Instructions: Create an original post and describe the major groups of people with whom you work and the backgrounds from which they originate. Identify the key resources that you use with this group. Then respond to one classmate’s post. You will make a total of two posts.
Remember that our learning group works in a full-value environment: We treat our colleagues with respect and professionalism. Our comments should reflect this culture.
I work at a Career & Technical Center that serves students in grades 9–12. The enrollment this school year is approximately 500 students. The school does not see much diversity from multicultural backgrounds with the latest reports showing race/ethnicity as 95% white, 3% black or African American, 1% two or more races, 1% Hispanic/Latino. As for language barrier, the school shows 1% reported ESL or English as a Second Language. The largest area of diversity is socioeconomic status with 61% reported as economically disadvantaged. The school also sees diversity with students diagnosed with a disability reported at 34%. The two largest areas of student diversity are socioeconomic status and disability. In my three years working in this position, I have also seen an increase in students “coming out” as transgender and identify as LGBTQIA. I cannot write about any one key resource that I have used because I have tapped into multiple, but I would like to share a story about a student and the obstacles that she overcame. I work at a Career & Technical School and every year students are afforded the opportunity to participate in competitions in their chosen technical program. I had a senior student 912th grade) in the culinary arts program approach me about entering a certain competition. I spoke to the culinary instructor who was not in favor of this student being a part of the competition. His response was something like, “Well, she doesn’t know how to do this or do that and her appearance needs work.” I was persistent and offered that if he would allow me to work with the student, I would prepare her for the competition. He reluctantly agreed. As I said, the student was a senior student and had never participated in a competition either in school or out of school. She came from a family of 5 children. Dad was not in the picture and mom was disabled. Other students frequently made fun of her because she would come to school with smelly clothes, greasy hair and bad body odor. I was able to connect her and her mother with community resources to provide personal hygiene products, bedding, clothes, and food for the family and I sought permission for her to take a shower at school and wash/dry her clothes at school. She was a good student in the sense that her attendance was good, she was always polite, and she always volunteered to help with any school event or fundraiser. Long story short, she and I worked together preparing for the competition. She competed and finished in 2nd place in her category. I can’t express the feeling of joy for her that came over me. Then the next day back at school, I made an announcement on the speaker system for the entire school to hear that she finished in 2nd place. That was her moment to shine. She worked hard and overcame the obstacles that were holding her back. In my experience, people need to know that someone cares. It could be a high school student or a person recently released from prison trying to enter the workforce. If we, as workforce professionals, invest time in our clients by getting to know and understand their story, whether it be their culture, their background, or their beliefs, we can make the world a better place.
We rail on cliches because they are, in fact, cliche, but they’re also rooted in just a little bit of truth. In this case, actions speak louder than words. And the likelihood is that people in the position of the student and her family likely haven’t been helped in the manner in which you took the time to help them. I believe, if nothing else, every person deserves the dignity of basic necessities. And taking your time to make sure this individual has the basics to be able to focus on excelling in another area is going to mean the world to her and her family. Kudos to you for taking the time, finding the resources, and directing the family to them. When it’s a struggle to live day to day, these moments can mean the world.
This is a great example of meeting people where they are, advocating for them in appropriate ways, and being a champion. I appreciate how you looked at the entire picture of the student, did not offer excuses rather offered opportunity and connection, and supported her and her family in a way that makes sense.
I just wanted to comment about what a beautiful story this is. I commend you on all of your hard work and your care for the student. You made a difference in her life and I know she will never forget you or what you did for her.
I loved your post, because I also work with that age group and primarily see the socioeconomic challenges in schools. Working in Early Childhood Education, this is often a course students get placed in when “nothing else would fit” or they are unsure what they want to do later. Many of my students are caregivers for siblings, grandparents, and parents. Your story is a reminder that even as high school student, they have a story! They go home to obstacles out of their control, and we are hear to gently lead them to stability. The sense of joy in seeing a child succeed is something that I am blessed to experience, and as a former at-risk youth who wanted someone to lift them up, it is wonderful to hear the praise you give.
We rail on cliches because they are, in fact, cliche, but they’re also rooted in just a little bit of truth. In this case, actions speak louder than words. And the likelihood is that people in the position of the student and her family likely haven’t been helped in the manner in which you took the time to help them. I believe, if nothing else, every person deserves the dignity of basic necessities. And taking your time to make sure this individual has the basics to be able to focus on excelling in another area is going to mean the world to her and her family. Kudos to you for taking the time, finding the resources, and directing the family to them. When it’s a struggle to live day to day, these moments can mean the world.
In working in golf course maintenance industry primarily, we run into a large Hispanic clientele looking to both gain entry, and progress in the golf course maintenance industry. In recent months our company, which is just 4 years old, has expanded to recruiting for high level positions at Country Clubs in Mexico. With that, it caused us to get a much larger percentage of our applications from Spanish-speaking individuals. I don’t speak Spanish and I run 90% of the job interviews our company conducts. My goal when I facilitate a job interview is to allow the candidate to present themselves in the best manner possible to give them the best opportunity possible to progress through the hiring process. And to do that, they need to be able to understand the questions I’m asking, and I need to be able to understand the answers they’re giving. I’ve tried to ease this concern for both myself and the candidate by either providing written copies of the questions I’ll be asking so they have something they can refer to, or I have had Spanish-speaking friends — with permission from the candidate — on the call with me so they can clarify or flat-out translate questions and answers. I think more than anything people just want to know that they’re being heard. If they’re not completely understanding you, and you’re not completely understanding them, the candidate is going to be nervous or frustrated leading to them not presenting themselves in the best possible manner.
It sounds like your company is doing well, despite the barriers of non-English speaking staff. I also do not speak Spanish so I can’t imagine how difficult your job can be. However, you have taken the right step to finding help in this situation. I wanted to share with you a couple of resources that may be of some help to you. Google offers a translate option that can translate by speech, meaning you can translate spoken words and phrases. Also, if your clientele need help learning the English language, there are programs out there to help them. I am not sure where you are located but in my area of Southwestern Pennsylvania we have Intermediate Units that partner with educational entities and many times they offer adult programs and ESL programs (English as a Second Language) for non-English speaking adults. In my experience, these programs are free of charge. Good luck in growing the company and thank you for what you are doing in providing people with employment opportunities despite their barriers.
It’s really great that you make it a big point to make sure that your candidates are heard. That is something that truly can make the biggest difference, and I’m sure that it especially makes a difference if they are brought on as an employee. I also don’t speak Spanish but thankfully I have a few co-workers that I can ask to help with translation. It sounds like this would make the interviewing process less nerve wracking for the individual, which probably also helps with the overall interview itself.
I have to give you props on having the courage to conduct interviews in a language that you are not fluent in. With the help of a friend/interpreter it still isn’t easy. You may want to consider reaching out to a company like Proprio telephonic interpretation, CyraCom or Avante Language Services where you could a live, freelance interpreter (I am recommending them, because I used to work for them). But that is great that you at lease try!
I primarily work with the program providers within the PA CareerLinks system in Lancaster County. It is a very rare day that I am interacting with clients receiving services other than to say hello. However, within the service providers there is a wide array of groups that I work and interact with on a daily basis. This includes multi-generational staff, a varying array of genders, gender identities, and disability or veteran status. Those carrying out our programs serve a great number of refugee and limited English speakers. Working directly with the staff that are carrying out our programs, it has been important to myself and our staff to set a standard of excellence in communication, validation, and cooperation- meeting people where they are. We work very hard to instill respect within our center, dismissing ‘who’ it is they work for, and instead what the mission is.
I enjoyed reading your post. I have in the past worked hand-in-hand with many programs offered through PA CareerLink and I agree with you in that they do work with a wide variety of gender and culture. In my experience, CareerLink has been top notch with providing whatever services are needed to meet the client’s needs. The staff seems to be highly trained within their program and I have never worked with a client/student that did not receive the help they needed from CareerLink. Keep on keeping on CareerLink. You are doing an excellent job in meeting the needs of today’s diverse world.
It sounds like even though you do not work directly with clients, you still encounter diverse groups of people on a daily basis. I agree that it is highly important to meet people where they are at. This shows them that you care and understand what their situation looks like, instead of just offering them blanket services. Communication is also imperative to any good working relationship.
A simple “hello” can make a remarkable difference to someone having a bad day, and it’s important not to downplay its significance. In the busy environment of PA CareerLinks, where we interact with a diverse range of staff and clients, this small gesture of kindness can offer a moment of warmth and connection. For individuals who may be facing challenges or feeling overwhelmed, a friendly greeting can provide a brief but meaningful respite. It acknowledges their presence and humanizes their experience, offering a bit of comfort and reassurance amidst their struggles. This simple act helps create a supportive and welcoming atmosphere, demonstrating that we care and are here to help.
I work at Careerlink in Philadelphia and we work with a wide variety of clients. Anybody is able to come to Careerlink and be enrolled to receive support and services. The majority of our clients are on some type of government assistance. Others may have been laid off and are in need of finding work again. I do not know the exact breakdown but our clients come from many different socioeconomic backgrounds and cultures and have all experienced an array of traumas. Our clients vary in age, race, sexual orientation, financial status and many other areas. Personally, I provide mental health support to clients. I will also help them with outside resources such as additional therapy, clothing for themselves and children, baby supplies, job fairs and many others.
I did not know that CareerLink also offered mental health support. Occasionally I have a student who expresses an interest in therapy, but it’s something that is typically on the back burner for them. Having a good mental state is especially important in the world of emergency medical services, so I always tell them that if they need to talk to someone about something, I would be more than happy to listen as that is not something I had access to when I was working in healthcare. I’ll definitely keep this information in my back pocket though!
I am so glad that all of the PA CareerLink Offices are offering mental health services and assistance with resources. Many of our clients have a desire to be successful and to achieve their goals but do not know how to eliminate their barriers. Focusing on career goals. removing barriers, and providing resources, while it can be a long (and let’s be honest, frustrating) journey, is really important to the success of our clients. I’ve been doing this work for over 23 years and again, while difficult, the resources we are now able to provide are so much better than they once were. Keep up all your hard and valuable work!!!
I was struck by how, despite our geographic differences, many of the clients we serve share similar stories of loss and struggle. This illustrates that hardship transcends race, religion, and gender, affecting people from all walks of life. Everyone can face moments when they need assistance, whether it’s financial, employment-related, or otherwise. On the other hand, it highlights that there are individuals who serve others with minimal financial gain, driven by a genuine desire to help. The true reward is witnessing those we support achieve success and transform their lives.
Coming from a rural county I am intrigued by those who work in urban areas and how they juggle the workload. I think it is wonderful that you provide mental health support as that is an important part of the work we do. As we encounter a client in need we often dip into our bag of tricks to come up with ideas and resources to provide help.
That is great program that you have, and it is also great that you have great communication with your students. I know a lot of people who feel like some programs are not welcoming and they feel like people do not genuinely care about them and its great that they have a teacher like you. This is a wonderful program that Congreso provides.
The mental health services are a great help to the CareerLink customers. I remember a time before these services were offered. It was difficult to impossible to engage the customers in required activities. Fortunately, changes were made and customers can obtain services and are able to move forward.
I work at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, which is a non-profit that has a large Latino/Hispanic client base – however we serve everyone. Specifically, I coordinate the EMT program, which in and of itself is a career field where you will deal with a variety of people. In healthcare, it doesn’t matter what your background is if you are a patient of mine. Everyone gets treated with respect and dignity, especially so during their worst moments. This goes for students/clients as well. They are coming to try and work towards something better, and everyone deserves a chance at that. I encourage everyone to be open and honest in class, and let them know that if they have any issues with life outside of class, that they can come and speak with me. As a lot of my students are relatively within the same age range as myself (30’s, though there have been students as young as 18) and that allows me to connect with them on a level that makes it easier to build a lasting, working relationship. I try to present myself as an open book, which means people are free to ask any types of questions, whether it’s about the medical field, or maybe something that I have experienced in my own life. I don’t run into a lot of language barriers, primarily because the program requires the ability to speak English, but when I do, I ask my co-workers who speak Spanish to help communicate. All EMT students also have to register with PA CareerLink, so if there’s questions regarding childcare, transpasses, etc. I’m able to direct them to their workforce advisor to help with those pain points. Once they’ve completed the course and have achieved their state/national credentials, I’m able to find them a well paying job, which can be a light at the end of the tunnel.
I love that you have an EMT Training Program. I have worked in and around Philadelphia with a lot of Job Search and Job Training programs and I think an EMT Program is one of the best I’ve learned about. I really feel like it is an opportunity to learn a trade that has multiple transferrable skills and allows client to have options. Just the healthcare knowledge itself is a huge bonus! I admire your dedication to your clients. It sounds like we do a lot of similar work and work with similar populations that require our strength and our dedication to their success.
I was excited to learn about this EMT program when we were in person a couple weeks ago and reading about it again landed me on your website to learn more about Congresso de Latinos Unidos. I am really impressed with the services your organization provides. EMTs are so critical to our healthcare systems and the care of community members. It’s many patients first line of treatment. It’s often a scary time when an ambulance arrives. In college, I had a roommate from Ecuador. She had an allergic reaction to a bee sting and needed emergency help. She had never been to an emergency room and let alone in a different country. There was one nurse at the local hospital that spoke Spanish. This nurse helped to calm my friend’s fear just by being able to communicate in her native language.
I work within a PA CareerLink but I run the EARN Program. Our clients have to be referred to our program from the County Assistance Office which means they are receiving some form of State benefits/Public Assistance and are required to attend a Job Readiness/Job Search Program so they can remove barriers to employment, train if needed, and gain employment that leads to self-sufficiency so they no longer need to rely on Public Assistance. Most of our clients are living below the poverty line, come from many ethnic backgrounds, race, and religion. We also have a lot of Refugee clients specifically of Ukrainian/Russian and Haitian Creole descent. Our clients enter our program with a lot of barriers. They range from lack of transportation, lack of childcare, low education levels, Criminal Backgrounds, and physical/mental health issues. Our main goal is to identify the barriers that are keeping the client from getting/maintaining long term employment. We are lucky enough to have several resources available to us through the County Assistance Office, PA CareerLink, Montgomery County, and partner organizations. We also employ a Behavioral Health Advocate or Licensed Family Counselor that meets with all of our clients to offer their services and to work on a regular basis with clients that have intense barriers. We are able to assist clients with transportation, childcare, career wardrobe options, life skill training, career training, computer training, ESL/GED classes, job readiness, and job search assistance. We also continue to support them through one year of employment. One of our biggest barriers though can sometimes be the client’s themselves. Sometimes they have been through so many programs and have had so many failures they lack confidence. Others are comfortable with their way of life and do not want to make changes. It is our job to remove all barriers, give them encouragement, be true to helping them, and supporting them until they succeed.
As I scrolled through the post yours was the first one I was interested in. It is interesting to hear the thoughts and opinions from someone who leads a program that you work for. Looking at your list of providers makes it sound hopeful for anyone who attends but understanding the biggest barrier is the thoughts, confidence and previous discouragement from failures can be one of our biggest hurdles is completely factual. As an instructor I see the need for more workshops that address these areas for some EARN participants.
Thank you for sharing!
As a former EARN caseworker, I found the statement “One of our biggest barriers though can sometimes be the client’s themselves” to resonate deeply with me. In my experience, this can often be the most challenging obstacle to overcome. Clients may struggle with internal barriers such as self-doubt, resistance to change, or past traumas, which can hinder their progress despite the resources and support available. Addressing these internal struggles requires a nuanced approach, combining empathy, motivation, and targeted interventions to help clients overcome their limitations and move toward success
Thank you for sharing about EARN. I would love to know more about the requirements and eligibility for co-enrolling students from Title 2 adult ed programs (GED/HSE, ESL, IET, IELCE, Family Lit, etc.) and CareerLink services for therapy with a Behavioral Health Advocate or Licensed Family Counselor. It seems there is a huge missing piece in adult education. There are no certified counseling services or employees certified to help with trauma-informed care. What is the referral process to get access to the counselors and how can we build stronger partnerships?
I work at the Pennsylvania Homecare Association (PHA) as their Director of Workforce Development. I just completed 90 days with the Association so I haven’t had a chance to fully engage with our members just yet. Our members are home care, home health and hospice agencies throughout Pennsylvania. We represent over 700 companies from small mom and pop agencies to publicly traded agencies. We work with urban, rural and suburban areas. I will have the opportunity to engage with not only the business owners and leaders but I will also be working with the front line staff developing training and career pathways. Presently, I’m working on developing training vignettes for de-escalation techniques for our front line staff. We are planning to have these translated into other languages so that we can start to have a resource library that is more inclusive to our workforce. I am also working with a LMS start up company that will be providing a AI gamified approach to Caregiver learning for individuals whose primary language is Spanish and are looking to learn English and work in the Home Care field.
Prior to my work with PHA, I worked at a large hospital system with in PA. I was their Senior Nursing Recruiter. One of my priorities was helping to coordinate our International Nurse Traveler program a couple years ago. I worked with Translator Services to provide us real time translation in the form of subtitles during virtual interviews for both our hiring managers as well as our interviewees. All of our interviewees could speak English but we found there were some words that were not translating well which is when we added subtitles. Once this occured, we found communication and the interviews went much smoother for both parties.
Congratulations on your venture! Healthcare is a very big request at CareerLink Northwest, from HHA to RN. Providing a service that can provide employment on some many different levels is a path to success for many families of different backgrounds. It sounds like you background has afforded you the opportunity to provide a needed service to providers and homes that require more than English as a first language. Your background makes you a great candidate for this role.
Thank for sharing!
Hello, my name is Alexis Vang. I enjoyed reading about your aspirations and current work. As an English Pronunciation Tutor for Korean nurses transitioning to the US, I find your work very intriguing. I am curious to know what the game you are developing will look like once it is completed. There is a lack of healthcare providers in this country, and I would love to see a more diverse population of providers in the healthcare community. Often times, HHA and direct care work is the door that leads our English Language Learner populations into other career paths in the healthcare industry. Please keep me posted on your progress. I would love to hear more about how your app will be implemented! My email is amv6178@psu.edu.
I work as a Workforce Counselor at PA CareerLink. On a Daily, I serve those that are from all different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, cultures and socioeconomic statuses. There are no restrictions for those that come to CareerLink for support or resources. Majority of the customers we serve are receiving government assistance. As a workforce counselor I do provide individuals with essential resources and services to overcome current challenges or barriers. The resources we provide consist of children’s clothing, diapers, mental health resources (Therapy or outside services), career assessments and more depending on their current circumstances.
I work with the Employment Advance Retention Network (EARN) as an instructor. The population we service is primarily individuals with children seeking to find or advance their current employment situation. This population is primarily women with children stemming from different levels of education, experience and skills but sometimes lack the supports and resource needed to sustain their household.
Because applying and interviewing for jobs is not something we do every day, we spend a lot of time discussing careers vs. jobs to look at how you view your employment journey. Understanding who you are through, discussions of life experiences, activities, personal and professional experiences and taking several different assessments offered by CareerLink and the PHL Portal to assist with building a career path.
I like to use different websites because we do a lot of online workshops about resumes and interviewing skills. I feel it helps the participants become more efficient with using the internet, if they are not familiar with using it and it is very relatable for those who are already comfortable with it. We use it to p find key words from employer websites and job descriptions that participants are interested in to communicate on resumes, cover letters and interviews your experience, strengths and weaknesses and other information needed for their career search.
I find it important to tap into as many resources to support the curriculum topics that we are asked to instruct so I try to stay on top of the different employers, trainings, education and resources that our agency has connection with and provide contact information so the participants can be connected as-well.
When I initially think about the group of people that I work with, there is a broad spectrum for the entire program. I work as a Project Manager for individuals interested in Early Childhood Education and providing educational pathways and free degrees. Our program is registered in Pennsylvania and covers individuals from high school to adulthood. The organization has worked with 9th-grade students just going into a child care center for the first time since being a child, and adult students going back to college at 55+. Although, breaking this down further, the program does have high school aged and adult aged students in different sections of the program, I primarily manage the day-to-day activities with the students aged 15-18. The Pre-Apprenticeship Program is designed to support individuals completing the Child Development Associate Credential (CDA), a base certificate in child care resulting in a better wage and kick-start on an AA and BA in Early Childhood (which is our adult program). When I look at my high school demographic, I am working with students in low-income communities with limited access to college pathways due to affordability, we provide free college credits, transportation assistance, and work placements for those interested. Often my students are the first in their family to attend college or consider attending college. For many, this is their only opportunity to afford a college pathway, as our adult program pays for the majority of tuition and provides assistance with textbooks, tutoring, and transportation assistance. Additionally, my high school students come from rural areas, where online college credits and seeking job opportunities locally is very hard but important, their access to education and resources is increased with the modality of the free college credits and the assistance in building a relationship and experience with local child care providers in the student hometown and leading to further employment locally and beyond, we like to use “grow your own”. The students served by the ECE programs are traditionally female, however I have happily welcomed a few male students in the last year! Beginning the college experience or obtaining a certificate in high school can intimidating, especially when the students do not have a parent who has navigated the higher education system, but our program provides multiple mentors, and opportunities for continuous support.
I did not know that a program like yours existed. I believe in the importance of preparing for the future. Your program is addressing an area with a great need. And, the idea of continuous support and mentorship is phenomenal.
Although my area is not known for its diverse population, our office does see a number of individuals newly relocated to our area from New York and New Jersey. These individuals may or may not have ethnic or cultural differences based on race or creed, but they often have a different mindset when adjusting to their new environment.
These individuals generally need local labor market information, career and training guidance, as well as job search assistance provided by our office. We also may make referrals to social service agencies.
Additionally, we serve justice involved adults and youth. These individuals require more staff time and typically need to work twice as hard complete a training program, and/or gain and retain employment.
While we can help to meet some of their dynamic needs, referrals are necessary to address their other needs, such as, housing, medical/mental health, counseling, drug/alcohol and other social service agencies. Their needs are identified while meeting with a career Counselor and during the development of an IEP.
The idea of developing a retention plan is something I hadn’t considered before. Incorporating topics like, preparing for triggers, dealing with authority figures, employer/ employee relationships and basic social skills, during participation can improve program and employment retention. Additionally, these elements can be built into our participant service agreement.
One of the posts that really stands out to me is the comments from the EARN instructor. My office also operates the EARN program. For those that don’t know, EARN participants are for the most part ‘required’ to participate and often come with multiple ‘barriers’ to address. I love that you talk to your clients about careers and their journey, not just jobs. So often we jump to the quick fix without developing a full career plan. In your comments, I hear a willingness to listen and guide without judgment. Kudos!
I primarily work with adults from diverse backgrounds, including those who are unemployed, underemployed, living below the poverty line (TANF recipients), in recovery, or recently reintegrating into society after incarceration in Carbon County, PA, where over 95% of the population is White. These individuals come from middle to lower-income households, with an average income of around $57,000. However, some individuals I work with come from cities like NYC, Allentown, and Philadelphia and bring diverse backgrounds.
Manufacturing is the primary industry in Carbon County, but recent economic shifts, including the decline of the coal industry, have led to job losses and financial instability, increasing the need for additional support. Both local residents and newcomers from various cities face similar challenges, including adjusting to economic changes, navigating local systems, and dealing with common obstacles such as inadequate childcare, transportation issues, insufficient training, and complex family dynamics.
To support these individuals, I rely on a broad range of key resources to address their needs:
• Barrier Remediation Services:
Childcare Assistance: I connect individuals to flexible childcare services, like Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC) for subsidies and local programs such as The Shine Program for after-school care and special needs support.
Family Support: I connect single parents, grandparent-headed households, and other families to resources such as parenting programs, housing assistance, food security services, and financial literacy courses. Additionally, I provide access to counseling and support groups offered by local family centers.
Transportation Assistance: With limited public transit in Carbon County, I help individuals access rideshare programs, transportation vouchers, and vehicle repair assistance from community organizations.
• Workforce Development and Skills Training: Workforce development programs, including those supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), provide essential job training, career counseling, and placement services for the adults I serve, including those who are unemployed, underemployed, living below the poverty line, in recovery, or recently reintegrating into society after incarceration. These programs help individuals gain new skills and secure employment, with the EARN program offering specialized support for those receiving TANF benefits.
Partnerships with community colleges and technical schools facilitate vocational training for high-demand careers such as CNA, LPN, CDL-A, HVAC, welding, and IT. Additionally, GED preparation classes are available to help individuals complete their high school education, ensuring they are well-prepared to compete in the job market and achieve long-term self-sufficiency.
• Financial Literacy and Counseling: Many individuals I work with face financial instability and lack basic financial management skills. I utilize financial literacy programs that teach budgeting, debt management, and credit repair.
• Housing and Utility Assistance: Safe, stable housing is a critical need for many low-income individuals. I help connect families to the Carbon County Housing Authority, Carbon County Action Committee, and other low-income housing properties in the county. Additionally, I refer individuals to programs like ERAP (Emergency Rental Assistance Program) for rent assistance and, LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program), which assists with utility bills during harsh winters.
• Mental Health and Social Services: Many of the individuals I work with face challenges related to mental health, substance abuse, or domestic violence. To address these issues, I connect them to local mental health clinics, addiction recovery programs, and domestic violence shelters. Access to these services ensures that individuals receive comprehensive care and support in stabilizing their lives.
By utilizing various resources, I can assist individuals in overcoming multiple barriers to employment, attaining greater self-sufficiency, and rebuilding their lives. These services are crucial in providing the necessary tools and support for individuals to regain financial independence and stability for their families.
I work at PA CareerLink Philadelphia Northwest. The customers I work with receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and/or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicaid. The TANF program provides money to help: Pregnant women, dependent children and their parents who live with them, and children and other relatives who live with them and care for them. (www.pa.gov) Statistically, in Pennsylvania, racially, one-third of the households is Black, one-third white, 28% Latino, and 2% other. However, the customer base is diverse in many other ways.
Approximately two years ago, Haitians with refugee statis came to CareerLink. They became English language learners through a partnership with Temple University who provides ESL classes. Services are also provided to disabled customers. In addition to making referrals to the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), there is a partnership with the Philly WINS pilot program. Customers who have challenges whether mental, physical, or emotional health and disabilities are assisted in finding meaningful full-time employment with appropriate accommodations.
People from different backgrounds come to CareerLink. A lot of the time desperation, trauma, abuse, bills, lack of food, homelessness or other reasons drive people to CareerLink for employment assistance. Though the goal is to assist people in obtaining employment, there are barriers and needs that need to be addressed before a person can accept and commit to employment. Fortunately, CareerLink has Resource Staff Members that can assist customers. We offer workforce counseling, information referral and linkage services.
It’s inspiring to hear about the important work being done at PA CareerLink Philadelphia Northwest. The role of the ESL program, especially in partnership with Temple University, is crucial for helping individuals like the Haitian refugees integrate into the workforce and gain the skills needed to thrive. Language barriers can significantly hinder access to employment opportunities, so providing English language support not only empowers these clients but also fosters a more inclusive community. The diverse backgrounds of your customers highlight the varying challenges they face, including trauma and socioeconomic hardships. Addressing these barriers is essential for creating a pathway to meaningful employment. It’s heartening to know that CareerLink has dedicated Resource Staff Members who provide comprehensive support through workforce counseling and referral services, ensuring that clients have the assistance they need to overcome obstacles on their journey to self-sufficiency. Your commitment to serving such a diverse population is commendable and makes a real difference in the lives of those you assist.
I work with adults and youth in a rural area with limited access to resources. People come to our agency looking for assistance with finding a job, resume assistance, seeking training and needing help with unemployment. Many of my clients have barriers whether it is a disability, low income or loss of employment the goal is to assist with their needs. Our community is diverse in LGBTQ, 82% white and unique in the sense of not having resources that one would expect. We are a county without a hospital and we have a satellite college with limited opportunities for education. Generally people looking for training opportunities will be referred to online training or providers of training outside our county or outside our state as we border NY and NJ. This often results in transportation issues. The same applies to those seeking work, often the salary in our community is much lower than our surrounding area of NY and NJ which brings up the complication of commuting. Our staff works hard to learn the ropes of unemployment and keeping tabs on employment opportunities. Hospitality is our largest realm of employment along with school districts and government work.
Connecting with other resources within our county and also surrounding areas is essential to assist our clients. Having an understanding of our veterans affairs office, OVR office, area aging, re-entry program and victims services is important for us so that we can refer people if needed to services in different agencies. Becoming knowledgeable of what resources are around us can benefit the people we interact with.
This is an issue I see in a lot of 21st Century Community Learning Center programs located in the rural areas across the US. I remember speaking with on program from Wyoming about forming nontraditional partnerships to get resources and funding they need to address issues like transportation and staffing. They were able to partner with a funeral home to receive in-kind contributions to support programming but also supported some form of career exploration for their youth.
In my current role, I oversee capacity-building support of organizations and businesses serving thousands of youth across Philadelphia. Our team supports around 90 youth workforce providers who collectively support over 8000 youth during the summer and around 2000 throughout the school year. We provide resources, including professional development for leadership, frontline staff, and employers, to equip them to support youth 12 to 24 during programming and implement high-quality program practices with fidelity. Many providers and employers we support are from various backgrounds and have different experiences. Some have spent decades in education, and others have spent time learning from their life experiences and discovering how individuals from their community can be successful and would like to pay it forward. This year, there was a special priority area in ensuring programs are inclusive and responsive to the unique needs of underserved youth, including youth with disabilities, those in foster care, those experiencing homelessness, and those involved in the juvenile justice system. Each of these groups faces distinct barriers to workforce participation, and my team tries their best to provide support and resources to help providers and employers help youth overcome challenges. Still, ensuring our resources reach those who need them has been difficult.
As we develop a better outreach plan and understand the needs of providers, employers, and youth, we tap into already existing resources to provide a universal level of support until we get a better sense of what is specifically needed. We’ve created tools and templates that support program design and delivery, such as how to foster a supporting and inclusive environment, instructional strategies for multilingual learners, tools that support the exploration of alternative career pathways, as well as guides and templates for employers to use that will help them assign developmentally appropriate job tasks. We like to tap into vetted resources provided by DOL, DOE, and several research institutes, such as the Institute of Restorative Practices and the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). We’ve also collaborated with local community figures to get a better sense of the special populations andand provide different perspectives from which providers and employers can learn. We are always looking for resources and partnerships to support the youth workforce initiative.
Hi Speck,
Your role in overseeing capacity-building support for youth workforce providers in Philadelphia is impactful.
I like the emphasis on inclusivity and responsiveness to underserved youth, including those with disabilities and those in foster care or the juvenile justice system. These groups often encounter barriers to gaining employment and equipping them with the necessary tools and resources is crucial.
It’s essential to create a space where all youth feel empowered to explore career pathways that interest them. You have successfully developed tools and templates to foster supportive environments and instructional strategies for multilingual learners.
Actively seeking out existing resources from organizations like DOL and DOE enhances the support you provide and strengthens connections within the community.
As a suggestion as you refine your outreach plan, it might be helpful to gather direct feedback from the youth themselves, as they can offer valuable insights into their needs and preferences.
Thank you
Great suggestion! We are currently creating a plan to elevate youth voice in the system and discuss ways we can implement their feedback.
As an Employment Coordinator at a non-profit agency supporting youth ages 18-24, I work with several key groups that play a crucial role in our organization’s mission to provide professional development and employment assistance in the healthcare industry.
Groups I Work With:
1. Youth Participants: seeking to enter the healthcare workforce. Many come from various socio-economic backgrounds, including underserved communities, and face barriers. We support their individual career goals with gaining employment in clinical positions.
2. Healthcare Employers: We partner with local hospitals, clinics, and healthcare organizations that are looking for entry-level candidates.
3. Educators and Trainers: Collaborating with professionals who provide training in healthcare-related fields such as industry experts who offer insights into the skills needed for various roles in healthcare. Their backgrounds include both practical experience in the field and educational knowledge.
4. Support Services Providers: I work closely with social workers who help our youth navigate challenges such as housing, transportation, and mental health. They come from backgrounds in social services.
Key Resources Utilized:
– Professional Development Curriculum: We offer classes focused on resume writing, interview skills, and workplace etiquette.
– Job Placement Platforms: Utilizing online job boards and databases specific to healthcare careers to connect our youth with job opportunities. We also attend networking events and job fairs for direct interactions with employers.
-Partnerships with Local Healthcare Organizations: Building relationships with employers to stay informed about workforce needs and create pathways for our youth to gain internships and job placements.
– Community Resources: Collaborating with local non-profits and other agencies that provides additional support services.
We work with the same population! It is awesome to read the services that your program is able to provide for the youth that you serve. I also experience individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds and this where, I would say we provide the most support in connecting to resources and ensuring that have their barriers met so that they can complete either their GED or training program. Our program is also able to offer Uber services to make sure that we can get our youth were they need to go if transportation is one of those barriers.
At PA CareerLink Suburban Station, our mission is to empower individuals from diverse backgrounds, focusing primarily on the unemployed and underemployed. We engage with a broad spectrum of people, including those receiving government benefits and various immigrant populations seeking better opportunities. Many of our clients are actively seeking jobs after extended periods without work, while others are underemployed, working part-time or in jobs that do not utilize their full skill set. Additionally, we serve many clients who rely on government assistance programs, helping them transition into stable, self-sufficient employment. A significant portion of our clientele comes from various cultural backgrounds, often facing language barriers and unique labor market challenges. To support them, we offer free or subsidized training programs to enhance skills and increase employability, along with assistance for transportation to job interviews and training sessions. We also provide childcare support for clients with children, allowing them to focus on job search and training. Our career counselors are available to offer personalized guidance, helping clients set goals and develop action plans. By leveraging these resources, we aim to foster a supportive environment that enables all individuals to secure meaningful employment and achieve economic stability.
The diverse backgrounds of the individuals we serve in our CDL program, primarily consist of African Americans and Latinos, alongside a smaller percentage of Caucasian men and women. Many participants are Ex-felons seeking to turn their lives around, while others are motivated by the desire to secure a better future for themselves and their families. Our program is dedicated to supporting these individuals through their journey, providing not only training and employment opportunities but also ongoing assistance to ensure their success. We are committed to fostering a caring environment that empowers them to achieve their goals and build a brighter future.
Awesome! it sounds like the clients are getting what they need and want. There are so many ex-offenders who have a hard time obtaining services. Though promised by many agencies, the assistance is not provided. Kudos!
Thank you for sharing your insights about the diverse backgrounds of the individuals in our CDL programs. It’s inspiring to see how we are dedicated to supporting ex-offenders and others seeking a better future for themselves and their families. Our commitment to providing not only training and employment opportunities but also ongoing assistance demonstrates a holistic approach to empowerment. Creating a caring environment is crucial for helping participants navigate their unique challenges, and it feels good to know that we are creating a space where they can achieve their goals and build a brighter future.
1. I work for Penn State University in the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy as a Workforce Development Specialist in the Workforce Development System Liaison (WDSL) project, one of seven professional development system (PDS ) projects for all Title 2 adult education programs. The WDSL project focuses on supporting adult education practitioners with working collaboratively with workforce partners in their local area. We also provide customized technical assistance and facilitate professional development training courses to adult ed programs and organizations. In my role, I work primarily with Student Support Coordinators (SSCs/counselors) across the Commonwealth of PA virtually and in-person. There are 37 agencies total plus all additional subcontractors. The backgrounds of the SSCs range from the urban, suburban, and rural parts of Pennsylvania. These SSCs may be part-time, full-time, and may also hold other varying roles at their organization. There is a high turnover, so not too many SSCs have been in their roles for an extended period of time making the quality of services a challenge to our adult learners. That leads our projects to complete outreach to ensure programs are receiving the support, training, and resources needed to meet the needs of their demographics. With my SSCs, I typically use the PA 211 website for local resources, ELRC or Start Strong PA for child care, world education services for foreign credentials, and the immigrant welcome center site for immigrant resources based on zip codes. Our project not only identifies resources, we meet with our clients to walk them through how to use the resource or how to implement strategies with their learners to effectively provide student support.
In our CDL-B program at Congreso, we primarily work with individuals who are either single parents receiving food stamps or ex-offenders, with 90% of our students falling into the latter category. Supporting ex-offenders comes with unique challenges, including societal stigma and discrimination that complicate their reintegration into the community. Many of these individuals face limited skills or education, which hinder their job prospects. We’ve observed that both our ex-offender clients and single-parent clients often struggle with legal and financial barriers, lack of support systems, and issues of motivation and trust. This can lead some to attempt to manage their problems independently, resulting in absences and, unfortunately, dropouts from the program.
To address these challenges, we strive to connect our clients with the extensive resources and programs offered at Congreso. These resources are organized into categories such as Education, Employment & Training, Health & Safety, Housing, and Family & Parenting. Additionally, we can provide funding for any emergency situations that arise, further supporting our clients in their journey toward stability and success.
I really enjoyed reading your post. I also work with quite a few participants who were justice involved, and you hit the nail on the head with the type of additional barriers they face, and how these can lead to them dropping out of the program. I like your post because it highlights the negative outcome if we’re not aware of the barriers or situations they face, which is why it’s some important to be aware of these things. I’ve always struggled with knowing that there are lack of support systems, and wanting to fill in the support that is lacking. I’ve had to remember though that there’s any so much I can do as one person.
For my program we server 16- 24-year-olds in the Bucks County and Philadelphia County, if we are the Career Link closest to them and provide GED and workforce support services. The backgrounds of these individuals vary greatly. We have participants who are parents with one or multiple children, participants who are previous offenders, participants who are experiencing homelessness, and or participants who experience mental health concerns. Our participants are all different races and ethnicities and are from different cultures. Recently we have had quite a few participants immigrate here recently and are looking to obtain their GED. The major factor that our participants experience is being low-income and benefit greatly from outside community resources. As the case manager for these participants, I connect them to housing services, Bucks County Housing Link or food pantries, an extensive list can be found on Bucks County Opportunity Council’s website, as well as seasonal services for example resources that may supply a Thanksgiving meal or help with providing Christmas gifts.
I work at the PA CareerLink, serving WIOA Title 1 Adult & Dislocated Worker programs. Our program offers support to adults, starting at the age of 18. I personally have participants on my case load ranging from 18 years old to 74 years old. While participants are not required to disclose any religious/cultural beliefs for enrollment in our program, many participant have disclosed to me in conversation their backgrounds. I’ve worked with participants who are Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, or those who define themselves as spiritual. I’ve worked with participants who are vegan, vegetarian, peskitarian. (You might be thinking it’s odd I bring up the dietary habits, but I’ve come to find people use these as a guiding point in their careers sometimes. As an example, I have worked with a jobseeker who was vegan, and therefore wouldn’t work at a meat packaging warehouse. This is understandable of course, but it’s more than the ‘obvious’ jobs. I worked with a job seeker who identified as vegan, and they didn’t feel comfortable working at a retail store, because she’d have to ring up purchases of meat that people would buy, which goes against her beliefs. So I like to note these dietary habits as I do find it an important part of someone’s background to keep in mind with my specific role).
Part of my role is known as the priority of service career coach, meaning I specifically work with populations who face extreme barriers to employment. Some examples of these barriers that I’ve worked with before include mental disabilities, physical disabilities, those recovering from domestic violence situations, justice impacted individuals, and veterans. Some resources I use would be local organizations that specialize in these. In the same building I work in, we have our Veteran’s affairs office. So when I first meet a veteran, I will refer them to their office as well for some additional support. I don’t know if this counts as a resource, but I also use the job seeker as a resource: A lot of times, I’m experiencing situations and learning about backgrounds that I haven’t become extremely familiar about. However, each time I encounter a situation that is new to me, I use that as an opportunity to learn as much as I can. Then I use that experience to better assist participants in the same scenario in the future. I also rely on my coworker to teach me from experiences they’ve had. For example, I’ve had some of my participants identify as being a part of the LGBTQIA+, and I’ve had coworkers help inform me of different aspects relating to the LGBTQIA+ community. I already had a base knowledge, but I also always want to be respectful with someone. So relying on my coworkers has been a great resource to help me learn more about being respectful when working with a participant who identifies as either gay, lesbian, trans, and so on.
The major groups that we serve in our office (PA CareerLink- North Philadelphia Office) are new immigrants (mostly from Dominican Republic, Haiti, Ukraine and Central and South America), those on Public Assistance and ReEntry populations. About a majority of our clientele live in and around the area of North Philadelphia that we service, and is they immigrated here they tend to come from the Caribbean. We service clients as young as 18 through their 70s. In terms of education, a majority of our clients have either a GED or High School diploma, with a large portion of our clientele that are Limited English Speakers or speak English as their 2nd language. Some of the resources that we have to service the needs of our career seekers are bilingual GED classes, ESL classes and bilingual forms, applications and staff as well as employers who are willing to work with our clients whose first language isn’t English.