This publication was developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to assist in the

planning and development of Neighborhood Networks centers.

The guides in this series offer “how to” information on starting up a center, creating programs and identifying

center partners; center and program profiles and a wealth of resources.

Neighborhood Networks is a community-based initiative established by the U.S. Department of Housing and

Urban Development (HUD) in 1995. Since then, hundreds of centers have opened throughout the United States.

These centers provide residents of HUD-assisted and/or -insured properties with programs, activities and

training promoting economic self-sufficiency. These guides contain examples of successful center initiatives and

how you can replicate them.

To receive copies of this publication or any others in the series, contact:

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Neighborhood Networks

9300 Lee Highway

Fairfax, VA 22031-1207

Neighborhood Networks Information Center

Toll-free (888) 312-2743

TTY: (703) 934-3230

All publications are available from the Neighborhood Networks website at:

www.neighborhoodnetworks.org
 HOW TO DESIGN AND DELIVER AN

EFFECTIVE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM

JUNE 1999
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page i

June 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

How to Design and Deliver An Effective Employment Program................................................................. 1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................................1

Purpose of this Handbook......................................................................................................................................1

How Centers Can Use the Handbook ...................................................................................................................1

What is An Employment Program?...............................................................................................................................2

Factors that Contribute to Success ...............................................................................................................................2

Highlights of Job Training Research......................................................................................................................2

Linking Successful Components to Neighborhood Networks Centers .......................................................................3

Neighborhood Networks Center Examples ..................................................................................................................3

Case 1: Northport/Packer Community Learning Centers, Madison, Wisconsin:

Career Connections Program.................................................................................................................4

Case 2: The Greenbrier Enrichment Center, Columbus, Ohio ...........................................................................9

Elements of Success....................................................................................................................................................13

Resources ....................................................................................................................................................................15

Contact Information for Neighborhood Networks Center Case Studies ............................................................15

Organizations, Publications and Websites..........................................................................................................15

Employment and Training Administration (ETA) U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).........................................15

NACo-NGA-NCSL Crosswalk..............................................................................................................................15

National Alliance of Business (NAB)....................................................................................................................15

The Welfare-to-Work Partnership........................................................................................................................16

Job Link .................................................................................................................................................................16

Neighborhood Networks Information Center.......................................................................................................16
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 1

June 1999

How to Design and Deliver an

Effective Employment Program

Introduction

In 1995, the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) launched the Neighborhood

Networks initiative to respond to the economic and

educational needs of residents living in HUD-assisted

and -insured properties. Neighborhood Networks

seeks to engage multifamily property owners

nationwide in expanding residents’ access to

technology and helping them move from welfare to

work and from dependency to self-sufficiency.

Today, just three years into the initiative, more than

486 Neighborhood Networks centers have been

established nationwide. Centers are attracting

participation from residents and community members,

partnering with local and national groups and fostering

resident movement into the worlds of education and

work.

Employment programs, which are an integral part of

the Neighborhood Networks concept, vary from center

to center and may include General Equivalency

Degree (GED) preparation and English for Speakers

of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, soft skills and

job skills training, and job placement services.

Employment programs can enhance a resident’s job

readiness or assist residents in finding and retaining

employment.

Purpose of this Handbook

This handbook provides Neighborhood Networks

center staff with the tools to design and implement an

effective employment program. The handbook

includes two case studies to illustrate successful

employment programs at Neighborhood Networks

centers. These centers’ employment programs

incorporate many of the practices that studies have

found effective.

The case studies provide an in-depth look at the

development and implementation of each program

and include lessons learned, obstacles overcome,

critical elements for success and opportunities for

replication. By learning what has worked for other

centers, center staff can more effectively address the

employment needs of residents in their own

communities.

How Centers Can Use the Handbook

The successful practices described in the following

chapters will be useful for centers that plan to improve

existing programs, develop new programs, or work

with organizations that provide employment-related

services. While many of the features of the case

studies can be applied across different sites, there is

no substitute for designing a program that directly

responds to the needs of local residents and

employers. As such, centers planning to create their

own employment programs should begin by

assessing those needs. Center staff can then choose

elements from these case studies that best address

the center’s individual circumstances and tailor the

program to meet the needs of the community.

q Centers currently operating employment

programs can improve their services by applying

some of the successful practices presented in

this handbook.

q Centers expanding current services or

creating new service options can use this

handbook as a model for developing a program.

q Centers partnering or contracting with

service providers can use the handbook for

evaluating potential partners.

By learning about practices that have been successful

at other centers and under similar circumstances,
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 2

June 1999

center staff will be in a better position to design an

effective program.

To facilitate information sharing among centers, the

resource section includes contact information for each

center featured in the case studies. To build on these

successes, all Neighborhood Networks centers are

encouraged to share their own “Lessons Learned” by

e-mailing updates to their center profiles at

nnetworks@icfkaiser.com or by calling the

Neighborhood Networks Information Center toll-free at

(888) 312-2743.

What is An Employment Program?

Employment programs provide a range of services to

improve the employment opportunities of participants.

The following services may be included in an

employment program:

q Basic Education: Adult education including high

school equivalency (GED) preparation, basic

reading, writing and math and English for

Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

instruction.

q Job Readiness: Life skills training, such as time

management, conflict resolution, problem solving,

professional dress and demeanor and

communication skills.

q Job Skills Training: Customized training for

employer partners, computer training

(keyboarding, introduction to computers and

advanced computer training) and other skills

training for specific types of jobs.

q Job Search: Training in traditional job search

methods (newspaper, trade journals and job

bank), resume writing and interviewing skills. May

also include an employment needs assessment

and career planning.

q Job Development and Placement: Involves

establishing partnerships with employers and job

training organizations and conducting job fairs,

mock interviews and field trips to educational and

employment organizations.

q Job Retention Services: Services for residents

to maintain employment which may include oneon-one job counseling, support groups, career

planning and support services, such as child care

and transportation assistance.

Factors that Contribute to Success

Highlights of Job Training Research

What makes an effective employment program? For

a program to be considered effective, it must help

participants achieve higher earnings and employment

retention. Job training programs that attain such

outcomes typically share the following common

characteristics.

q Mixed Strategy Approach. Programs that

combine job search, education, job training and

work in their design have had a greater impact on

participants’ incomes and long-term job retention

than programs that exclusively focus on either job

search or basic education.1

q Employment Focus. Programs that focus on

employment by developing strong ties with local

employers, understanding the local labor market

and designing training to meet employer

requirements for specific jobs have been proven

to be effective. Training for a specific job also

motivates students.2

q Integration of work and learning. Programs

that integrate work and learning by teaching basic

education as part of job skills training have been

more effective in improving skills and earnings.3

q Better jobs. Few welfare-to-work programs

have helped recipients increase their earnings by

helping them find better jobs. Programs that

have focused on this goal and found better jobs

for their participants have done so by preparing

participants for specific occupations.4
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 3

June 1999

q Barriers to training and employment.

Programs that address the child care,

transportation or other needs of individuals and

their families enable job seekers to participate

more effectively in training and find jobs.5

q Case Management Services. Programs that

provide case management services during the

program and after placement and foster longterm personal relationships between staff and

program participants increase the likelihood of

success.6

Welfare Reform

Before developing a job training curriculum,

a Neighborhood Networks center should

research the welfare-to-work requirements

in the state in which it is located to ensure

that its program will comply with these

requirements. Under the Personal

Responsibility and Work Opportunity

Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), an

adult receiving welfare assistance for 24

months must participate in a “work activity.”

However, the federal legislation leaves it up

to each state to define what constitutes a

“work activity.” Before developing their

programs, centers should contact local and

state offices to learn more about the

following:

q State welfare requirements

q Employment and training rules

q Vocational/educational rules

Linking Successful Components to

Neighborhood Networks Centers

To prepare this handbook, six Neighborhood

Networks centers were interviewed extensively about

their employment programs. The following criteria

were used to select the centers:

q Level of resident involvement;

q Amount of employer participation;

q Length of time in operation (minimum 1 year);

q Range of employment and support services

offered;

q Focus of program goals on job placement and

skills development;

q Level of partnership development (extensive ties

to community organizations and employers);

q Established performance measures; and

q Potential for transferability.

This handbook highlights the employment programs

of two Neighborhood Networks centers,

Northport/Packer (NPP) Community Learning Centers

in Madison, Wisconsin and the Greenbrier Enrichment

Center (GEC) in Columbus, Ohio.

Both NPP and GEC have developed strong

partnerships with area employers and involved

residents in the planning and operation of the centers.

Both centers customize their instruction to respond to

individual needs and skill levels. Both NPP and GEC

provide a wide range of employment and support

services including helping residents identify and

remove barriers preventing them from obtaining and

retaining employment. While these programs

recognize the importance of finding jobs for residents,

they also recognize the need for residents to develop

their job skills and improve their earning potential.

These case studies provide only two examples of

successful Neighborhood Networks programs.

Neighborhood Networks centers across the country

are experiencing success in a host of other

employment and training activities.

Neighborhood Networks Center

Examples

The case studies presented in this handbook provide

in-depth descriptions of the employment programs of

each center. Each case study is divided into the

following sections:
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 4

June 1999

Career Connections

Program Profile

Program capacity: 51

residents.

Hardware: 8 Pentium

computers, printers, a digital

camera, a laptop computer,

and a portable printer.

Software: Microsoft Office,

Internet, Adobe PhotoShop,

PageMaker, FileMaker Pro,

and several spreadsheet

programs.

The growth in Madison’s

regional economy over the

past several years has

benefited the general

population far more than its

minority population. While

Madison’s overall

unemployment rate is less

than 1.4 percent, the

unemployment rate of its

minority population is 18

percent.

q Background;

q Program Description;

q Employer Partnerships;

q Program Design and Development;

q Staffing;

q Outcomes;

q Lessons Learned; and

q Transferability.

Case 1: Northport/Packer Community

Learning Centers, Madison, Wisconsin:

Career Connections Program

Northport Apartments and Packer

Townhouses are two adjacent

developments that are managed jointly by

the American Baptist Churches of

Wisconsin. Approximately 650 residents

live in the 280 units, with many households

headed by single women.

Since 1994, the Northport/Packer (NPP)

Community Learning Centers have offered

a wide range of programs for their

residents including child care, Head Start,

after-school tutoring, community meals,

recreational activities, adult education, and

employment assistance. The community

learning centers located in each

development are run jointly.

Background

NPP Community

Learning Centers

staff created the

Career

Connections

Program to

address a

perceived gap in

employment

services for its

resident population. Before launching Career

Connections, NPP Community Learning Centers staff

referred residents to the Dane County Job Center,

which primarily serves individuals who are job-ready

but temporarily unemployed. NPP discovered quickly

that only 10 percent of its residents completed Dane

County’s job training program. The County’s services

are not set up to train people who lack formal

education, skills or work experience. Residents were

unable to meet the county’s standards and were not

qualified for the available jobs. Most adults who

participate in Career Connections have been on

public assistance for several years and never held a

job. NPP Community Learning Centers staff also

identified a discrepancy between the number of jobs

available in office/administrative/data entry fields and

the lack of a structured and effective method for

placing unemployed residents into these positions.

Program Description

In addition to adult basic education and job training,

Career Connections provides services, such as child

care, job readiness training and transportation

assistance to help its residents overcome barriers to

finding and keeping a job.

Assessment of

Residents’ Needs

and Skills. When a

resident first contacts

Career Connections,

a staffer conducts an

assessment of the

resident’s education

level, previous work

experience and

interests and

ambitions, and

completes an

assessment form detailing whether the resident needs

basic education, job training or both. Together, the

staffer and resident determine employment and

education goals that are incorporated into the

Resident Development Plan which is required for all

residents of the property. If a resident needs basic
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 5

June 1999

education, such as reading, writing or ESOL

instruction, the center provides on-site classes

conducted several times a week by the Madison Area

Technical College (MATC). Career Connections

partnered with MATC to provide these courses and

works closely with the MATC instructor to determine

when each resident is ready for job training. Career

Connections staff believes that MATC’s on-site

presence is a tremendous asset to the program since

residents are able to take advantage of child care

services on site and attend classes without having to

arrange for transportation.

Job Training. When residents are ready for job

training, a Career Connections staff member works

with them to find the best match between their

interests and the job market in Madison. Career

Connections does not prescribe a specific

employment path to residents, but instead tries to

tailor the residents’ ambitions and interests to feasible

career paths. Residents work with Career

Connections staff to develop their class and job

counseling schedules. Career Connections can adapt

class schedules to the needs of the individual resident

since residents learn independently using computerbased learning. The training follows no fixed length of

time — residents take classes until they are ready to

look for a job. This approach provides Career

Connections with a legitimacy and “buy-in” among

residents who do not feel as though they are being

pushed through the system.

Placement. When residents are ready to look for a

job, the staff works with them to find specific

placements with employer partners. Throughout the

job training process, residents are counseled in

interview and job search skills. The staff arranges

interviews with employers that have openings that

match the resident’s skills and interests. Once a

position is identified, staff orients the resident in the

employer’s organizational culture, such as dress

code, work hours, lunch hour practices, work styles

and behavior, and communicates the employer’s

expectations for performance.

Career Connections requires its employer partners to

include a skills assessment during interviews so that

residents are not judged on their physical appearance

or social conduct. For example, Career Connections

has lent its laptop computer and portable printer to

residents for use during job interviews. In one

interview, a resident asked the employer to give him a

task to perform to demonstrate his skills; the employer

suggested a marketing flyer. The resident was able to

design a flyer using graphics software that he knew

how to use and had access to through the laptop.

Prior to placement, a Career Connections staff person

accompanies the resident to a meeting with the

resident’s new supervisor to establish a relationship

and to have a chance to ask and answer any

remaining questions. During the first six months on

the job, Career Connections staff monitors the

resident’s progress through weekly telephone calls

with the resident and employer. When a resident

employee is not doing well, Career Connections staff

can provide additional training and counseling to

address the problem, on occasion pulling the resident

out of the position temporarily.

Employer Partnerships

Career Connections looks for employers who are

committed to hiring a significant number of NPP

residents and willing to work with Career Connections

to make the residents’ employment a success.

Partner employers must commit to hiring residents on

a trial basis if Career Connections staff deems them to

be employment-ready. Career Connections has

developed partnerships with six employers, including

two insurance firms, a meat packing plant, a national

merchandising company, a retailer and the Internal

Revenue Service. Residents have been placed in

positions for data entry technicians, graphic

designers, marketing agents and insurance claim

adjusters.

Living Wage Assessment. As a first step in its

employer partnership development effort, Career

Connections conducted a living wage assessment in

the Madison area. By researching the cost of rent,
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 6

June 1999

Partnership Profile

In one example of an unusual

partnership, Career

Connections partnered with the

University of Wisconsin

Business School to hold a

forum on welfare reform for the

business school students and

faculty. Residents had four

weeks to work with students

and develop the forum, and at

the end of this period, made a

presentation on welfare to work

issues. Career Connections

would like to create more

partnerships with academic

institutions, such as networking

NPP center computers with

computers at local colleges and

universities, so that residents

can access courses

taxes, food, utilities and other expenses, Career

Connections determined that a person must earn an

hourly wage of at least $7.50 plus benefits and

insurance to afford all basic living expenses. Career

Connections will not partner with employers who

cannot offer this minimum salary.

Organizational Assessment. A critical component

of Career Connections’ relationship with employers is

its organizational assessment process. Career

Connections believes that one of the greatest reasons

for job failure is that employees are not mentored in

the organizational culture of the employer. When an

employer expresses interest in partnering with Career

Connections a Career Connections staff member

visits the employer to assess the organization. The

staff member looks at how employees are treated, the

work culture and the level of retention within the

organization. Career Connections uses this

information to qualify partners and brief residents

during the training period. Employers also benefit

since residents who have been familiarized with the

employer’s culture will have a greater chance for

success and retention, and thus save recruitment and

training costs.

Partnership

Development.

Employer

recruitment

requires a great

deal of time and

effort. Career

Connections has

found that for

every five

employers

contacted, only

one may be

interested in

discussing the

idea of hiring NPP

residents. Career

Connections is

constantly

identifying available jobs and potential employers.

Volunteers scan want ads, then contact employers to

find out more about the positions, request sample

tasks and work products and describe how the Career

Connections program works. Career Connections

explains to potential employers that hiring NPP

residents is a smart business decision — not charity.

By hiring NPP residents, an employer saves time and

money looking for employees, and is guaranteed
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 7

June 1999

Sample of Survey Questions

q What goals do you have for

yourself and your children?

q What kinds of services do

you need?

q What will you do with these

services?

Career Connections Staff

Job developer — contacts

potential employers and

conducts assessments of

potential partners (salary:

$29,000).

Program operator — conducts

resident needs assessments,

designs resident training and

oversees computer-based

training (salary: $25,000).

Program administrator —

provides secretarial support for

the Program (salary: $22,000).

Community Learning Center

director — provides guidance

and oversight to the Career

Connections staff.

employees who have been trained in its procedures

and culture.

Career Connections also holds monthly open houses

where employers can visit the center and describe

their companies and the kinds of jobs available. The

open houses have helped break down cultural

barriers between employers and residents. Career

Connections also works with the County Job Center,

which sends employers to the NPP Community

Learning Centers for presentations.

On a monthly basis, Career Connections convenes an

informal board of human resource professionals

representing six different companies in Madison for

informal discussions about job leads and contacts.

Career Connections staff values the chance to work

with partners both formally and informally to increase

its community network.

Program Design and Development

It took just over

two years for NPP

staff to plan the

program, obtain

resources for the

center and build

the partnerships

with MATC and

the County Job Center.

Residents worked with the director of

Neighborhood Networks Community Learning

Centers and American Baptist Homes to design the

Northport and Packer program. When the director

distributed a survey to residents to find out what kinds

of services they wanted in the Career Connections

Program, less than six percent responded. He then

decided to interview people in person. According to

the director, finding out exactly what residents wanted

and needed was critical to the success of the

program. Residents are interested and committed to

the program because it provides them with services

they need, such as child care and employmentfocused training.

Staff

The NPP properties use residents to meet their

staffing needs. Residents work for the child care

center, the Head Start Program and the property

maintenance and management offices. The Career

Connections Program is also staffed entirely by

residents. Despite the limited work experience of the

three staff members, there has been no turnover

since the program began.

The positions

available at the

Career

Connections

Program offer full

benefits, including

sick leave,

vacation, health

insurance and a

retirement plan.

Funding for the

Career

Connections

Program, which

cost $131,000 in

1997 came from

HUD’s Community

Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. Initially,

the city of Madison was hesitant about using its CDBG

funds from HUD on a program with such a flexible

structure that hired unemployed residents. However,

NPP
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 8

June 1999

persuaded the city that funding the Career

Connections Program would be an effective use of

funds. The Neighborhood Networks center plans to

seek future operating funds from a Department of

Labor grant and has trained its staff in grant writing so

that they can apply to foundations for additional

funding.

Outcomes

Before NPP launched its Career Connections

Program, 60 percent of its adult residents depended

on public assistance; in the first two years of program

operation the percentage declined significantly to 28

percent. Seventy residents have found jobs after

completing the Career Connections program. Eleven

of these have left the NPP apartments and bought

their own homes. Residents have found jobs with

hourly wages ranging from $7.50 to $14, all including

health care and benefits. From monitoring resident

progress for six months, staff has learned that out of

70 placements in the past two years, only one person

left a job during the first six months.

Furthermore, the six participating employers have

been pleased with the program. In fact, many feel that

the program demands too much of the residents and

imposes higher standards than the employers do

themselves. Additionally, some employers would like

to send non-resident employees with performance

problems to Career Connections for computer skills

training. Career Connections may expand the

program to include this service as a way to generate

income for the program.
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 8

June 1999

Program Highlight

In response to many

residents’ creative and

artistic interests, Career

Connections offered a

high-end graphics

instruction course.

Residents pursue their

creative software

interests while learning

technical skills. Many

have been placed in wellpaying graphic design

Career Connections Model:

Key Steps to Developing a Successful Job Training Program

1. Find out what residents want from a job training program and involve them in designing

and implementing the program.

2. Research what a living wage is for your community.

3. Establish criteria for and conduct an assessment of potential employer partners.

4. Develop partnerships with employers and involve them in the design of the training

program to ensure that it addresses their staffing needs.

5. Conduct an assessment of each resident’s educational level, previous work experience,

interests and ambitions.

6. Design a flexible program that can be tailored to meet the individual needs of the

participants.

7. Address barriers to training and employment such as lack of child care and

transportation.

8. Develop partnerships with colleges and other service providers.

9. Involve residents in staffing and marketing the program.

10. Monitor a resident’s progress for six months after job placement.

11. Develop a system for tracking outcomes.

Lessons Learned

Neighborhood Networks

centers developing job

training programs

should:

q Involve residents in

the ongoing design

process and

operation of the

center.

q Find out what the

residents’ dreams

and ambitions are,

and then try to match residents with jobs that best

suit their interests.

q Be informal, flexible and willing to change the

design if an element of the program is not

working.

q During the start-up phase, focus your energy on

creating a high-quality program rather than

getting quantifiable results. Demand a high level

of commitment and quality of both the staff and

the residents.

q Continue to work with residents after they are

employed. Problems often arise after the first few

months of employment. At that point, they could

get discouraged and possibly leave their jobs

without the support of the employer and the

Neighborhood Networks center.

Transferability

The owners of the Northport Apartments and Packer

Townhouses are building a 23,000 square foot facility

in Milwaukee and applying many of the same

principals used at NPP. The owners recognize,

however, that each community is different and that

they cannot simply replicate the Career Connections

model and expect it to succeed. Therefore, the

owners, management and residents are working

together to find other ways to develop the

employment, training and placement component.
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 9

June 1999

Learning to Work

More than 60 percent of the

residents who come to the

center are unemployed.

Many have never been

employed and therefore

need to “learn how to work.”

Residents learn the skills

needed to be successful in

the workplace and discover

a range of education and

economic possibilities.

Case 2: The Greenbrier Enrichment Center,

Columbus, Ohio

Six years ago, drugs and routine shootings

earned the Greenbrier Apartment complex

the nickname “Uzi Alley.” Located in the

inner city of Columbus, the complex was

thought to be a “lost cause” because of the

high crime rate and economically depressed

state of the neighborhood. But in 1993, the

community mobilized and created the

Greenbrier Enrichment Center (GEC) which

provides adults and youth with the skills

they need to improve their lives.

Background

The Greenbrier Enrichment Center (GEC) serves

approximately 3,000 residents from the housing

development and the surrounding community. Eighty

percent of the residents receive public assistance or

work minimum-wage jobs and 70 percent are single

mothers. Approximately 60 percent of residents are

African American, five percent are Hispanic, and the

remainder are Caucasian, Native American or Asian.

GEC began as an all-volunteer effort. However,

through donations and grants received in the last few

years, the center has been able to expand the

services it provides. With a 1995 United Way grant,

the center started a pilot program to help women

become self-sufficient. During the same period, the

center received a grant through HUD’s Drug

Elimination Grant Program. With these funds the

center expanded its programming by offering

parenting classes, free immunizations, adult

education programs and a food pantry.

In 1997, GEC became a part of the Neighborhood

Networks initiative, opened the Greenbrier Computer

Learning Center with 12 Pentium computers and

incorporated computer training into its array of

services.

Program Description

GEC provides basic education, soft skills training, job

skills training, job search, placement and retention

services. The center also provides support services

that help residents overcome barriers to employment

such as child care, transportation, or counseling to

deal with substance abuse or domestic violence.

GEC’s core employment

program, the Residents

Off Welfare — Teaching,

Educating, Achieving,

Motivating, Success

(ROW TEAMS)

Program, started in 1995

as a pilot program

funded with a $15,000

United Way grant. The

goal of the program was

to help 25 women

become self-sufficient by providing education, job

training and assistance in building life skills. GEC

based its curriculum design on the needs expressed

by residents during community focus groups.

The program met its goal of helping the participants

become self-sufficient.

q Twenty women graduated from the program;

q Sixteen women found jobs after the program;

q Three women entered college programs; and

q One woman started her own business.

In 1996, through additional funding provided by HUD

and other partners, the ROW TEAMS Program

expanded its services so that all Greenbrier residents

could participate.

Soft Skills Training. The ROW TEAMS Life

Management Skills (LMS) Training Program is a

three-week “soft skills” training program that teaches

students how to adjust to the work world. Based on

discussions with residents and employers, staff

designed the program with an emphasis on workplace

socialization. Students work on communication skills,

conflict resolution, managing personal responsibilities

and building self-esteem. Role playing is also used to

simulate work place situations. After completing the
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 10

June 1999

Partnership Profile

Through employer

involvement, the center

has also expanded its

services. For example, the

center is negotiating an

agreement with a local

bank for a customized

training course. The bank,

which has already hired 20

center graduates, was so

impressed with the quality

of graduates that it asked

the center to train students

to use its specialized key

pad. In return, the bank

agreed to hire individuals

who complete this training.

GEC Employment Programs

q Greenbrier Computer

Learning Center – computer

training.

q Residents Off Welfare –

Teaching, Education,

Achieving, Motivating

Success (ROW TEAMS) –

core employment program.

q Life Management Skills

(LMS) – three-week “soft

skills” training course.

q Work study program – weekly

classes and on-the-job

training at the center.

program, participants find jobs or transfer to the workstudy program, where they can add to their skills

through on-the-job training.

Work-study, part

of the weekly

class offerings,

consists of

lectures,

shadowing other

workers and

hands-on

assignments.

Students who

enroll in the workstudy program

work in the center

as assistants and

are trained for

one of four types of positions:

q Child care assistant;

q Clerical assistant;

q Outreach worker; or

q Training assistant.

Residents who participate in the work-study program

often suggest improvements which helps the program

stay focused on their needs.

Training. In addition to the Life Management Skills

Program, GEC offers computer classes five days a

week in the afternoons and evenings. A six-week

basic computer training course and a three-week

advanced computer course are available to students

on an ongoing basis. Students can also enroll in adult

education classes off-site at Columbus State

Community College.

Supportive Services. The center also offers a

number of job retention services for residents who

have jobs but need assistance with the every day

challenges of the work place. Family service workers

follow up with residents and assist them with problems

they may encounter on the job. In addition, GEC

holds monthly support groups for residents working to

become self-sufficient.

To overcome other barriers to employment, residents

meet with an on-site family service coordinator to help

them obtain the resources they need. The center

offers a number of child care options, provides

referrals to health care organizations and counsels

residents dealing with substance abuse or domestic

violence. Many of these services are also offered on

site. To address their transportation needs, the center

provides 30 free passes on public transportation to

participants who are employed.

Employer Partnership

The director of the

program focuses much

of his time and effort

on establishing and

maintaining strong

partnerships with

employers. Recruiters

from area businesses,

such as DFS/Eddie

Bauer-Spiegel,

Alliance Data

Systems, United

Parcel Services and

Dawson Temporaries,

come to the center on

a weekly basis to

interview students.

Although most of the jobs available are entry-level,

they often become stepping stones for other

opportunities.

Targeting Training. GEC involved employers in the

development of the training curriculum. Because

employers request the training that participants

receive, they have been very satisfied with center

graduates they have hired. Employers pay the center

a $200 placement fee for each graduate they hire.

According to the director, the city’s low unemployment

rate and the center’s strong ties to employers made
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 11

June 1999

this income generating aspect of the program

possible.

Program Design and Development

In order to develop a job training program that would

meet the needs of both employers and residents,

GEC involved both parties in the planning and

implementation of the program. As part of the design

and development process, the program director

interviewed both residents and potential employers to

assess each group’s needs. By conducting these

interviews, the program director found that while

residents needed computer literacy training, those

who had never worked before also needed soft skills

training. Employers that were interviewed indicated

that job skills were important but not as important as

finding employees who are responsible and

committed to the work place.

The program also expanded on the partnerships that

were established during the community mobilization

effort in 1993 and the ROW TEAMS pilot project.

Partnerships have been critical to the center’s

knowledge of and access to resources and funding.

The program director and residents who work in the

center have helped to establish the following

partnerships:

q Columbus State Community College provides

GED training and higher education classes.

q Children’s Hospital provides free parenting

classes.

q The health department and the Women, Infants

and Children (WIC) program supply

immunizations.

q Ohio’s Welfare-to-Work state office designated

the center as a “Work Source Site,” which makes

it part of the state’s welfare-to-work system. The

center has a state job search computer to locate

available job openings and the center may

become a state employment hotline site. The

center also educates residents about the

implications of the state’s Workfirst Initiative.

Program Funding. The Greenbrier Enrichment

Center operates on an annual budget of $480,000.

The job training program budget of $280,000 is 58

percent of the total budget. This covers staff salaries

and other center operating costs. The center receives

funding from:

q HUD CDBG grants;

q United Way;

q Ohio’s Welfare-to-Work initiative;

q Donations from community organizations; and

q Income generated by job placement fees paid by

employers.

Although fundraising is an ongoing process, the

center’s strong ties with the community have helped it

secure funding. Center staff would like to generate

additional income through placement fees charged to

employers who recruit center participants.

Incentives. The greatest incentive for residents to

participate in the job training programs is their

compliance with the state’s new welfare-to-work

requirements. Under Ohio Works First work

requirements, individuals who are not working must

enroll in at least 20 hours of education or training per

week. As part of the center’s work-study program,

student outreach workers go door-to-door to educate

residents about the state’s new work requirements

and encourage them to enroll in the Life Management

Skills Program.

Word of mouth is also a strong marketing tool. Since

all of the workers at the center are or were in the

same situation, residents feel peer pressure to

participate in the center’s programs.

Once students complete the program, they can work

in the center until they find permanent employment.

This guaranteed employment provides another

incentive for participation. Additionally, when students

enroll in the program, they are eligible for free child

care and transportation vouchers. This helps them
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 12

June 1999

overcome some of the barriers to employment and

education.

Staff

Residents of the Greenbrier Apartments and the

surrounding community work at the center. Through

feedback provided by resident employees, the center

has remained in touch with and focused on the

community. The center has 20 work-study employees

who work in the center year round in addition to four

full-time staff members:

q Program director;

q Service coordinator;

q Family service coordinator; and

q Computer trainer.

Outcomes

From June 1997 to June 1998, 523 people graduated

from ROW TEAMS and 62 percent (323 people)

found jobs. At least 142 people or 44 percent have

retained those jobs. More than 300 graduates who

were previously on welfare are now working.

Graduates have found jobs in manufacturing,

customer service, data entry and clerical support.

Lessons Learned

The following advice is offered to other Neighborhood

Networks centers developing job training programs:

q Give residents ownership of the program by

involving them in the planning and development

processes and by employing them at the center.

This has played a key role in the center’s

success.

q Educate residents about the impact the new

welfare law will have on their lives.

Ohio’s Workfirst strategy forces people to work—

people who may not be ready for or committed to

work. The Greenbrier Enrichment Center still

struggles to find ways to motivate residents who do

not want to work. Furthermore, the center director

found that the state’s Workfirst system failed to

anticipate the support services people need to help

them get back to work and, therefore, failed to provide

the necessary funding for those services. Center staff

has been overwhelmed by the magnitude of the

services needed. In response, outreach workers

conducted a door-to-door survey of resident needs.

With this data the Center can anticipate the needs of

residents and tailor programs to meet them.

Transferability

The GEC program can be replicated successfully as

long as the critical elements of the program are

applied. The program should involve residents and

employers throughout the planning and development

process. To design a program that best addresses

the areas of greatest need, program planners should

conduct a survey of resident needs before planning

begins. Center staff should also address barriers to

employment by building partnerships with

organizations that can provide services such as child

care and transportation either on site or nearby. At

Urban Hollow, another HUD-assisted property in

Columbus, and the management sought guidance in

opening an employment center. As a result, Urban

Hollow is assessing the needs of its residents while

using the GEC model to establish the new center.

Representatives from the United Way are also

interested in starting a program based on the GEC

model. The director stresses that the success of

these programs will depend on the will of the

community to make it work.
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 13

June 1999

GEC Model: Key Steps to Developing a Successful Job Training Program

1. Survey residents to assess skill level and needs. Conduct focus groups with the resident

community to find out more about what they need and want from the program.

2. Establish and maintain strong partnerships with employers. Ask employers what job skills

their positions require.

3. Involve residents and employers in the design and implementation of the program. Ensure

that the curriculum is flexible enough to adapt to changes in client population and employer

needs.

4. Establish and maintain strong partnerships with community-based organizations to secure

funding and other resources.

5. Offer a wide range of employment and education programs such as basic adult education,

job readiness, job skills training, occupation specific training, job search and allow residents

access to individualized programming.

6. Develop a “soft skills” job readiness program to help residents who have not worked before

learn the skills necessary to retain employment.

7. Develop a work-study program for students to strengthen skills while on the job.

8. Customize training to specific industries based on partnerships with employers willing to

hire residents who complete the training.

9. Offer a range of support services such as child care, transportation, counseling, and health

care. Provide case management services up front to help residents address any barriers to

training or employment, such as lack of child care or transportation.

10. Develop an ongoing support group to help employed residents deal with on-the-job issues.

Make support services available to residents after they have completed the program.

11. Make sure employment programs meet any state welfare requirements. Educate residents

on the effects of the new Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) law.

12. Building relationships with participants, employers, community groups and government

agencies should be a primary goal of the program.

Elements of Success

This handbook highlights two Neighborhood Networks

centers with employment programs that effectively

meet the needs of residents and employers in the

communities they serve. The programs incorporate

many of the programmatic features that employment

and training research have found to be effective.

Some of the key elements of the success of these

programs include:

q Resident-driven program. Find out what

residents want from an employment program and

involve them in the design, implementation and

operation of center programs. Also include

residents in the staffing and marketing of the

program.
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 14

June 1999

Tips for Developing Close

Industry Ties

q Establish industry councils

for particular occupations.

q Recruit instructors who are

well connected to their

respective industries (speak

with companies’ human

resource managers).

q Promote employer

“ownership” of the training

program.

q Organize industry

participation in a broad

range of program

development activities.

Source: Edwin Melendez,

Working on Jobs: Center for

Employment and Training

(Boston, MA: The Mauricio

Gaston Institute, 1996).

q Employer

involvement.

Programs that

focus on

employment by

developing

strong ties with

local

employers,

understanding

the local labor

market and

designing

training to meet

employer

requirements

for specific jobs

have been

proven to be

effective.

Training for a

specific job also motivates students. By involving

employers in the design and implementation of

the employment programs, centers are able to

better assess employer needs and tailor their

programs to meet those needs.

q Employer assessment. In addition to assessing

employer needs, centers should also establish

standards for and conduct an assessment of

potential employer partners. Assess how

employees are treated, the work culture and the

level of retention within the organization. Use this

information to qualify partners and brief residents

during the training period. Employers also will

benefit from this assessment since residents who

have been familiarized with the employer’s

culture will have a greater chance for success

and retention, and thus save recruitment and

training costs.

q Individualized training and career guidance.

Conduct an assessment of each resident’s

educational level, previous work experience,

interests and ambitions. Offer a variety of

programs and a wide range of services to meet

the needs of all participants including those with

below average skills and those working to

become self sufficient. Then find the best match

between a participant’s interests and the job

market in your community. Try to tailor the

participant’s ambitions and interests to feasible

career paths.

q Case management. Provide comprehensive

support services that identify and remove barriers

to employment, such as lack of child care or

transportation. Develop an ongoing support

group to help employed residents deal with onthe-job issues. Make support services available

to residents after they have completed the

program. Programs that provide case

management services during the program and

after placement and foster long-term personal

relationships between staff and program

participants increase the likelihood of success.

q Follow-up services. Provide follow-up services

for at least six months after placement to help

residents maintain employment. Track the

progress of graduates after they leave the

program to help them address any needs while

they are on the job. When appropriate, provide

additional training and counseling to address

problems that may arise and pull the resident out

of the position temporarily, if necessary.

q Living wage. Research what a living wage is for

your community. Programs that have focused on

increasing participants’ earnings by helping them

find better jobs have done so by preparing

participants for specific occupations.

q Mixed Strategy Approach. Programs that

combine job search, education, job training and

work in their design have had a greater impact on

participants’ incomes and long-term job retention

than programs that exclusively focus on either job

search or basic education.

q Partnerships with community-based

organizations. Partnership building, while time

consuming, plays a key role in the development
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 15

June 1999

of a center’s employment programs. Maintain

extensive partnerships with employers,

community service providers, local government

agencies and community-based organizations to

obtain access to funding and other critical

resources.

q Performance measures. Develop a system for

tracking outcomes, such as placements, job

retention and data on wages and wage

increases. Being able to show measurable

outcomes plays a key role in obtaining funding for

employment programs.

Resources

Contact Information for Neighborhood

Networks Center Case Studies

Northport/Packer Community Technology Centers

Contact: Carmen Porco, Director

Northport Apartments Corporation

1927 Northport Drive

Madison, WI 53704

(608) 255-2759

Email: cporco@mailbag.com

Greenbrier Enrichment Center

Contact: John Gregory, Director

Greenbrier Enrichment Center

374 North Virginia Lee Road, Apartment 4

Columbus, Ohio 43209

(614) 239-7788

Organizations, Publications and Websites

Neighborhood Networks

http://www.neighborhoodnetworks.org

Includes links to websites with job training resources.

Northport Community Learning Center

http://northport.org

Packer Community Learning Center

http://www.packers.org

The Greenbrier Enrichment Center

http://www.hud.gov/nnw/nnw-data/PAR_0249.html

Employment and Training Administration

(ETA) U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

http://wtw.doleta.gov

This is the Internet home page of the ETA’s welfareto-work division. The “Highlights” section contains

very current information, especially on the welfare-towork competitive grants. Key links are provided for

individuals, employers and the welfare-to-work

community. Connections are offered for material on

legislation, regulations, regional contacts, other

websites, news clippings and fact sheets. The archive

has records of state planning guides, funding

allocations and grant information. This site is the place

to start for locating information on federal government

programs in welfare to work. Contact information for

each ETA program can be obtained at the website.

NACo-NGA-NCSL Crosswalk

http://www.ttrc.doleta.gov/ETA/Welfare/w2wtable.

htm

This site provides a table that cross-references

many of the topic areas presented in the

individual websites of three separate

organizations that have extensive information on

welfare-to-work programs. The organizations are

National Association of Counties, National

Governors' Association and National Conference

of State Legislators. Topics include state level

information on legislation, reports, programs,

contacts and documents related to Temporary

Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). This site

saves time if you want to know specifically what

legislators and government programs are doing

in this vast field.

National Alliance of Business (NAB)

Contact: 1-800-787-2848 or info@nab.com
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 16

June 1999

The National Alliance of Business (NAB) manages

both a welfare-to-work program and a school-to-work

program. Under both programs, NAB provides

training and technical assistance to educational

institutions, businesses and intermediary

organizations (e.g. job-training nonprofits) in order to

improve the quality and effectiveness of welfare-towork and school-to-work efforts. Neighborhood

Networks center staff can take advantage of NAB

training and technical assistance services to improve

their effectiveness as job training and placement

professionals. Participation may improve their ability

to help center clients find employment.

The Welfare-to-Work Partnership

Contact: Eli Segal (888) 955-3005

info@welfaretowork.org

http://www.welfaretowork.org

The partnership was founded by the business

community to help businesses reach the new

workforce of public assistance recipients. The

partnership actively recruits companies as "Business

Partners." Neighborhood Networks center staff can

help clients find employment with welfare-to-work

partner businesses in their community. The website

has two sections that provide information relevant to

all stakeholders involved in welfare-to-work initiative.

"Blueprints for Hiring" is an employer-focused report

that describes the many advantages and employer

incentives for hiring from this new workforce, including

tax credits and wage subsidies. "Working Examples"

profiles over 80 employers of various sizes that are

successfully hiring former welfare recipients. Other

sections feature facts and statistics, other links,

events and news to use.

Job Link

Contact: Bill McMahon (612) 529-4373

bill@joblink.org

HIRED provides community-based job training and

placement services in the Minneapolis-St. Paul

region. It accomplishes its work through Job Link, a

computer-based job development system that links

employers, job development organizations and jobseekers through a large database of available job

openings submitted by the participating employers

themselves. Other HIRED services include technical

assistance, employment counselor training and

custom employment network development.

Neighborhood Networks centers might consider

developing a job search program based on the Job

Link model.

Neighborhood Networks Information Center

The Neighborhood Networks Information Center has

a range of materials available for free, or at a minimal

charge, to anyone with an interest in the initiative. Call

the Information Center toll-free at (888) 312-2743 or

TTY at (703) 934-3230 to place an order. Order

forms are available for items that require payment.

Resources include:

q Neighborhood Networks Resource Guide

(binder): The Resource Guide offers a step-bystep overview for establishing and operating a

Neighborhood Networks center. 383 pages ($20)

q News Brief (current and past issues): A quarterly

newsletter that highlights national achievements

for a wide audience including partners and the

public. (free)

q NNewsline (current and past issues): A

bimonthly newsletter that highlights topics of

interest to Neighborhood Networks centers and

coordinators. (free)

q List of current Neighborhood Networks

centers: The monthly list includes center names,

cities and states. (free)

q Fact sheets: Fact sheets are one-page

summaries of various topics relevant to the

operations of Neighborhood Networks centers.

Fact sheets that are currently available include an

overview of the initiative, telehealth programs,

health information, health partnerships, child

care, transportation, seniors, and community
How to Design and Deliver an Effective Employment Program Page 17

June 1999

improvements at Neighborhood Networks

centers. (free)

q Success Stories: Brief descriptions of

successful activities at Neighborhood Networks

centers across the country. (free)

q Highlights Video: A useful presentation tool

featuring footage of Neighborhood Networks

activity in Boston, New Orleans and Seattle. 17

minutes ($20)

q Media Montage Video: Highlights of broadcast

coverage of Neighborhood Networks activity

across the United States. 6 minutes ($20)

q Senior Connection Video: A great tool for

marketing and outreach, this video helps

demonstrate how older adults benefit from

Neighborhood Networks center activities. 17

minutes ($20)

 

1

 Julie Strawn, Beyond Job Search or Basic Education: Rethinking the Role of Skills in Welfare Reform (Washington, DC:

Center for Law and Social Policy, 1998).

2

Id.

3

 Jobs for the Future, Mt. Auburn Associates, Inc., Nancy Nye, Brandon Roberts & Associates and Richard Schramm, Federal

Jobs Policy: History, Current Status, and Future Challenges (Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future, 1997).

4 Strawn, 1998.

5

Id.

6

 Jobs for the Future, 1997.