need customers required more intensive services; produced lower Return on Investment Many homeless customers exhausted benefits (e.g., TANF) Employers willing to work with homeless customers and ex-offenders
operating environment Improve cross-functional knowledge, communication and collaboration between partner systems Innovative services, increased access Flexible funding - public and private sources Employer relationships, awareness, supports
Practical Advocacy
Workforce Development Council Seattle-King County Committee to End Homelessness Building Changes
Seattles 10-Year Plan to End H0melessness Homeless Intervention Project Homeless Employment Navigator
Successes
and collaboration between systems Culture of sustainability Better utilization of existing resources Workforce system training (300+) Enhanced access/delivery to WIA services Support to engage early/often in employment services 58% enrolled in job training or search program
Challenges
returning veterans, lack of affordable/available housing Enrolling clients in Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs:
Barriers/immediate needs had to be addressed first Upon entry to housing, participants were not yet ready or
committed to pursue training DSHS cutbacks impacted childcare and food benefits Exhaustion of 60-month TANF limit before training was completed
System Restrictions:
Workforce: Adherence to outcome measurements
collaboration with partner systems Flexible funding - public and private sources Innovative services
Successes
8,000 homeless people served each day (system-wide) 63% Move to higher level of care 24/7 Homeless Helpline Employment counselors at Homeless Assistance Centers Mobile Workforce Units (fully equipped with technology)
travel to Homeless Assistance Centers DMV visits One-stops monthly Participants earn additional services/benefits the longer they stay in the system. (E.G., 30 days earns a wage increase of $1 per hour) Government-owned surplus property converted to Permanent Supportive Housing with: 22 acre organic farm, Farmers Market, On-the-Job-Training Law passed to prevent day-labor abuses
Challenges
Funding: Performance measures are a barrier Integrated Intake: Needed a customized system to
Strategic Opportunism
Maricopa County Human Services Dept. and Central Arizona Shelter Services, Inc.
Convergence
Successes
Distributed services model for WIA programs -Access
Point Network Enhanced NPO workforce services Regional vision and non-parochial operating environment leveraged capabilities of all member organizations (Maricopa Human Capital Collaborative) Human Services Campus delivers continuum of care to homeless individuals and families
Challenges
price on performance without relaxing measures Building trust to enable collaborations Took 18 months to achieve Support, dont duplicate
presence Access to other networks (E.G., National Guard) MOUs with homeless providers and Homeless Connection sites
collaborations, operating environment Multiple cross-system partnerships Innovative services Employer relationships, awareness, supports Policy support - Redefine Workforce Investment Act criteria, deemphasize performance (focus on outcomes)
More Information
Portland Prosperity Planner
Houston-Galveston Area Council , SEARCH Homeless
Services Seattle-King County Navigator Report, HIP Miami-Dade Homeless Assistance Centers, Mobile Workforce Units Maricopa County Human Services Campus
QUESTIONS
mwellington@seakingwdc.org