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.
Growing up, my Mum instilled in me to treat everyone with kindness and respect no matter what color they are, what church they go to or not go to church, whether they are different from me and where they come from, where they live. Now days our words have changed, but her words resonated with me in my case management job. Working 30 years, I have continued my Mum;s teaching to me.
I work with various groups of people who later could become a participant of Southwest Training Services, Inc. The participants that I work with can have different barriers to achieve their goals. I show them that I have great communication, listening, problem solving empathy and respect, just like my Mum taught me when I was growing up.
A young woman walked into our careerlink who use to live in Haiti. She had broken- english and I found out that listening to her was difficult for me. She was interested in the medical field and wanted to go to school for LPN. We talked and she told me stories and taught me a lot about her culture. I suggested that if she would like to learn more about the english, language, we have remedial classes that would help her. She agreed that she would like to do that. I set her up with the remediation instructor, and she attended class until her LPN training started. She told me that indeed these classes helped her with her learning more about the english language. She did attend LPN school, completed and obtained employment at a medical facility.
She keeps in contact with me, just to say hi and thank you.
I feel like I built a caring, trustworthy relationship with her, as I still lead with the values that my Mum taught me.
Sounds like your mom really instilled the importance of listening and valuing people. First is to listen to what the client is looking to complete career wise in their life is essential in being able to communicate by explaining the process so that they understand what their role is in making it happen. Building a professional relationship that the client can trust is crucial.
I agree with you that it is crucial to take the time to listen and to ask relevant questions that allow you to better understand a client’s background and their overall needs. I am sure that with your years of experience in the field, the inquiry part is very natural and productive for you. I, like you, are very thankful and appreciative of the lessons and beliefs that our parents have instilled in us. Thank you for your post.
Prior to working at Job Training I worked with students with disabilities working with local businesses to provide students the opportunity to learn work skills in a real work atmosphere. I also had the opportunity to work with inmates assisting them with writing resumes, interview skills, job search etc. Some which have misdemeanors, felonies and crimes ranging from drug , property, violent and sex offenders.
When I work the CRC I work with a wide range of diverse people. Some young, some older, with a variety of backgrounds. I assisted one person that would fit under traditional assisting them because the person was just laid off and had little to no computer experience. My case load consists of some re-entry clients, and OSY clients that are either looking for On the Job Training, Paid work experience, searching for jobs, to training. I do know that when reaching out to my clients that fall in the Gen Z category most prefer to text instead of phone or in-person. Listening to what their needs are really assists in finding what resources would work best for them.
Thank you for your post. I, like you, have found that you never know who is going to walk through your door, but you better be prepared to provide the best assistance and support to that individual. Being aware of diverse backgrounds and how to appropriately engage these individuals, allows us to best meet their immediate needs, and hopefully their longer-term needs. Through a sincere understanding and appreciation of an individual’s background, it allows us to become more relatable to that person and helps to build respect and trust between you and the individual.
Heather,
I think it is great that you alter your services to each population you serve, like texting Gen Z clients. I think learning each populations communication style makes them feel more comfortable and might make it easier to reach them. I completely understand the CRC range of diverse people. We never know who will be coming through the door and what they might need help with. It can be difficult working with someone who has no compute experience, but in the end, very rewarding when they are able to complete the task they came in for!
I work with individuals who face economic barriers and are seeking opportunities to gain skills through an on-the-job training program. The program is focused on individuals who are economically disadvantaged, which can include a variety of people, such as those receiving food stamps, unemployment compensation, or those who meet the criteria associated with our out-of-school youth program that involves individuals aged 16 through 24 years old.
Our program goals include skills training that focuses on training that equips individuals with skills that will help them secure stable employment. This might include technical training, workplace soft skills, or industry-specific knowledge. A second component involves work experience that allows participants to gain hands-on experience in a real-world work environment, which increases their employability. Finally, we provide supportive services that offer additional support services such as mentorship, resume writing, interview preparation, and monetary assistance for purchasing clothing, shoes or other work-related necessities to help ensure participants’ success.
Other resources that we provide our participants include workshops to help improve soft skills such as communication, time management and professionalism. To conclude, our on-the-job training participants are expected to be employed by the organization at the end of their training. Follow up counseling is afforded to these individuals for a one-year period. If something would adversely impact the individual either during or after the on-the-job training, I assist these individuals with further job searchers and the necessary mentoring to help them secure employment.
Soft Skills is something that we hear a lot about from employers in the area and usually never hear from the Job Seeker. I think it’s great that we offer such resources to help the public become more proficient with their soft skills as this has more recently become such an important skill for employees to possess across a number of different careers.
I agree with hmonaghan and hmondak, we do work with various types of people within our scope of our job. You never know who will walk in the door and what their needs are. We as professionals are here for them. With our training and experience, we do our best to see them through to their end goals. We provide them with various workshops, referring to other agencies, or even going back to school to make them more marketable in the workforce.
We take them under our wings and let them “Fly” down the road.
After they fly, we smile…..
Agree, Randi! Without the support of outside agencies and businesses, services would be difficult to provide. Young people can learn work ethic and skills from employers that are willing to provide a meaningful work experience. Parent support can also be very challenging. Parents are very busy with their own employment, scheduling activities for their other children, dinner, etc. We have to remember that they are doing their very best and sometimes we have to be flexible to meet their needs.
While working in the Youth department, I work closely with youth ages 14-24 form various backgrounds. We work with youth with disabilities and youth with criminal backgrounds. While working with youth, we are also dealing with the schools, their parents and sometimes P.O.s. Coordinating plans with everyone can be quite challenging sometimes.
JTBC utilizes local schools, business and organizations to provide services as need for each youth. Without partnering with these other entities, the program and services would be difficult to provide. Without business willing to be worksites for our youth clients, we would not be able to provide safe places for our clients to develop work readiness skills. Without the schools, we would not have referrals and then relevant information to help our clients individually. Without the other service providers assisting, we may fall short of providing services to fulfill the needs of the clients.
I couldn’t agree more, Randi. We rely on our partnerships to make the magic happen. Without those partnerships, there would be very little that we could offer to our youth clients.
I agree that businesses do play a vital role in career development. Hands on experience is such a better opportunity for an individual than sitting in a classroom. Especially when you are working with individuals that are from various backgrounds. It gives everyone a chance to have the same opportunity–levels the playing field.
While working out front in our lobby and in the Career Resource Center, I come into contact with many diverse populations who usually all have one thing in common. They usually are all here to receive a service or assistance in relation to job searching. Some of the populations I have assisted include people with disabilities, veterans, ESL clients, people who are experiencing homelessness, refugees, those from all generations, and reentrants. While working in the CRC, I have learned that assisting each group sometimes requires different skill sets or presenting them with different information or presenting it to them in a different way. For instance, those with disabilities, will sometimes need to communicate in different ways. We have specific tools for visually or hearing impaired individuals. When we have a Veteran come in, we have them fill out a form to see if they are eligible to meet with our DVOP. This is beneficial to the individual because they are sometimes eligible for more services than they are aware of. When we have ESL clients, we are able to connect them with an interpreter through Propio. Those of all generations connect with technology very differently. Those older than Gen X sometimes find the computers to be intimidating unlike Gen Z users for example. We sometimes have to show the individual how to use the computer first before they job search or file for Unemployment. My favorite population to work with is reentrants. I think it takes a lot to get back into society after being incarcerated and I find it very rewarding when providing these individuals with job leads, etc. We hold a Reentry summit every year where we provide reentrants with driver’s license restoration information, expungement info, pardon info, community resource info, job search assistance, lunch, and much more. At the end of the day, this group is extremely grateful for everyone’s time and they believe this event is very beneficial to them. To conclude, each group we come in contact with might need resources presented to them in different ways or forms. It is our job to be able to identify what resources they need and how we can best deliver them.
The reentry summit is such a great opportunity to provide information to those transitioning back info the workforce that otherwise they may have not known about. Going over the how to’s and daily life skills that will be required of them when transitioning back can be so insightful. We also have to take into consideration what type of charges they have or fines they have to pay when job searching as that can play a big factor into finding certain types of employment.
Absolutely!! It does take time to learn how to work with all the different types of people that come into our offices. I feel that we are given plenty of resources to help each person in the way they need. We have been very creative in finding ways to assist and help people understand our services.
As a Job Developer with the EARN program, I also experience the need for working closely with the clients and helping with eliminating barriers. This is best reflected when employer contacts are made on their behalf and/or job descriptions and requirements are reviewed. Employers have certain expectations that have to be met before any prospective candidate is considered for employment.
In my role with the EARN program, I work with clients from diverse backgrounds who face a range of barriers and have varying financial needs. The primary goal of the program is to help individuals overcome these challenges and connect them with the resources and support they need to move toward employment. This aligns with my commitment to helping people from all walks of life. My journey began in education, where I worked with students with disabilities, and has evolved into workforce development. Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to providing tailored resources and solutions that meet each client’s unique circumstances, helping them break down barriers and move forward in their professional lives.
We frequently collaborate with a variety of local organizations and programs to ensure clients have access to comprehensive support. This includes the Early Learning Resource Center, programs offering clothing assistance, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, the CAO, BCTA, EAP counseling services, and many others that provide essential services like education, financial literacy, and housing. These partnerships allow us to connect clients to a wide range of resources, helping them address their immediate needs while also working toward long-term employment goals.
As a Case Manager for training and a worker in the CRC, I deal with many populations. We have an a great population of Haitian people. It is a great challenge, most do not speak our language and they come to me saying CNA or CDL. as their desire. I listen intently and respect their situation. Keeping a professional attitude, I use Propio to help understand. I refer them to the ESL classes and when completed to the GED classes because it takes a good amount of money to translate the Haitian diploma. Our GED classes help them tremendously.
A second population is the re entry. Recently, a gentleman just got released from incarceration last year after serving 25 years in jail. I brought up the challenge that his backround presented because CDL employers and schools do backround checks needing the offense to happen more than 5 or 10 years. He wanted to know why I was asking so many questions and I proceeded to say I needed to get to know him better. I told him to visit a couple schools to see what employers they work with and be honest in telling them his backround. He hasn’t come back yet with school information. I don’t know if he will return. We have SW legal aid, Mon Valley Initative, Fair Shake, federal bonding, and Johnson Shaw but I didn’t get that far with him. This case gave me room for improvement.
Dislocated workers/ adults 24 and up, veterans are my other populations that respond to my questions and requirements for training with relative ease. M;y mantra is LISTEN, RESPECT, Question with Profesionalism.
We often encounter those coming in with a background that we know will create challenges or may even be almost impossible to overcome when they want to enter certain fields. It can be as frustrating for us as it is for them. The medical field and CDL seems to be some of the most challenging fields for people with certain backgrounds to enter and yet are the ones that everyone seems to want to do. I think what makes it hard for us to explain is even though they may be able to successfully complete the training, breaking the employment barrier, even with the training can be difficult. I have found that having them reach out to employers first to see if they can be considered for employment with their background. Sometimes if they see that they will have difficulties entering the field gives us an opportunity to work with the client more and possibly find another field that they may have a better chance of entering instead of the one that they are initially seeking. Showing them that they can be even more successful in another field can show them that you want to see them succeed and will often encourage them to at least look into the options instead of feeling like they are just be told no yet again. It is a very hard line to walk sometimes. You don’t want to discourage them, but you also want them to be successful. I hope he reaches back out to you so you have the opportunity to help him. Good luck 😊
Thank you KHarris for mentioning the re entry summit. We truely need them every year. This is a tremendous resource. I feel like I need to learn more about the Haitian culture. So if anyone has some suggestions, I would appreciate it. Most of these posts are spot on to the resources and ways that we treat and act with all these diverse populations. Being in this job 30 years, I can admit I learn something new every day. I am a great listener.
For several years I was an Army recruiter and Military Science 1 instructor for the ROTC at the University of Pittsburgh. I had an office on campus in the heart of Oakland. The population of Pitt students was the most diverse group of people I had ever been exposed to. There were people from many different backgrounds; different ethnicities, race, i-551 holders, low income, wealthy, etc. to name a few. Even though I had been through customs and courtesies training, it was a bit of a culture shock when I started in that position. Some people could not speak English and brought a translator with them, some had different customs that you have to be mindful of. But in the end, they all had one thing in common and that was to join the Army. It was their reason why that made them differ from each other.
When I started at JTBC, I felt prepared to take on this position. I had already worked with people in that age group. I had already been in and out of high schools. What I wasn’t prepared for was the willingness of youth and their parents. I am no longer selling a product; I am offering a service that people need. The number of resources available for “Beaver Countians” is truly surprising and I wish more people were aware of our services. I think my favorite difference in this position and military recruiting is having the ability to help those who have experienced legal trouble since this is a group of people that I was not really able to serve while recruiting for the Army. Our re-entry services can really help those with legal issues get back on their feet.
I really enjoyed your take on this discussion post because you were able to connect your time as an Army recruiter and Military Science 1 instructor to your position at JTBC. Pitt does has a very diverse population and I think it is cool you were able to get the chance to interact with so many different groups of people. Thanks for sharing!
As the Site Administrator, I have worked with a number of different cultural groups within our offices over the space of 16 years. When I was an Adult/Dislocated Worker Case Manager early in my career, I interacted and assisted numerous individuals who were much older than myself at the time. While coming from different backgrounds and different ways of communicating as well as providing information. While I was more methodical and planned out and responded well to emails so as to have records of conversations/discussions, most of the individuals would just stop by the office and provide updates or just drop papers off items when I was in the middle of other tasks/meetings.
Using the initial assessment on how best to contact you made that process much easier, so that I had a better understanding as to how the individuals was able to best communicate with me throughout their training and follow up. I also laid out the provided them with the clear list of expectations of what we would need from them so that we can discuss any future hiccups that may arise. Providing paper copies of expectations that are laid out and how best to reach myself and how I best reach the client were essential in keeping in contact throughout the program. Utilizing free services such as google text was helpful in order to communicate with individuals who mainly used their phones but did not call, and providing another way to get in touch with myself.
Your approach is a great example of how flexibility and clear communication can make a big difference in working with diverse clients. I love how you adapted your methods to meet their preferences, whether through in-person visits or digital tools like Google Text. Providing clear expectations and maintaining open communication channels really helps build strong, effective relationships. Your experience shows how small adjustments can have a big impact on client engagement and success!
Through the years of working with both adults and youth I have learned that it is important not to judge a person based on a resume or criminal record. In our line of work we have worked with all sorts of people with criminal backgrounds. We deal with drug offenders and addicts, felons on every stage including murder. I feel that one of the most important things that we do is the assessment process. Truth be told, there are times that I see their criminal record and think to myself there is no way this person is going to change, or with their background there is no way they are going to get a good job let alone keep it. Then the assessment comes in. Sitting with the client and truly listening to their story, their background, why they ended up in the situations that they did. My heart always seems to go out to them and think that one bad situation could have happened to me in life and I could have been right where they are. Some of my most rewarding clients have been those that have come in to the office thinking that they could not overcome their past only to go through our program and end up with an education that leads them to a successful career. Sometimes just encouraging them and telling them simple words like you are proud of them, encourages them to change and to keep pushing forward. To see them come into the office, often broken, and leave with hope on their face is the most rewarding part of our job. Sometimes we are the first people that they encounter in their lives that tell them they have it in them to change and that they don’t have to be defined by their past. Just letting them know that they have someone that they can rely on and to know they do not have to go through this alone can make all the difference. Just treating them with kindness, respect and dignity seems to make a difference and I think that is the best resource that we have.
The group that I have provided services for the most are individuals that are economically disadvantaged or low-income. During assessment, many of them state that they need proper housing. It is not uncommon for participants to have themselves along with their children living with other relatives in an overcrowded space. Resources that I typically use for these clients are our local housing authority and sometimes even a shelter if needed. Another issue that my clients sometimes have is a criminal history. A key resource that I use is our local legal services agency. The legal service agency can review my client’s criminal history and pursue an expungement of any charges that they feel might be able to be expunged. Also, they can assist in making sure that old charges are taken off the criminal history. This resource is vital prior to the job search because it might be able to eliminate some issues for the client in finding employment.
I also use the legal aid service and could relate to this as well. I am so glad we have this resource and seeing how many people this truly helps. A lot of these people have changed and its great to see them have a second chance.
As a case manager for the EARN refugee program, I work with Haitians who vary in age, gender, educational and professional background, and even language in which they speak. They mainly speak Haitian Creole; however, their primary language could also be Spanish, French, or Portuguese. Because of the language barrier the main key resource used would be translation services, mainly Google Translate. It was also a big help for both us as case managers and for my Haitian clients, when the Mon Valley CareerLink had a translator. Not only did the process go quicker and smoother and we would be able to gather more information to help but it also made the clients feel more comfortable which I believe is very important given this line of work. We also refer them to the IU to test into ESL classes because most employers will not hire them unless they are pretty fluent in English. Once they get to a high enough level of English we can also, if they wish, refer them to the IU for GED classes. Some individuals who walk through my door have little to no educational background at all and others have received advanced degrees but cannot afford the high prices to have them translated and sent over to the US so they must start over. Also, since the employment system is so different here I will sit down with them and help fill out job applications and even their immigration docs.
I love everything you said, especially the be kind part. I think treating people kindly and with respect when they are most likely feeling down on themselves and scared for their future is the best possible way to get them in the right frame of mind to make changes. Just feeling like someone is hearing them as well as having their back can make a huge difference in how they overcome their barriers.
When working with the individuals daily I want to treat everyone equally and be kind. I work with youth in high school from freshmen to seniors to try to reach a goal upon graduation which is stressful for them and life changing. They must decide on what they want to be for the rest of their lives when we as adults don’t even know yet. I try to let them know this doesn’t mean forever and your plan can always change and just being open. I also work with adults and dislocated workers. These people might be on food stamps, lost their job from no fault of their own, or are low income trying to make a living.
I think it’s important to be welcoming and showing an inclusive environment for people from diverse backgrounds Its important to show the value of treating people as a person. Showing respect and understanding regardless of their differences. You want to create a positive and supportive environment for all. Showing empathy, respect, and communication in building relationships and helping others achieve their goals. I try to let them know I am here for them as well as being a resource for them. Sometimes just listening to them is all they need. No matter what and who we are we have all faced some type of obstacle and it’s just about being there for the individual.
I work with many clients who have a criminal background but most of my clients have been laid off from their jobs. For them, I help them check out both Pa CareerLink as well as Indeed.com to get them started on their job search. Then we discuss training options that they might be interested in.
Working with the clients with criminal pasts is a bit more challenging as they can be limited on the types of jobs they can apply for and for what type of training they can attend. For these clients, I try to learn what they are interested in doing and see if those goals are feasible. If the goals are unreachable at the time, we work on coming up with an alternative plan for them to make progress on their goals.
I work with a diverse group of people, which includes legal immigrants, individuals with disabilities and economic barriers such as low-income, high school drop-outs and single parents.
These individuals are always treated respectfully and fairly when coming into the PA CareerLink for help in getting a job. The first thing I do is to offer my assistance in helping to eliminate barriers. Some examples are contacting the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for those with disabilities, Intermediate Unit 1 for those without a high school diploma or do not speak the English language, as well as review the Training Providers list on the PA CareerLink website for additional short-term training, as well as available affordable child care program for singe parents.
Once these contacts are established, I endeavor to work together with these agencies by sharing information and following the progress of each client. This additional help better prepares them and promotes confidence in themselves to become successful in their job search and job getting goals.
Betty Boop,
I can second that you always treat your participants with respect and care. Great usage of resources!
In my role as EARN Case Manager, I work with individuals receiving TANF benefits and our Refugee Resettlement Project. Both of these groups have faced financial hardships, each with their own unique story of struggle and strength. For our TANF clients they are most often referred to counseling services, giving them the opportunity to address issues of domestic violence, substance abuse, and childhood traumas along with issues of anxiety and depression. Additionally, most need child care through the ELRC (Early Learning Resource Center) and stable housing which include referrals to the Washington County Housing Authority and local subsidized housing plans. It is important for us to support clients towards financial stability and break the cycle of generational poverty.
For our refugee population, we find Google Translate to be our most useful tool along with a common referral to the IU for ESL classes. Helping clients first understand and speak the English language is essential for their success in the local workforce as we have found that most employers won’t even take a chance with some of our clients due to the language barrier. These individuals also need help navigating through US social systems by helping them through the process of obtaining an EAD (Employment Authorization Document) or filing for a Social Security Card.
The way you have explained what you do to best help each client is excellent. The population that is served under the EARN program is a very difficult group however your approach and tactics seem very well planned out.
The individuals that I work with are between the ages of 14-24. Their needs and backgrounds are all different. The barriers that they face can be learning or physical disabilities, abuse, mental health, homelessness, parenting youth, the criminal justice system and/or low income. Empathy, compassion, being non-judgmental and communication are very important skills that you must have in order for you to connect with this population. Trust is the most important, though. What I found is that there are many people in their lives that have promised or committed something and have not followed through.
I use many resources and connections to help this group. Over the years of my position, I have joined several boards and committees. Since we all have the same goals and objectives, we talk about the services that each group provides. We can then refer youth to the appropriate agencies, if needed.
The adult clients I work with are looking for a change. Some have been laid off and almost forced to make the change, others are making a personal decision to change careers to change in their life. Regardless they are leaving their comfort zone. The age range of those I have met with over the last two years is from 20 to 65. The majority of my clients have little to no formal education beyond high school. They went to work after high school and never pursued higher education. A big number of clients have attempted a vocational tech school or a four college and dropped out. Regardless of their background, utilizing Onet is helpful for them as starting point. The career plan and the school research form prove to be a good tool to help them in their decision-making process while also giving them valuable information on a particular career.
While working in the CRC, I come across people from all different backgrounds. Some have a criminal past, others just need a little extra help when it comes to computer skills, and some come in with an extensive past and they aren’t sure of which direction to go. As far as resources go, our office has compiled a booklet with all of our partners and the services they provide with contact information. I often use this as a guidance, so I am referring people to the correct agency. Also, I make sure that I have a good working relationship with partner agencies so that I can make a more personable referral. Some of the more common agencies I refer participants to are: Mon Valley Initiative (for those with criminal backgrounds), OVR (for those with disabilities), IU (for those who need GED/ESL classes), SWTS (for those looking for training opportunities), and the list continues.
I agree with everything you said Rachel. I think it is good to have a good relationship with the office staff you work with that way you can make an appropriate referral to said agency. It also works out because they might think of another program to refer that individual to as well.
I work with individuals between the ages of 14-24. They are high school students and students that recently graduated high school, so they all need different things. The barriers can vary between medical diagnosis, mental health, low income, homelessness, etc. In my position as a Youth Case Manager, I have to be very understanding and come to the students with open arms and be ready to listen. The reason being is because some individuals don’t have someone that will listen to what they have to say or don’t have the resources to help them. I treat these individuals as how I would want someone to treat me if we switched roles. I work with the Greene County population which is a very different type of individual because the parents don’t want their students to receive any help from outside agencies. I have worked so hard this year trying to recruit more students for my program because they can benefit greatly from having help outside the school.