 Work and Earnings
The West Side of San Antonio has yet to realize its full economic potential. To do so, our residents need to increase skills and knowledge through workforce training. Once trained, our communities require links to jobs with salaries that will comfortably support our families. MC-SA supports several initiatives in workforce and earnings.
City of San Antonio, Department of Community Initiatives has taken the lead role in convening a table of partners working on strategies for small business development. Partners meet regularly and mentor fledgling small businesses in our neighborhoods.
Making Connections-San Antonio’s Work & Earnings Results Area is established to support the overarching goal of ensuring that Edgewood Independent School District (EISD) third grade reading is at the commended level. Work and Earnings, in support of all CHAPSS efforts, seeks to provide the residents of the EISD with employment opportunities that offer a livable wage and employment benefits which support a livable income. MC-SA defines a livable income inclusive of employment wages, public benefits (food stamps, EITC) and work supports (child care, transportation). Living wage is defined by MC-SA as the wage obtained by job employment, at or above $9.75 per hour.
MC-SA Work and Earnings Results Area’s primary strategy is our Workforce Pipeline. Our second chief strategy is ensuring EISD residents obtain a livable income through work supports and public benefits. MC-SA has adopted a multi-tiered strategy towards achieving job placement, one that can immediately place residents who are prepared for employment as well as work with residents on long-term basis to provide them the opportunity to improve their job-skills. The following strategies are proposed as work for 2009:
- Partners at the Results Table are accountable for developing and supporting the primary Work and Earning Strategy: the Workforce Pipeline.
- Strengthen reporting mechanisms for the pipeline.
- Develop and implement a resident child care co-operative for parents/caregivers who want to participate in training or education opportunities but are unable to because of child care’s high cost. MC-SA will contract to train parents/caregivers on how to provide informal child care, and then provide a stipend to trained parents or caregivers as they provide child care for one another so residents can access job training and employment opportunities
- MC-SA is working with COSA-DCI and Education Service Center (Region 20) to develop and implement Vocational ESL classes, a demand from residents in the community.
- Connect MC-SA families to the Centers for Working Families to access emergency services and income supports. These services include food stamps, access to the COSA-DCI Child Care Delivery Service, CHIP and Medicaid, utility assistance, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. These supports have the potential to augment family incomes up to $19,000.
-Workforce Providers located at Neighborhood Place
Residents of the Westside are now being offered job placement assistance at the Neighborhood Place. Making Connections-San Antonio through the help of Goodwill Industries and Alamo Labor Properties are able to help families and individuals secure a job. The workforce providers of the Goodwill Industries and Alamo Labor Properties are establishing relationships with possible prospective employers as well as with the individual or family needing assistance. After determining the acquired skills the person has, as well as documenting all possible barriers and or positive motifs, the workforce providers refer the clients in the best direction. Initially, Making Connections resource navigators can be contacted to schedule an appointment. Once scheduled, the individuals need to be sure they have a picture ID, verification of residence, as well as a resume, if possible. Please feel free to contact Martha Zurita at (210) 431-7566 or Kassandra Escalera at (210) 431-7568 for any additional information.
Work and Earnings Partners:
For more information contact:
Roger Gonzalez
Work and Earnings Coordinator
(210) 207-4365
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