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| Working very closely with the the other, "Employability" Skill Trainers at WORKNET, we rewrote the county's orientation guide for individuals that would be receiving TANF or Food Stamps, (as well as education benefits if they were lucky. ) We changed the document from legalize, to straight forward talk about expectations and responsibilities, in exchange for those much needed benefits. We also created a curriculum for the employability skill classes by cherry picking our favorite sources and a curriculum that had been developed to use with folks exiting the legal system. We also provided individualized guidance to help people with their career direction, resumes, applications and job search strategies. A whole lot of informal information and referral happened in between...... I requested that the three local housing authorities create a flow chart so that I could understand where to send my customers for housing assistance, which became an important handout. |
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The program before WORKNET was called PINELLAS WORKS. The part that I led had been known as, "job club, a relatively passive place to be, but Lockheed Martin's contract with my employer indicated that each participant complete 3 modules of curriculum to continue to receive bennefits. Since this was an open entry, open exist situation; I set up small group and individualized study. About one person a day would find employment and graduate out of the group, and almost every day someone new would arrive. When I knew everyone was in for the day, I did short instructional presentations on job search strategies and related skills. I counseled and coached the participants to complement their pencil and paper activities. Before I knew it, they were really helping each other complete required modules, solve problems of daily living and get jobs.
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This is a photograph of Barbara Neimann an Occupational Therapist and a client receiving Early Intervention Services. I was the service coordinator for the client and his family. I participated in facilitating the changes in the way services to children with special needs were delivered, in accordance with part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Act. This position took me into the homes of the residents of Sullivan County. I became very close to many of the families I served. I enjoyed feeling that I was helping children get a good start in life, rather than having to intervene once at-risk behaviors were developed. This boy's mother later became a case manager, she told me me that she so appreciated the way I worked with her family, that she modeled her style after me.
