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High-Impact Employment Services to Support Successful Mixed Income Communities. MPC Forum on Building Successful Mixed-Income Communities Jobs, Training and Workforce Development July 12, 2005. Davis Jenkins Senior Fellow, Great Cities Institute University of Illinois at Chicago
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High-Impact Employment Services toSupport SuccessfulMixed Income Communities MPC Forum on Building Successful Mixed-Income Communities Jobs, Training and Workforce Development July 12, 2005 Davis Jenkins Senior Fellow, Great Cities Institute University of Illinois at Chicago Tel: (312)996-8059 E-mail: davis@uic.edu
Realities at the Low End of theLabor Market • Chronically unemployed individuals will cycle through numerous jobs before becoming stably employed – often need socialization to culture of work as a first step • Work alone usually does not lead to job advancement for low-wage workers; some job-connected training needed to advance to jobs paying family-supporting wages • Low-wage workers often have to change jobs, even industries, to advance to family-supporting jobs • High-impact employment services address both the needs and circumstances of job seekers/workers and the business needs of employers (e.g., recruitment, retention)
High-Quality Employment Services Full Menu of Services • Marketing and recruitment • Employment-related assessment and counseling • Job placement and retention support • Transitional jobs • Bridge training programs • Postsecondary education and training • Support services (housing, day care, transportation, drug treatment, family counseling, etc.)
High-Quality Employment Services Industries with Job Opportunities for CHA Clients • Employment agencies • Non-profits • Hospitals, long-term care and other health care providers • Retail • Security • Hotels, restaurants • Manufacturing, transportation, and logistics • City contractors (Section III)
High-Quality Employment Services Stakeholder Education and Engagement • Public housing residents and clients • Business community (including developers) • City, state and federal agencies • Service Providers • Foundations • Press and the public
Suggestions for CHA • Research employers’ human resource needs and customize services accordingly • Use transitional jobs to socialize hard-core unemployed to culture of work • Invest heavily in work readiness preparation prior to placement and job coaching to promote retention • Provide job-connected training at CHA sites • Provide drug treatment and other services on-site • Reach out to youth and men under 25 • Collect data on outcomes and use to improve services