Career Services Program YWCA Omaha Career Services Program

Career Services Programs Empowering Women!

Program Goal To assist women who are seeking employment and careers with the tools necessary to obtain and sustain employment with an ultimate goal of achieving self-sufficiency. This goal will be accomplished through assisting women in discovering their skills and strengths, assisting them with the development of resumes and cover letters, helping them learn how to job search and prepare for interviews and by providing training and education on the interpersonal skills necessary to obtain and sustain employment.

Program Description YWCA Omaha’s Career Services program provides assessment, career guidance, counseling, training and education assistance, career clothing, computer lab and referral services for women in need of employment or career progression.

Program Components Career assessment and educational planning Career information and referrals Job search tools- resumes cover letters, applications Interviewing skills Training or educational assistance Monthly workshops and training sessions

Program Components Project STEP Career and life strategies training (Self-Sufficiency through Training, Education, & Placement) Focused on nontraditional careers for women (ended on 2/2007) Career and life strategies training Intensive case management Job training and education Recruitment, placement and technical assistance to employers

Program Components Firefighting Training- every other year provide firefighter training in preparation for the written test, physical ability test, and structured interview (most recent training program October 2006) Clothing Closet- donated like new business attire (ongoing) Computer Lab- Search for job postings, apply on line, or updating resumes and cover letters. (ongoing) Onsite Job Fairs –twice a year to be developed

Program Components Clothing Extravaganza, bi-annually (Spring and Fall) Career Services Workshops (employability skills) conducted once a month Employment First—welfare to work program off-site

Marketing Efforts Distribute program brochure. Flyers distributed once a month advertising the monthly career workshops. Contacting local Trade Associations and Labor Unions. Conduct informational presentations for businesses and community agencies. Omaha Living show—career services program and annual career make-over program.

Socio-economic Demographics Majority of clients are women with a concentration in ages 25-44. 65% are White, 19% African American, 9% Hispanic, and 5% other minorities. Serving all geographic areas. 74% of those who reported family income fall in the category of <$10,000.

Average length of service Firefighters Preparation Program -- 12 week program every other year, last one in 2006 Project STEP- 6 months (program ended in 2/2007) Clothing closet and computer lab – ongoing Clothing Extravaganza – twice a year for 3 days Career counseling – once to ongoing as needed Career workshops— monthly for one day

Staffing and Service Provision 5.0 Employment First Career Specialists, 1.0 Employment First Supervisor, 1.0 Career Facilitator, 0.46 Program Director Days of Week and Hours of Service: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Geography Served by Program: The Omaha Metropolitan Area (Douglas, Sarpy and Pottawattamie counties) No waiting list.

Financial Accountability Funding Sources: United Way JOLI (Job Opportunities for Low Income; ended on February 28, 2007) Metro Community College/Perkins Grant (to end June 30, 2007) PSI/Employment First (5-year contract to end in 2011)

Collaborative Relationships YWCA Career Services collaborates with Metropolitan Community College as a referral source for training and education. YWCA has established relationships with local businesses and trade associations. YWCA is a subcontractor for PSI (Policy Studies, Inc.) for Employment First case management. PSI contracts with the state of Nebraska. UNO will provide third party evaluation for a federal grant that will end of February 28, 2007.

Program Development Plans Increase revenue by converting to a fee-for-service using a sliding scale so that low-income women can continue to receive the support and guidance they need. Offer quarterly ongoing training sessions related to job readiness and sustainability skills (in progress). Develop a program brochure (complete). Offer 2 onsite job fairs for clients (to be developed). Increase marketing efforts to increase knowledge of program services and the number of women especially women of color seeking career services. Grow overall program to include the addition of a second career facilitator. Develop and implement a work-training site for women. Enhance and offer the annual career make over program.

Program Outcomes/Statistics July 2006—June 2007 Clients given Nontraditional Career Info--1396 Career Guidance/Career Counseling—894 Interviewing, Assessment and Resumes Referrals to Metro--295 Computer Lab---1402 Clothing Closet—717 Clothing Extravaganza-767

2007-2006 New Programs First annual career make-over contest (2 winners) Gift/Award package included: 3-month FREE YMCA membership. Food and gas voucher. Professional attire. Hair and makeup. Career counseling Updated resume.

2007-2006 New Programs Career Education Workshops (monthly) Resume writing Dressing for success Interviewing skills Personal empowerment Discovering strengths Financial education Employability skills

2007-2006 New Programs Employment First Welfare to Work Program. Serving women with multiple barriers and domestic violence issues. Implemented in October 2006. Total served since inception 598.

Future Programs Become a training provider through Workforce Development due to a shortage of programs that provide “Employability Skills”. Expand training to include Police Preparation Training. Expand services provided to women in the prison system. Become a work experience training site. Develop a teen empowerment/career program.

Client Success Story Client CT has be a returning client of the YWCA Career Services since October 2006.  When CT first received assisted with the Career Service Program she was unemployed, and in need of Career Counseling.  Since then CT has accessed our computer lab and career clothing closet and received assistance with creating a professional resume, cover letter, job leads, cold calling tips and career strategies.  She is currently working as a part-time waitress earning $13.00 an hour and has received opportunity to teach in her field of Nutrition and Healthy Foods to students.