Post on 09-Jul-2020
Employment Strategies to End
Homelessness
National Alliance to End
Homelessness
January 21, 2013
National Transitional Jobs Network The National Transitional Jobs Network (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.
Activities include:
▫ Technical assistance and field building
▫ State and federal advocacy
▫ National conferences and convenings
The NTJN is a project of Heartland Alliance in Chicago, IL
Working to End Homelessness Initiative (WEH)
• Launched in 2011 with support from the Butler Family Fund to:
▫ Highlight the importance of employment in addressing homelessness
▫ Showcase what works in workforce solutions to homelessness
▫ Identify systems and policy challenges to service delivery
• In 2012 we began fielding training and technical assistance requests from around the country.
WEH Briefs for Providers ▫ Employment Program Models for People Experiencing Homelessness
- Different approaches to program structure
▫ Employment Program Components - Considerations for modifying
programming for people experiencing homelessness
▫ Service Delivery Principles and Techniques - Helping people
experiencing homelessness engage in services and succeed in work
▫ Populations Experiencing Homelessness - Diverse barriers to
employment and how to address them
▫ A directory of providers in the WEH community of practice and
descriptions of their program models Download able for free at
www.transitionaljobs.net
Why Employment? Evidence and Experience Supporting Employment as an Anti-
Homelessness Strategy
Employment
+
Housing
ENDS
HOMELESSNESS
Most people experiencing
homelessness want to work.
People experiencing homelessness consistently rank paid
employment alongside healthcare and housing as a primary
need.*
People experiencing homelessness often attribute their
homelessness to unemployment and insufficient income.**
*Burt, M.R., Aron, L.Y., & Lee, E. (1999). Homelessness: Programs and the people they serve. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.
**Mojtabai, R. (2005). Perceived reasons for loss of housing and continued homelessness among homeless persons with mental
illness. Psychiatric Services, 56:172-178
Employment is an important factor in
preventing and ending homelessness.
Numerous studies find that increased income is a strong
predictor of a person exiting homelessness.*
Earned income and current or recent employment are
associated with shorter duration of homelessness.**
*Zlotnick, C., Robertson, M.J., & Lahiff, M. (1999). Getting off the streets: Economic resources and residential exits from homelessness. Journal
of Community Psychology, 27(2), 209-224.
**Caton, C.L., et. al. (2005). Risk factors for long-term homelessness: findings from a longitudinal study of first-time homeless single adults.
American Journal of Public Health, 95(10), 1753-9.
Employment impacts wellbeing, health
and quality of life.
Employment and income are associated with improved quality of life
among people experiencing homelessness.*
Income from work improves access to food, clothing, housing, and
healthcare-increasing personal, family, and community wellbeing.*
Employment shows promise in supporting recovery from mental
illness and addiction†, reducing recidivism, and reducing reliance on
public benefits.††
*Lam, J.A. & Rosenheck, R.A. (2000). Correlates of improvement in quality of life among homeless persons with serious mental illness.
Psychiatric Services, 51:116-118.
†Schumacher, J.E. et. al. (2002). Costs and effectiveness of substance abuse treatments for homeless persons. Journal of Mental Health Policy
Economics, 5, 33-42.
††Redcross, C., Bloom, D., Azurdia, G., Zweig, J., & Pindus, N. (2009). Transitional Jobs for ex-prisoners: Implementation, two-year impacts, and costs
of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Prisoner Reentry Program. New York, NY: MDRC.
Key Factors in Planning Employment
Approaches
Be aware of barriers to employment
Low education and literacy
Work history gaps
Lack of transportation
Family obligations
Lack of stable address or
phone
Lack of hygiene or clothing
Low self-esteem
Poor health
Physical disabilities
Mental health issues
Substance use issues
Fear of losing public benefits
Criminal records
Weak labor markets
Weak social skills or
networks
Discrimination
Populations aren’t mutually exclusive
Consider the
varying needs
of diverse
populations
experiencing
homelessness
Low-income single parents
Disadvantaged youth and older adults
Military veterans Individuals with
criminal backgrounds
Individuals with disabling conditions
Who is “ready to work?”
Explore a “Housing First” approach to employment
• Nearly everyone can work if given the appropriate
supports
• Meet people where they are with regard to their
readiness for employment
Cultivating a spectrum of program models can help
accomplish this
Promising Models and Practices
“Attachment to work” approaches
• Transitional Jobs
• Supported Employment
• Alternative Staffing
• Customized Employment
Advancement strategies
• Contextualized Basic Adult Education
• Adult Education Bridge Programs
• Sector-based training
Promising employment program models
▫ Combines time-limited, wage-paying subsidized jobs, skill development, and supportive services to transition individuals to employment
▫ Proven to get people with significant barriers successfully working, reduce recidivism after release from prison, and reduce reliance on public assistance.
Transitional Jobs
“Attachment to work” approaches
CARA Cleanslate,
Chicago, IL
• Social enterprise specializing in
neighborhood beautification and property
maintenance
• High emphasis on participant motivation
and peer support
• Video
▫ The standard evidence-based model for helping individuals with mental health issues transition to employment
▫ Supports rapid entry to the competitive labor market integrated with support services as soon as the participant feels ready
Supported Employment (IPS)
“Attachment to work” approaches
Central City Concern, Portland, OR
www.ccconcern.org
• Provides rapid access to employment for individuals experiencing homelessness with primary addiction disorders and felony convictions
• Placement in sectors including construction, business and professional services, hospitality and tourism, and retail
• Ongoing support including on-the-job training
• Integrated service team including supportive housing, primary health care, addiction treatment, and peer case managers
• Video
▫ Brokers temporary entry-level job placements for at-risk populations
▫ Shows promise in helping individuals learn workplace skills, build confidence, and leverage temporary placements to permanent jobs
Alternative Staffing
Chrysalis Enterprises, Los Angeles
www.ChangeLives.org
• Offers both transitional jobs in a work-crew setting, and alternative staffing placements in light industrial, hospitality, retail, warehousing, construction, janitorial and special event jobs
• Comprehensive support services include mentoring, life-skill classes, communication services, work tools, and retention support groups.
• 400 participants served per day
• Video
▫ Helps participants begin self-employment or negotiate restructured job positions that meet their strengths and the employer’s needs
▫ Shows promise in helping at-risk populations including people with a physical disability carve out work that meets their needs
Customized Employment
“Attachment to work” approaches
• Contextualized Basic Adult Education
▫ Employs real-life materials, situations and issues that are relevant to the learner’s life to illustrate lessons
• Sector-based training
▫ Delivers occupation-specific “hard skills” training in high-demand, high-growth industries
• Adult Education Bridge Programs
▫ Combine basic skills instruction with sector strategies to give low-income workers access to jobs with advancement and benefits
Advancement Strategy Examples
Core components of employment services
– across models
• Assessment
• Work-readiness and soft skills training
• Employment-focused case management and supports
• Job development and job search assistance
• Retention services and incentives
Next Steps for Employment Program
Implementation
What you can implement now, and what
you can plan for the future
What you can do now at little or no
additional cost ▫ Incorporate employment goals into existing counseling
and case management activities
▫ “Vocationalize” the organization by applying workplace
standards and prioritizing employment
▫ Identify and partner with employment service providers in
your area
Public workforce system: “One-Stops”
Community-based organizations
What you can do in the near term at little
cost
▫ Co-locate employment and housing services
▫ Provide on-site work readiness training and job
search assistance
▫ Offer participants on-site transitional employment in
maintenance, reception, etc. in supportive housing
buildings
▫ Create facilities/areas to support job search such as
phone banks, computers, and professional clothing
Long-term planning for best-practice
programming
▫ Determine service delivery model
Based on population needs, current organizational capacity
and expertise, funding, and sustainability
▫ Key planning considerations:
Staffing: job developer, retention specialist, etc.
Facilities & equipment
Employer partnerships and outreach
Long-term planning for best-practice
programming, continued
▫ Apply best practices:
Make multiple employment and training options available
Provide long-term engagement with retention follow-up
Include employment-focused case management and support
services to remove barriers
Make employment a system priority by writing employment service objectives into plans to end homelessness and other systems agendas
Potential Funding Sources
▫ CDBG
▫ SNAP E&T
▫ TANF
▫ SAMHSA
▫ DOL Veteran’s Initiatives
▫ Private foundations and donors
Get Connected. Stay Connected.
Sign up for newsletters: www.transitionaljobs.net
Email us: ntjn@heartlandalliance.org
Follow us: National Transitional Jobs Network
@tjprograms