No Turning Back

By Employment Service Manager, Constance Taylor

Often times our participants lack vision and a genuine desire to reach for their dreams to achieve and excel. They cannot always believe they deserve a better paying job with benefits working within a highly committed and professional team. One of my chief goals is to exercise coaching tools that propel our participants beyond what they can imagine.

After several years of verbal abuse with her current employer, Tonya was suspended for two weeks when she finally expressed her concerns of how she was being treated to higher management. While rehearsing the details of the event she realized this may be a good time to weigh her options. After five years of committed service with the existing company, the thought of pursuing another career was a little frightening.

She decided to put in some applications and see what happens. Her first application was for an office position as a receptionist. To her surprise she was contacted for an interview within three days. She was offered the position earning more money with an extensive benefit package. Community LINC’s employment services program was able to provide her with donated clothing perfect for the new job.

She is on her way to a brand new job and life. Her new employer plans to train her on other job functions which will also strengthen her ability to learn new skills and provide the tools needs to expand her new career path. What an awesome turn around at a time that seemed like things were about to crumble. No turning back now only soaring ahead at a brand new future.

When Failure is Not an Option

By Employment Services Manager Constance Taylor

Lanette’s life took a spiral turn for the worse after interviewing and waiting for 2 weeks to report to a new job and discovering that they had hired someone else. It never entered her mind that she would hear the words, we couldn’t wait and we had to hire someone else immediately.  Now she had no income and she and her three boys had to go to a homeless shelter.

In our interview she discussed her past poor choices openly and convinced our team that failure was not an option. She was definitely motivated and ready to move forward. Her barriers were overwhelming but we knew she would do well because of the   compelling discussion concerning the goals she set for herself and her family. She was honest about the past mistakes that landed her in prison and was determined to take the steps necessary to improve her future. It was not the jail stay that changed her mind but her desire to become independent and self-sufficient. She wanted to work a professional career, earn a livable wage, dwell in a nice home, and care for her family. She won the battle against alcoholism and was ready to put the pieces back together.

She told me one day, “My boys are watching me and I have no choice but to make this work.” She hit the ground running. Every morning she would come to the lab ready to go: dressed for an interview, her hair well groomed, and a big smile on her face.

We discussed that networking would be her best asset. She went to every job fair, every felon-friendly assistance program, and tons of community events. Lanette did everything possible for a person with her background to secure employment. She knew she had to work ten times harder than the next person. She came to the job lab every day and attended the life skills and budgeting classes. She meets with her Case Manager and also receives encouragement from the Mental Wellness Manager.

She was not afraid or opposed to taking baby steps but knew she needed a good job to cover her family’s monthly expenses. She went to interviews each week repeating her story of defeat and remorse. 

The day finally came when she told me that she had landed a position making $13.65 as a customer service representative. Not only is she feeling self-sufficient again, but she has regained her self-esteem and sense of purpose. Her sons and Community LINC were the motivation and support she needed to regain her independence.  

Jobs Matter: A Dream Comes True

By Employment Services Job Coach Constance Taylor

It’s really exciting to see participants begin to interview when they start their job search. 

It’s even more exciting to see participants get more than one job offer, which is the case for Ms. G.

I knew she was a “go-getter” when she came over to the lab to complete online assessments when she was not feeling her best. After searching for almost three weeks, she actually had 3 opportunities all at same time. She has completed her physical and drug testing for a position that starts at $13.75 an hour. After 9 weeks of employment, she will be eligible for full benefits and her income increases to $16.00 an hour. Her exact words to me were, “a dream comes true”.

 

Our employment program works to eliminate barriers and present desirable applicants that are dependable, hard-working and committed to a work schedule. 

We partner with employers that are willing to hire candidates who are ready to move forward and become self- sufficient.  We want to thank them for their continued commitment and invite others to extend employment opportunities as we partner together to enhance success.

Jobs Matter: Employment is Essential

By Employment Job Coach Constance Taylor

Employment is essential for our participants and is an immediate conversation that we have with our participants upon entering our program.  Many individuals have a scattered work history and years of sustaining just above water.

Assessments and conversations say the opposite of what many people believe about themselves.  Our job becomes pretty difficult because it may require having to convince them that they are valuable and capable of so much more than what they are experiencing.  An old proverb, believed to have been recorded as early as 1175, says,  “you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.”  The proverb is true you can’t make the horse drink, but I believe that if the horse is in heat exhaustion long enough and you keep leading it in the right direction, you can only hope that one day it will drink the cool water and be restored.

So it is with the families we serve.  We realize many of them have experienced a trail of homelessness and are pretty hopeless by the time they cross our paths.  Some want to hear the words, “ yes, you are hired” after only a few applications have been submitted.  I know that is not a reality, so I keep encouraging them to work harder and put in more applications because one day it is going to pay off.

The difficult thing is that for many job searchers,  just like the horse that needs the water to be refreshed, but  will not drink it, many of our participants need  income to survive, but will not complete the process necessary until the last hour.  We can only show them the steps and hope and pray that one day, they will extend themselves beyond where they are currently operating until they get the call and hear the words, “yes, you are hired.” 

Although, we have a large percentage of participants that do leave with employment, there is also that small percentage that leaves unemployed.  Often times, after a few months of having left Community LINC, I get a phone call and the person on the end says, “guess what Ms. Connie, I got a job”  I am always so happy to hear that they are employed and able to care for their family sufficiently, without having to search for resources from multiple agencies.

Employment Matters: Tenacity and Hard Work Pays Off

By Employment Services Job Coach Constance Taylor

When my current participant and her family entered our program, she had faith that she would find another job. She knew it would require a lot of hard work and time.

At least seven years ago, she divorced her children’s father and decided to focus on raising her young children using child support knowing she couldn’t find a job that would pay enough to cover child care. They moved into a single dwelling with several other adult family members and pooled their resources.

After the death of two of those family members, the pool of funds decreased drastically. They were unable to pay their rent on time and were evicted.

It was time to become self-sufficient.

She arrived in the employment lab each day before 9:00 AM, which demonstrated her eagerness and desire to secure employment. We created a resume and set up profiles on several job sights. Although, she had no computer skills and very little experience,  her strong interpersonal and communication skills were a good fit for the retail industry. 

Finally, I told her, I thought it was time to “hit the street” as we call it in the lab. It took one day of applying at various retail stores and she received a phone call from a small neighborhood merchant who was willing to give her a chance.

She secured employment in less than one month of her search because of her sincere tenacity and hard work. She is excited about the opportunities in her future.  

Employment Matters: "It Takes More Than A Textbook"

By Employment Services Job Coach Constance Taylor

It really means a lot when people care enough to take time from their busy schedules to help our participants become gainfully employed.

Understanding what employers need and want is a big part of landing a job. 

Several businesses in the Kansas City area volunteered to positively influence our community by participating in mock interviews. They asked interview questions concerning various positions within their organizations and critiqued our responses. They also provided answers to difficult questions concerning the candidates and how they ought to market themselves.

The employers provided an overall summary of “great interviewing skills.”  The information they provided was valuable to our participants and gave them real life applications.

One of the employers scheduled additional interviews with other human resource representatives at his company. As a result, two of our candidates have secured full time employment with benefits! They both start their new positions this week. 

That’s why I believe, “it takes more than a textbook.” Sometimes, it takes real life application to make a lasting impression.      

Employment Matters: It Was All Worth It

By Employment Coach Constance Taylor

“I really want to look nice for this job interview. I can stay at this job for the rest of my life and be able to take care of my family.” These words will never escape me when I think of this participant. He is so anxious to put his life back together again.

When he first came to the job lab, he was extremely insecure and unbelieving that anything would happen for him.  Although he could name many skills that he possessed, his work experience on the paper was very sporadic and unverifiable. He had no high school diploma or G.E.D. and no permanent residency. He had no computer knowledge, so applying online was out of the question.

It seemed all of the odds were against him.

His family moved to Kansas City from another state about 6 months ago. His goal was to start his life over again. His parents passed away, his car was repossessed, his house was foreclosed and he lost his job. His life spun out of control and he became consumed with drinking alcohol and he was angry.

 

I handed him paperwork to fill out, which helped me to gage his intellect. I discovered that he has the ability to finish his high school education and he is a fast learner.  He attended a computer class in the employment lab taught by “Connecting for Good” and he is able to use the computer independently now.

He secured a position with a large supermarket stripping and waxing floors overnight and he is very happy. He just had an opportunity to interview for another position at an area hospital. However, he likes his current position well enough to remain there. It is hard for him to believe that he went from no job leads to numerous inquiries. He spent hours in the lab submitting applications and answering questions and believes it was all worth it in the end.

He is now looking for housing and his family is very happy, content and grateful for a second chance at life.    

Poverty and the minimum wage

By CEO/Executive Director Laura Gray

I’m always torn when I get something urging me to contact my Senator and Congressman to do something like raise the minimum wage. You might think that it’s an automatic “yes” for someone who works in an organization that serves the homeless. Obviously, my heart is pulled to a mission that helps people who are among the poorest of the poor.

But, the pull of my heart is balanced by my head. I have an undergraduate degree in Economics and an MBA in Finance. I realize that raising the minimum wage will raise costs for a lot of businesses. That increase will be passed on to us as consumers, some of whom are the very people whose increased minimum wage will have to absorb the rising prices.

But, I also realize that right now a single mother with two kids working 40 hours per week will still be below the poverty level. She’ll qualify for other forms of government subsidies, so in a way businesses that don’t pay minimum wage are increasing the cost of subsidies taxpayers have to support.

There are a lot of other arguments on both the head and heart sides of the issue. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t easy despite all of the passionate opinions on both sides.

Jobs Matter: "I Got My Dream Job"

By Employment Job Coach Constance Taylor

 

I remember my first conversation with Mr. U He had just moved to Kansas City from New York and he was facing many unresolved issues concerning his diabetic eleven year old daughter.  Although he trained with a school bus company for almost three months after coming to Kansas City, he was told he was ineligible to be hired.  His employment history was very spotty with large gaps and no high school diploma or G.E.D.

 

He remembered working for a car rental company as a detailer and truly loved it, so he asked about the possibility of landing a job like that once again. He applied to several car rental companies, but didn’t get any responses.  It had been five years ago since he worked as a detailer and his references were  no longer be available.

 

He switched his search to jobs as a dock worker  and received several  invitations to interview.  The work hours wouldn’t work either due to transportation or having to leave his daughter home alone during the evening.  He even had some interviews look promising right up to the point of hiring, when the interviewer would ask, “By the way, do you  have your G.E.D.”?

 

Finally, the call we had all been waiting for came. It was from the first application he completed seeking a job as a car detailer. He answered their additional questions and went in for an interview. He was hired for the position! It was exciting and scary all at the same time. Who would have thought that the first application would be the one that landed him his dream job. 

 

Employment Matters: Dreaming of a brighter future

By Job Readiness Coach Constance Taylor

 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that “the unemployment rate declined from 7.3 percent to 7.0 percent in November, and total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 203,000. 

 

Employment increased in transportation and warehousing, health care, and manufacturing.

The number of persons reported unemployed less than 5 weeks declined by 300,000 in November partially reflecting the return of work of federal employees on lay off in October due to the partial government shutdown. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was essentially unchanged at 4.1 million in November. The number of long-term unemployed has declined by 718,000 over the past 12 months.”

 

N. has accepted a position with a local retail industry and is preparing to take on line G.E.D. courses to improve her educational status and advance to management.

 

After several months of experiencing strong feelings of defeat she decided to focus on what she had to offer over other candidates. How could she solve problems for employers became her primary focus? She was able to speak fluent Spanish and located a merchant who needed her skill and was quickly placed on the payroll. 

 

N. has moved into permanent housing and is happy to be among those that are now successfully employed.

 

She is dreaming of a brighter future. 

 

Jobs Matter: Preparing for maximum return

By Employment Specialist Constance Taylor

 

Because the barriers are enormous due to poor choices made once upon a time, T decided one of the ways to increase his employability was to make himself a more attractive candidate. 

 

Although, he has altered his past approach to life, he also decided to improve his probability in the selection process by sharpening his skills and knowledge.  In the past few months, he has become certified to drive a forklift and is currently attending G.E.D. classes. 

 

He not only wants to prove his worthiness by working every day at a minimum wage job, but the object is to demonstrate that he is dependable, reliable and trustworthy. 

 

He has a broad future ahead of him, a wife and a child to care for.  His goal is to strive to become trained and educated until he maximizes his potential and creates the living wage he desires.

Jobs Matter: And she's well on her way to being self-sufficient again

By Employment Services Jobs Coach Constance Taylor

 

K’s family is well on their way to becoming self-sufficient again.

Hard work, determination, and the right attitude drove K to rise above the odds. She has overcome some huge barriers - multiple warrants and utility bills totaling more than $1000.

At first, concentrating long enough to complete a good solid application was a major accomplishment. She presented herself as an undesirable candidate to most employers because of a weak work history and very little experience. 

But, as each barrier was eliminated, she began to appear more relieved and started to paint a picture of her employability and experience more effectively.

She put in tons of applications and began to attend job fairs all over the city. She went to several interviews, but didn’t get a positive response. We finally decided that a better strategy may be to apply in person and present herself to as many employers as possible.

She attended a job fair at hotel opening in the area and ended up being hired on the spot as a housekeeper. At almost the same time, her application for permanent housing was approved.

Before the end of December 2013 she will be in her new home with gainful employment. What a huge success for someone who had a hard time seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. 

 

Jobs Matter: Hard work, determination, and faith equals immediate turnaround

By Employment Services Job Coach Constance Taylor

 

Hard work, determination, and faith have paid off for Katrina, one of our newest residents. 

 

It has been less than a month since Katrina moved to our community with her thirteen year old daughter.  She didn’t have a job or a place to live, but she was determined to put her life back together again. 

 

She applied for a position with an area hospital but didn’t believe that she would even get an interview.  So she came faithfully to the employment lab to apply for other jobs.

 

The call that we were waiting for finally came and she had her first interview.  I remember asking her several practice interview questions, but she froze up in fear and couldn’t respond to any of the questions.

 

I suggested that she write down her answers and we would try again the next day.  She left that day discouraged about her inability to respond. 

 

She went back to her apartment and began to focus on the positive outcomes if she got the job.  Her motivation came from seeing that she would have a place of her own to care for her daughter and a second chance to redeem success in life. This job was a chance of a lifetime and she knew she could not allow this opportunity to pass her by.

 

She came back the next morning with a positive attitude and a burst of energy.  I knew she was a perfect candidate for the position because she had  both the skills necessary and the past experience.  After a second interview she was offered the position. She begins her new job next week and her income with benefits is a living wage.  

 

She believes perseverance, the relief she felt in finding interim housing at Community LINC, along with the encouragement that she received from our support staff have been the biggest influence to her success.   

 

Congratulations to Katrina for a job well done!

 

Jobs Matter: Barriers to ending homelessness

By Constance Taylor, Employment Services Job Coach

The U.S. economy lost nearly six million jobs since the recession began in December 2007. Kansas City alone lost nearly 70,000 jobs since 2007. Government estimates show that from August 2010 to August 2011, only the Atlanta area lost more than the 120,000 jobs lost in the Kansas City area. Both on a numerical and percentage basis, the area ranks second worst among the 127 major U.S. cities where employment shrank over the year.

In such a competitive environment, the difficulties of job-seeking as a homeless person can be almost insurmountable barriers.

For those with limited skills or experience, there aren’t many opportunities to find a job that pays a living wage.

All segments of the homeless population, especially heads of family households, face significant and multiple barriers to employment. These barriers are personal, programmatic, and systemic.

People who are homeless often lack stress management, social interaction, independent living and vocational engagement skills, as well as a place to live and financial resources. On top of that, many members of the homeless population have to combat barriers, such as limited transportation and reduced access to educational and training programs.

The digital divide remains a deep void for homeless populations. Competing for jobs today requires some understanding of and competency in information technology. Lack of computer knowledge and fear of failure can prevent these populations from seeking to use computers available through public access. These limitations contribute to poor labor market outcomes for homeless people.

To equip our formerly homeless clients to overcome their barriers, we provide job readiness classes and job coaching.  We work with each family to assess educational and vocational needs. And, we seek relationships with employers to establish a broad support system for the families we serve.

On the positive side, about 70% of adults are employed when they exit to their own homes. Less encouraging is that the average wage is $9.39 per hour. That’s an annual income of less than $20,000 a year.

Hopefully, the very low income population will soon share in the gradual improvement in the economy. 

The housing burden

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Low to Moderate Income Survey for the 3rd quarter showed a slight decrease. Employment improved slightly, but the improvement was offset by the decline in the availability of affordable housing and credit.

Our homeless families, of course, fall into the low income segment the survey measures. We saw some of the same improvement in employment recently. The average wage for the adults who found jobs was hovering around $10/hour until September when it rose to $12.

At $12/hour, a single parent will earn about $25,000 per year. Housing costs will start to become a burden if rent and utilities climb together are above 30% of income = $7,500/year or $624/mo. Rent alone averages $784 for a two bedroom apartment in the Kansas City area, which means our families will remain financially fragile.

However, our families will not be alone. A study from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, a record 20.2 million people spent more than 50% of their income on housing as far back as 2010. Most of these families will live in or on the brink of poverty, but the vast majority will not become homelessness.

If history prevails, 80% of our parents will not become homeless again. They may struggle, but they leave better equipped to provide for themselves and their children. And, the children leave knowing they have options that may break the cycle of poverty.

The Homeless in This Economy

At the end of January, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City published their Low- and Moderate- Income (LMI) populations Survey. It confirmed what we’ve observed among our homeless residents – that it’s taking much longer for them to find jobs, both because there are fewer jobs and because they are competing with more qualified people for low skills jobs.

From the survey: “Unemployment, lower incomes, lack of insurance and poor housing choices were commonly cited factors impairing recovery in the LMI community.”

". . .Survey results suggest that job prospects for the LMI population continued to decline in the fourth quarter, as most respondents reported that fewer jobs were available for LMI workers than in the previous quarter.

Survey comments offered that one factor curtailing job recovery in the LMI community is the employment of relatively high-skilledworkers in the low-skilled jobs that often were taken by LMI workers prior to the recession.

Respondents also reported that many of those finding jobs were earning less pay than before, putting continued strains on household budgets. Respondents observed that the unemployed in the LMI community were remaining jobless for longer periods of time.”

The next survey will be published in April. Hopefully, there will be some signs of the recovery.

- Laura Gray

Success is Relative

Just recently, Community LINC had the opportunity to work with a young mother of three who faced some relatively unique challenges. Although she met the basic criteria for acceptance into the program and successfully fulfilled all of the steps for entry, it wasn't long before we realized that success for Ashley would look different.

True to our mission, we set out to assist her with removing barriers to housing and employment, establishing a savings account, managing her finances, learning new life skills--all of the things necessary for attaining self-sufficiency. But, for some reason, she wasn't moving forward. Despite pep talks and promises to try harder, she just couldn't make any head way. However, during a particular conversation, Ashley stated that she only wanted two things--to feel better inside and to get an apartment for her children.

As a result, Ashley was connected with the necessary services to address her major depression, tormenting fears and significant distrust of people. Within a relatively short period of time, she started to feel better inside and found the motivation to search for and obtain permanent housing.

Though there are many success stories of those who have settled mounds of debt, purchased homes, and realized educational goals, Ashely is equally successful. Why? Because success is sometime relative to the individual. rather than the whole.

- Jeannine Short, Director of Programs

Our Little Corner of the World

A week of less than encouraging news about the slump in employment. In our little corner of the world, our supportive housing program has proven to be a microcosm of the economy when it comes to employment.

A third of our families are two parent families now. That’s a remarkable percentage for us - the highest ever in our history. Only 85% of our adults have found jobs – a requirement in different economic circumstances - and only 20% of our teens have summer jobs. In at least one two parent family only the mom had a job for several months.

In the July 7 Business Intelligence Brief from Armada Corporate Intelligence they observed that “Men have experienced this unemployment situation differently than women as two of the hardest hit sectors have been construction and manufacturing – both traditionally male dominated… There has been a sharp rise in the number of women serving as the primary wage earners in the household. This has had some social impact as well as economic…Adjusting to this new employment reality will be very hard for many people and their families.”

“The issue of youth employment will be a festering problem for years…There has been less job exposure in this group than any previous cohort as many parents have chosen to keep their kids involved in various activities while paying generous allowances. That practice has faded as the recession has deepened but now these kids are having great difficulty getting summer employment. Studies have shown that lack of exposure to the work world at an early age makes it harder to transition to the workforce later.”

“For those kids that come from lower income neighborhoods the lack of work is even more problematic. This is not discretionary money for the most part ...”

Having a home at Community LINC lessens the necessity for our kids to contribute to the household income, but we know the need is very real. The teenage son of one of our favorite graduates is deferring college to help support his family.

As bleak as all of this might sound, at Community LINC we have faith that things will get better. For the last 21 years, we’ve seen people overcome the circumstances that so many are experiencing because of the recession. In our world, personal circumstances rather than the economy pulled our families down to the bottom rung of the economic and employment ladder. Eight out of ten rebuilt their lives. Things do get better.

-Laura Gray