Lessons Learned: Transitional Employment for Families, Singles & Youth

7/31/2019 Lessons Learned: Transitional Employment for Families, Singles & Youth

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N A T I O N A L A L L I A N C E T O E N D H O M E L E S S N E S S

C O N F E R E N C E

J U L Y 1 4 , 2 0 1 1

Lessons Learned:Transitional Employment for Families, Singles,

and Youth

www.transitionaljobs.net



The National Transitional Jobs Network

The NTJN exists to ensure that policies account for the hard‐to‐

employ, 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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Presentation Overview

What are Transitional Jobs?

Lessons Learned & Promising Practices

Transitional Jobs

Field

Advancement



Transitional Jobs

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.

Lessons LearnedTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional Jobs Field Advancement



Transitional Jobs Lessons LearnedTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional JobsTransitional Jobs Field Advancement

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

Theory of Change…




1. Address barriers to work

2. Stabilize participants through income

3. Increase soft skills and some hard skills

4. Transition to unsubsidized employment

when ready

“Work organizes life” – William Julius Wilson

Goals…




Orientation

&

Assessment Job Readiness/Life Skills Classes

Case Management

Support

Transitional Job ‐ Real Work Experience

Unsubsidized Job

Placement

&

Retention

Linkages to Education and Training

Unpacking the Model…




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

Unpacking the Transitional Job…




TJ programs

have

a strong

employment

case

management structure and wrap‐around

support with linkages to the following:

Transportation Child Care Clothing

Housing

Substance Abuse

Mental

Health

Probation/Parole Requirements

Unpacking Supportive Services…




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)

Program Structures…




Participant’s interests in work matter as motivation

Evaluate aptitudes

Identify employer perceived barriers

Address realistic

opportunities in

local

market

Attempt to match interest, aptitudes and labor

market with the TJ placement

Develop a work

focused

Plan with

participant

with

short term goals, defined responsibilities and all

necessary to achieve outcome

From theory to practice…



Transitional Jobs Lessons LearnedTransitional JobsTransitional Jobs Field AdvancementLessons Learned

Structure and

intensify

on

‐site

mentoring

and

coaching activities

Gradually increase responsibilities and stress

Provide daily structured feedback on performance

Increase time spent in TJ for those whose chances

of success

in

the

competitive

labor

market

are

especially limited.

Lesson Learned: The Transitional Jobs experience must

be a developmental process




Ongoing, consistent and structured retention services

are necessary to help support transitions to

employment and success, including:

Conduct at least 6 months of follow‐up; 3 contacts per

month

Provide cash

and

non

‐cash

incentives

for

retention

Offer reemployment services and reentry into TJ if

needed

Lesson Learned: Intensive retention services are critical

to support participant success




TJ programs

are

most

effective

when

targeted

to

people

with

substantial barriers to employment as opposed to

individuals with better prospects of finding work on their

own

or

with

less

intensive

help,

such

as: Long term welfare recipients

Public housing recipients

No work

experience

Recently released from prison

Up‐front screenings should identify who can most benefit.

Lessons Learned: Transitional Jobs are most successful

when targeted to the most In need




TJ participants face a number of

barriers to employment and service

needs.

In order to support

successful transitions to employment,

supportive service and referral

relationships must be

established and nurtured.

Lessons Learned: Supportive service and referral

relationships are critical for participant success but take

time to develop




Promising Practice: Integration of contextualized adult

basic education and literacy with Transitional Jobs

Literacy and

numeracy

are

significant

barriers to employment and

advancement for TJ populations

Contextualized ABE, which employs

materials, situations and problems

drawn

directly

from

the

workplace

has potential to work especially well

in conjunction with TJ



Transitional Jobs Lessons LearnedTransitional JobsTransitional Jobs Field Advancement

DOL awarded 7 grants to organizations from across the

country to test effectiveness of the TJ strategy with

enhancements like:

Longer TJ programs

Step‐down subsidy periods with for‐profit

employers

Retention and follow‐up enhancements

Linkages with occupational skills training

DOL Enhanced Transitional Jobs Demonstration: Testing

program enhancements & promising practices



Transitional Jobs Lessons LearnedTransitional JobsTransitional Jobs Field Advancement

Develop peer

relationships

between

service

providers

providing employment services to individuals

experiencing homelessness

Develop practitioner‐informed promising practices on

providing employment services to the population

Identify areas

of

further

study

needed

Identify and promote policy and systems changes

needed

Working to End Homelessness: National Transitional

Jobs Network Community of Practice



For more information, contact:

[email protected]

or visit:


Documents

Lessons Learned: Transitional Employment for Families, Singles & Youth