Partnership Creates a Bridge for Clients of Council for the Homeless to Employment Navigation Services
By Brenda Schallberger
Opening the door to her newly created office space at our Housing Solutions Center, Alicia Greco proudly invites me in. Before we even sit down, she is already verbalizing her enthusiasm for the connection to Council for the Homeless, expressing that it feels like her third home. She shows me the schedule of pre-arranged meetings with clients for that day. She is ready to meet and engage them in WorkSource opportunities!
The collaboration between CFTH and WorkSource was launched in February 2017. Since then, Alicia drives weekly from her permanent work location at WorkSource to the HSC where she holds office hours on Thursday afternoons. In the first year of the program – even within these limited hours – she was able to engage 80 CFTH clients, evidence that the partnership was immediately effective.
Why is this partnership so effective? Clients come to the HSC to work with our Housing Coordinators to receive the housing services they need. If they express an interest in
furthering their education or employment options, the handy partnership with WorkSource and Alicia’s accessibility make it easy. The client can simply return the following Thursday to the location that is already familiar. The presentation of new, achievable possibilities is often just the spark a client needs to follow through with their plans.
One such client was a father who met with our housing coordinator, Colt, who drew up a plan including a meeting with Alicia for the following week. The client explained, “I told Colt that I wanted to make a career change to make life better for my kids. Colt let me know that Alicia was an expert at helping workers in my situation. And when I met with her she was full of encouragement and genuine interest. She gave me a tour of WorkSource tools and readily showed me the many jobs currently high in demand. Over the weeks of homework, when my resolve was quaking, she strengthened my mettle.”
Alicia picks up the education and employment conversation where the housing coordinator leaves off. She listens to their goals, provides resources and an opportunity to engage with WorkSource further. She added, “Many clients who I first meet here show up in my trainings at the WorkSource location. And I am always happy to see them!”
When I asked Amanda Clark, also a Housing Coordinator at CFTH, what is most helpful about this arrangement, she confirmed that the strategic collaboration is key. “Going to WorkSource can feel very overwhelming for clients, and homelessness is already traumatic,” she says. “But having Alicia available here to meet one on one gives our clients the best chance for moving forward with their educational and work goals.”
To read more about our important work with clients and partners, click here.
