HUNTINGTON — Are you aged 55 or older, unemployed and looking for work? Southwestern Community Action Council can help.
Karen Graham, director of the Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCSEP), says the agency works with individuals aged 55 or over, with lower incomes, who are unemployed to help them gain experience and skills to help them move toward employment.
“We offer this program in 21 counties in West Virginia and four counties in Kentucky,†she said.
Graham says Southwestern has matching grant funding and is able to offer the program at no cost to the host training sites, which are nonprofits or government agencies.
“We have an immediate need of participants in Cabell and Wayne counties who are actively seeking employment,†she said. “Right here in Huntington, we are in need of individuals who have office experience or an aptitude to learn office skills. We are in need of host training sites in Cabell and Wayne counties as well.â€
Graham says the COVID pandemic caused many nonprofit and government agencies to change the way they provide services.
“Many of our local nonprofits were forced to shut down and did not reopen. As a result, we have lost training sites and have a limited variety of training options for our participants,†she explained.
Graham says the training sites are all nonprofit and government agencies.
“There is no financial obligation from the training sites,†she said. “This program supplements their staff at no cost to the organizations. Training sites are not obligated to hire participants, but it often works out as a ‘try before you buy’ situation. They get the opportunity to train someone and see how they will do in the position without the expense of hiring and training. Once they see they are a good fit, they often hire them. If they don’t plan to hire them, once the participant has mastered all of the skills at their site, they will be moved to another site and new trainee assigned. This allows participants the opportunity to gain skills from multiple sites and increase their potential for employment. We handle all of the human resource details. The host sites provide the training and supervision.â€
Graham says many nonprofit organizations are unable to compete with current wages for entry-level positions and are unable to hire staff.
“Our program would help supplement their staff at no cost to them,†she said.
Graham says many government agencies are also feeling the pressure of the need to increase wages to be competitive in the job market.
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“Utilizing our participants in government offices would ease some of the pressure on their budgets,†she said. “We pay the participants while they train.â€
Graham says Southwestern matches mature workers up with host training sites.
“They train in an on-the-job setting an average of 20 hours per week, and we pay a training stipend equal to minimum wage,†she said. “The program was developed by the Department of Labor, is overseen by the National Council on Aging, and is funded through the Older Americans Act Title V funds. The income does not count as earned income for SNAP, subsidized housing or Social Security. It does count as income for WV State Medicaid. Participants gain skills, experience and self-esteem, along with increased financial stability.â€
To be eligible for this program, individuals must be aged 55 or over.
“They must be unemployed and seeking employment,†Graham said. “If they are not looking for employment, this program is not for them. The goal is to obtain and maintain employment. Their household income must be under 125% federal poverty level, which for a single person is $18,225 annually. Income based on disability may be disregarded depending upon the source of the income.â€
Graham said one participant in the program, Susan Cain, had been working in food preparation in a local restaurant that required her to be on her feet for long periods of time, and she had to leave that job.
“She has a desire to work in an office setting,†Graham said. “The first day we sat down with her to do some skills assessment she struggled with the computer. She had difficulty using the mouse and navigating icons. We partnered with Division of Rehabilitation Services and Goodwill where she has been taking basic computer classes.â€
Graham said Cain recently earned certificates for her progress in the computer class.
“She could not wait to bring the certificates to show us,†she said. “She still has work to do, but she is proud of her progress, and so are we.â€
Graham said the program helps the community by providing financial stability for the senior population and it provides supplemental staff at no cost allow nonprofit organizations and government offices to provide efficient services by increasing workforce without increasing the cost of payroll.
For more information about participating in the program or becoming a training site, contact Graham at 304-525-5151 or email her at karen.graham@scacwv.gov.
“It really is a great program. If you interact with individuals who are aged 55 or over who might be interested, please contact us,†she said. “If you are involved in a non-profit organization that might be interested in being a host training site, contact our office to see if the program is a good fit for you.â€
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