Nonprofit taking support another step further

For Monroe nonprofit Take the Next Step (TTNS), it's about more than just providing meals and basic needs services to its low-income and homeless clients; it's about helping them develop the skills necessary to gain sustainable employment.-á

That's why TTNS staff decided to test out a new seven-week job readiness series, which holistically addresses several of the barriers clients face when searching for a job. The classes are held at 2:30 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday at the TTNS drop-in center, 202 S. Sams St., near downtown Monroe. The free series began on Monday, June 6, and will conclude on July 25. An official graduation takes place on Monday, Aug. 1, and will include incentives for course completion.

All are welcome to attend the classes, which are designed to meet clients exactly where they're at.

"When we decided that we wanted to try to do something that was focused on helping them gain employment, we realized that we had to do something that was actually very broad to help them build confidence and gain skillsets,GÇ¥ said youth navigator and counselor Michael Lorio, "so that they can really have some success out there.GÇ¥

Each week the classes are broken down, so one day covers logistical topics, like crafting a resume, using online resources to find a job, interview preparation, developing good habits and creating a map for success, while the other day focuses on life skills. The life skills piece is crucial, Lorio said, because clients often lack the basic skills so many take for granted.

The life skills piece includes developing good communications skills, goal setting, letting go of past experiences, cultivating a positive mindset and prioritizing success. The goal is to help them become more poised and confident as they begin to engage in their job search.

"Each week is balanced between one of those life skills and a more practical skill connected with searching for a job,GÇ¥ Lorio said.

They want to help clients get over barriers, including major ones like homelessness.

"That feels like a hurdle that's just completely impossible to get over in order to be employed, but there are actually a lot of things that we can do to help them accomplish those goals anyway,GÇ¥ Lorio said.

To help enhance the curriculum, TTNS teamed up with WorkSource, bringing in AmericCorps staffer Teri McAllister. As the youth career navigator at the Everett WorkSource office, McAllister is experienced at getting out in the field and sharing information to help people interested in joining the workforce.

Each WorkSource office generally has an AmeriCorps member to help connect job seekers and employers. Partnering with TTNS was a natural fit, she said. Last week, McAllister helped guide attendees through the newly-renovated WorkSource website, leading a discussion on the importance of using every resource available when searching for a job. -á -á -á

Rolled out in May, the new WorkSource website is a valuable tool for any job seeker and completely free to use. The site is intuitive, user-friendly and all-inclusive. It has everything from a budgeting tool to help a job-seeker compute how much money they need to earn to pay their bills, to a career assessment questionnaire to determine what career might be best for them. The new site is the result of a partnership with popular job-search website Monster.com, and features job postings, information about workshops and other hiring events, career exploration and more.

The career tools feature offers a statewide occupation search and gives data on career types. It shows the user whether a specific career is in demand and provides common salary ranges.

The class will begin helping clients prepare for an interview this week, followed by mock interview sessions next week.

Through partnerships with local businesses, TTNS is able to offer restaurant gift cards to clients that attend three classes in the series, and clients that complete the course will be eligible to receive a voucher for a new pair of shoes. TTNS hopes to be as helpful as possible while establishing good habits, including reliability, regular attendance and punctuality.-á -á

"The response we've gotten has been really positive,GÇ¥ Lorio.

For more information about TTNS, visit www.ttns.org. To check out the new WorkSource website, visit www.worksourcewa.com.