Lessons Learned: Transitional Employment for Families, Singles, and Youth

N AT 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 CONFERENCE J U LY 1 4 , 2 0 1 1

www.transitionaljobs.net

The National Transitional Jobs Network

TheNTJNexiststoensurethatpoliciesaccountforthehardto employ,thatprogramsareabletoeffectivelyserveasmany individualsaspossible,andthatbestpracticesandtechnical assistancearewidelysharedandimplementedthroughout thenetwork. TechnicalAssistance StateandFederalAdvocacy MonthlyNewsletters signupatwww.transitionaljobs.net NationalConference

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Employment

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Housing ENDS HOMELESSNESS

Presentation Overview

WhatareTransitionalJobs? LessonsLearned&PromisingPractices TransitionalJobsFieldAdvancement

TransitionalJobs Transitional Jobs

LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

TransitionalJobs(TJ)isaworkforce strategydesignedtoovercome employmentobstacles byusing timelimited,wagepayingjobsthat combinerealwork,skilldevelopment, andsupportiveservices, totransitionparticipantssuccessfully intothelabormarket.

Transitional Jobs Transitional Jobs

LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

Theory of Change
ThepremiseofTransitionalJobsprogramsisthat everyonecanwork. TJisasteppingstoneoutofpovertyforpopulations withbarrierstoemployment. TransitionalJobsprogramsofferexperientialworkplace learningsoparticipantscan: gainonthejobsuccess buildworkhistory increasestabilityatajob increasesoftandhardjobskills

TransitionalJobs Transitional Jobs

LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

Goals
1. 2. 3. 4.

Addressbarrierstowork Stabilizeparticipantsthroughincome Increasesoftskillsandsomehardskills Transitiontounsubsidizedemployment whenready

Workorganizeslife WilliamJuliusWilson

TransitionalJobs Transitional Jobs

LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

Unpacking the Model

Orientation&Assessment JobReadiness/LifeSkillsClasses CaseManagementSupport TransitionalJob RealWorkExperience UnsubsidizedJobPlacement&Retention LinkagestoEducationandTraining

Transitional Jobs Transitional Jobs

LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

Unpacking the Transitional Job

Subsidizedjobsinanonprofit, forprofit, and/orgovernmentsetting Timelimited.TheTJtypicallylasts39 monthsdependinguponthepopulation& participantneeds Wagepaid

Transitional Jobs Transitional Jobs

LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

Unpacking Supportive Services TJprogramshaveastrongemploymentcase managementstructureandwraparound supportwithlinkagestothefollowing:

Transportation ChildCareClothing

Housing SubstanceAbuseMentalHealth Probation/ParoleRequirements

Transitional Jobs Transitional Jobs

LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

Program Structures
ScatteredSite Participantsworkinforprofit,non profitorgovernmentsiteswith12workerspersite.
(Examples:HeartlandHumanCareServices,TWC,GAGoodworksandWACommunity Jobs)

WorkCrew Crewsof57peopleworkonaproject oftenwithinmaintenance,janitorial,parks,and communityrenewalprojects. (Examples:CEO,Roca,DoeFund) SocialEnterprise Participantsworkasanemployee oftheproductorservicerevenuegeneratingarmof anorganization. (Examples:SweetBeginnings,CircleCatering,Goodwill)

Transitional Jobs Transitional Jobs

LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

From theory to practice

Participantsinterests inworkmatterasmotivation Evaluateaptitudes Identifyemployerperceivedbarriers Addressrealisticopportunities inlocalmarket Attempttomatchinterest,aptitudesandlabor marketwiththeTJplacement DevelopaworkfocusedPlan withparticipantwith shorttermgoals,definedresponsibilitiesandall necessarytoachieveoutcome

Transitional Jobs Jobs

LessonsLearned LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

LessonLearned:TheTransitionalJobsexperiencemust beadevelopmentalprocess

Structureandintensifyonsitementoringand coachingactivities Graduallyincreaseresponsibilitiesandstress Providedailystructuredfeedbackonperformance IncreasetimespentinTJforthosewhosechances ofsuccessinthecompetitivelabormarketare especiallylimited.

Transitional Jobs Jobs

LessonsLearned LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

LessonLearned:Intensive retentionservicesarecritical tosupportparticipantsuccess Ongoing,consistent andstructuredretentionservices arenecessarytohelpsupporttransitionsto employmentandsuccess,including:

Conductatleast6monthsoffollowup;3contactsper month Providecashandnoncashincentivesforretention OfferreemploymentservicesandreentryintoTJif needed

Transitional Jobs Jobs

LessonsLearned LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

LessonsLearned:TransitionalJobsaremostsuccessful whentargetedtothemostInneed
TJprogramsaremosteffectivewhentargetedtopeoplewith substantialbarrierstoemployment asopposedto individualswithbetterprospectsoffindingworkontheir ownorwithlessintensivehelp,suchas: Longtermwelfarerecipients Publichousingrecipients Noworkexperience Recentlyreleasedfromprison Upfrontscreeningsshouldidentifywhocanmostbenefit.

Transitional Jobs Jobs

LessonsLearned LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

LessonsLearned:Supportiveserviceandreferral relationshipsarecriticalforparticipantsuccessbuttake timetodevelop TJparticipantsfaceanumberof barrierstoemploymentandservice needs. Inordertosupport successfultransitionstoemployment, supportiveserviceandreferral relationshipsmustbe establishedandnurtured.

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LessonsLearned LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

PromisingPractice: Integrationofcontextualizedadult basiceducationandliteracywithTransitionalJobs Literacyandnumeracyaresignificant barrierstoemploymentand advancementforTJpopulations ContextualizedABE,whichemploys materials,situationsandproblems drawndirectlyfromtheworkplace haspotentialtoworkespeciallywell inconjunctionwithTJ

Transitional Jobs Transitional Jobs

LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

DOLEnhancedTransitionalJobsDemonstration: Testing programenhancements&promisingpractices DOLawarded7grantstoorganizationsfromacrossthe countrytotesteffectivenessoftheTJstrategywith enhancementslike: LongerTJprograms Stepdownsubsidyperiodswithforprofit employers Retentionandfollowupenhancements Linkageswithoccupationalskillstraining

TransitionalJobs Transitional Jobs

LessonsLearned

FieldAdvancement

WorkingtoEndHomelessness: NationalTransitional JobsNetworkCommunityofPractice

Developpeerrelationshipsbetweenserviceproviders providingemploymentservicestoindividuals experiencinghomelessness Developpractitionerinformedpromisingpracticeson providingemploymentservicestothepopulation Identifyareasoffurtherstudyneeded Identifyandpromotepolicyandsystemschanges needed

For more information, contact:

arynell@heartlandalliance.org or visit: www.transitionaljobs.net