Economic Recovery: Workers
The economy is losing hundreds of thousands of jobs, and the national unemployment rate is now 9.4 percent, the highest in more than a quarter century. Among the hardest hit are traditionally disadvantaged workers, including minorities, those with low educational achievement, or people who have been previously incarcerated. Also struggling to cope with the downturn are newly unemployed workers, many of whom are unaccustomed to navigating social assistance and workforce systems. Seedco's initiative focuses on assisting the chronically unemployed and disadvantaged populations as well as newly unemployed people. Services include:
Phase 1: Recovery
The economy is losing hundreds of thousands of jobs, and the national unemployment rate is now 9.4 percent, the highest in more than a quarter century. Among the hardest hit are traditionally disadvantaged workers, including minorities, those with low educational achievement, or people who have been previously incarcerated. Also struggling to cope with the downturn are newly unemployed workers, many of whom are unaccustomed to navigating social assistance and workforce systems. Seedco's initiative focuses on assisting the chronically unemployed and disadvantaged populations as well as newly unemployed people. Services include:
Phase 1: Recovery
- › Benefits access: Though the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) significantly expands the safety net for unemployed and low-income people, individuals must navigate complicated application procedures and strained bureaucracies to apply for and receive benefits. Seedco is leveraging its EarnBenefits program to connect individuals to stabilization benefits like unemployment insurance, food stamps, and public health insurance. Community-based counselors use the EarnBenefits eligibility screening and application assistance technology to help people enroll in benefits.
- › Community services: Community organizations are playing an increasingly critical role in the recovery by offering such community resources as food pantries, child care, health care, shelter services, and housing counseling. Seedco is strengthening its faith-based and community organization partnership networks and ensuring that individuals receive immediate services.
- › Employment and re-employment services: For many individuals, an immediate job is the best route to recovery. Seedco and its partners are working with employers to match dislocated workers with requisite skills and experience to available positions.
- › Training, retraining and education: Seedco and its partners are providing displaced workers with skills training and retraining in emerging and high-growth sectors such as green jobs and health care; helping them enroll in post-secondary or certification/credentialing opportunities; and helping them obtain needed adult basic education offerings, including high school-equivalency or English as a Second Language instruction.
- › Support services: Seedco is working with its partners to help people manage the barriers that keep them from maintaining steady employment— including criminal records, outstanding child support debts, unstable housing and mental health issues.
- › Career advancement coaching: Seedco is expanding the approach developed through its EarnMore career advancement program to partner closely with employers and provide one-on-one counseling focused on helping workers develop a potential career path, obtain necessary training, foster skills required in the workplace, and overcome barriers to advancement.