Against All Odds: Jobs for the Homeless
By Barbara Comito Union Gospel Mission
.Most homeless people are unemployed. Many have been out of work for
months or even years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the
likelihood of finding a job when a person has been out of work for six
months or more is one in ten, and the longer the period of joblessness
extends, the worse the odds become. At some point, most people give up.
Work – finding and keeping a job – is a critical component in
breaking the cycle of homelessness. Last year, the Union Gospel
Mission stepped up its emphasis on getting residents back to work by
creating a Vocational Advancement department. Many of the men and
women staying in shelters face daunting barriers – poor work
histories, a lack of references, criminal records, insufficient skills
and/or education, unhealthy methods of coping with conflict and
stress. At 57, George Hatcher’s hurdles were higher than most. With
seven felonies, he had spent 90 percent of his adult life
incarcerated. Add high blood pressure, diabetes, a bad conduct
discharge from the military and no driver’s license, and you can see
that George’s employment prospects looked grim.
Fortunately, the Mission’s Social Services Manager, Dean Whisler,
stepped into the huge gap between George’s desire for a job and his
prospects of actually getting one. What George needed was an advocate
– someone steering him toward available resources, coordinating
between various programs and putting in the occasional good word – and
Whisler became that. While at the Mission, George has lost weight,
gotten both his diabetes and high blood pressure under control, had
his eyes checked and received new glasses. He has regained his
driver’s license, completed a work evaluation through Goodwill
Industries, been accepted by the Department of Vocational
Rehabilitation and established a bank account.– all of which goes
toward the Mission’s fundamental purpose: helping George return to
society as a God-dependent, contributing member. “Everybody cares
here. They’ve all bent over backwards to try to help,” George said.
The high value placed on purposeful work permeates the ministry.
Short-term guests are assigned daily tasks – housekeeping, kitchen
duty, laundry, warehousing and assisting with donations. Those\
staying long term work 30 hours per week. The primary purpose of the
enterprises – UGM Motors, UGM Thrift Stores and the Food Services
Training School– is to provide job training and work experience to men
and women in transition.
Finally, the Recovery programs address work issues from a variety
of angles. Through Vocational Advancement, each resident’s educational
background and career interests are assessed and documented. Staff
then work with residents to create a long-term plan with incremental
goals. Literacy and GED training are provided, along with computer
skills and instruction in professional manner and attire, resume
creation and interview techniques.
In the final stages of the recovery programs, participants are
matched with a local company for a business practicum experience –.20
hours of volunteer work per week for 12 weeks. Every effort is made to
match the candidate’s skills and interests to the company’s needs, and
participants are encouraged to see the practicum as an opportunity to
engage their talents, skills and passions in meaningful work. At the
same time, through this partnership, local businesses have the
opportunity to engage with the community – giving back in a
significant, practical way. It’s a win-win.
John Willoughby was surprised when Vocational Director Tiffany
Riddle suggested an office job for his practicum experience. “I’ve
never been an office guy. I’ve always had jobs that were survival jobs
– truck driving, package delivery, pizza delivery, convenience
stores.” However, he was pleasantly surprised by how well he fit at
Altmeyer Financial Strategies. Dave Altmeyer, president of the
company, has been a great mentor and helped John to see that he has
what it takes to do something new.
“I organize and plan well. I’m a good people person. That’s what
you need to work in an office, but I’ve always stifled that and said I
wasn’t good enough for this.”
Make no mistake, going from homeless to housed and employed is a
serious challenge. Doing it alone may well be impossible. George put
it like this: “It’s been hard, and it’s frustrating sometimes, but
guys like Dean have gone out of their way to say, ‘Well, just keep
going. You’re getting there. Look at what you’ve done so far.’”The
business practicum is just one of several different ways companies can
partner with the Union Gospel Mission. If you own a small business or
hold a decision-making position in your company and think you might be
interested in an employment partnership, please contact Tiffany Riddle
at tiffany.riddle@ugmspokane.org.
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