CONSUMER AFFAIRSZephyr Self Help Center

Job Readiness & Employment Support

Jennifer Jones, MA, ASW

Zephyr Employment

• Job Readiness Series

• Getting ready to apply for jobs. Resumes, volunteering, applications, references, and cover letters

• Employment Support

• Provides support for those who already have a job or are searching for a job

Job Readiness

• Prepares consumers for to get the skills to go back to work. The main thing we do before the series is connect them to benefit counselors. Benefit counseling is extremely important so they lose the fear of losing their benefits so they know the thresholds and so on.

• Assessment—so they know what they like and what matches their interests. Two sessions

• References & Benefits of Volunteering—the more you volunteer you can increase your network of people for references

Job Readiness--Continued

• Resume Writing—allows them to market themselves to future employers. 2 sessions

• Filling out online applications—first we fill out by hand then we navigate how to do the online applications for example, Target

• Getting ready for interviews—we do mock interviews and give them tips about interviewing—2 sessions

• Follow up with interviewers—etiquette for following up with interviewers, thank you notes

• Enrique provides one-on-one assistance with resume writing

Employment Support

• It is about fighting the stigma that prevents people from seeking employment.

• It’s about empowering consumers.

• We share our experiences, how to advocate for yourself, managing symptoms on the job.

• We also help those who are contemplating going back to work so they may not be ready presently but are thinking about it.

• We had MHAP talk about the legal aspects of work, there were 20+ people.

Employment Support—(Con’t)

• We also help those who currently have a job as well to give them moral support.

• The core is to challenge stigma, by empowering them that they can go back to work.

• They can do it. They have been told they can’t do it.

• People share their empowering stories.

Outcome Measures—Job Readiness & Employment Support

• Employment Support has N=9 July 2014

• Job Readiness has N=7 October 2014

Job Readiness—Age

18-25, 0%

26-59, 86%

60+, 14%

Age

18-25

26-59

60+

Demographic—Gender

Male43%

Female57%

Gender

Male

Female

Other

Ethnographic—Ethnicity

African American0% Latino / Hispanic

14%

Asian / Pacific Islander29%

Native American14%

White29%

Mixed0%

Unknown14%

Other0%

Ethnicity

African American Latino / Hispanic Asian / Pacific Islander Native American White Mixed Unknown Other

Do you think about seeking employment/volunteer?

Some of the time, 3

Most of the time, 2

All of the time, 1 non responses, 1

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

How often do you think about seeking employment/volunteer?

Seeking or maintaining employment/volunteer?

Some of the time, 2

Most of the time, 3

All of the time, 1 non responses, 1

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

Do you have support in seeking or maintaining employment/volunteer?

Group meet your expectations?

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

Most of the time, 2

All of the time, 4

non responses, 1

Did this group meet your expectations?

Was this group useful?

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

Most of the time, 1

All of the time, 6

non responses, 0

Was this group useful?

Overall impression of group

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

Most of the time, 2

All of the time, 4

non responses, 1

Overall impression of group

Employment Support—Gender

Male67%

Female33%

Gender

Male

Female

Other

Age—Employment Support

18-25, 11%

26-59, 56%

60+, 33%

Age

18-25

26-59

60+

Ethnicity—Employment Support

African American

11%Latino / Hispanic

11%

Asian / Pacific Islander22%

Native American11%

White34%

Mixed11%

Unknown0%

Other0%

Ethnicity

African American Latino / Hispanic Asian / Pacific Islander Native American White Mixed Unknown Other

I feel supported by attending this group

A little of the time, 1

Some of the time, 2

Most of the time, 1

All of the time, 5

non responses, 00

1

2

3

4

5

6

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

I think about seeking employment/volunteer

A little of the time, 3

Some of the time, 1

Most of the time, 3

All of the time, 1 non responses, 1

0

1

2

3

4

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

I think about seeking employment / volunteer.

Had problems receiving Employment Service in past

0

1

2

3

None of the time A little of thetime

Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

None of the time, 3

A little of the time, 1

Some of the time, 3

Most of the time, 2

All of the time, 0 non responses, 0

I have had problems in the past receiving employment services.

Have support in seeking/main-taining employment/volunteer

0

1

2

3

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

None of the time, 1 A little of the time, 1

Some of the time, 3

Most of the time, 2 All of the time, 2

non responses, 0

I have suport in seeking or maintaining employment / volunteer.

Did this Group meet your expectations?

0

1

2

3

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

Some of the time, 3 Most of the time, 3

All of the time, 2

non responses, 1

Did this group meet your expectations?

Overall impression of the group.

A little of the time, 1 Some of the time, 1

Most of the time, 4

All of the time, 3

non responses, 00

1

2

3

4

5

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

Overall impression of the group.

Was this group useful?

A little of the time, 2 Most of the time, 2

All of the time, 5

non responses, 00

1

2

3

4

5

6

None of the time A little of the time Some of the time Most of the time All of the time non responses

Was this group useful?

Future Next Steps:

• CLC Computer Lab— in development, have some of the data

• WRAP—in development (ECCAC, Family Affairs and Consumer Affairs)

• Beading—we have follow up after lengthy participation in group

• Evaluating Peer Support—in development