From Shelter to Stability
What We Do
In January 2011, CARITAS Works Academy began offering an intensive 5-week, 8-hour a day life and job skills training and job placement program for motivated clients coming out of The Healing Place, a homeless shelter and long term addiction recovery program. We also work with clients referred from Freedom House and welcome other collaborations as classroom space allows. The typical class size is 12 students. As of January 2012, 88 individuals had completed the program, with approximately 70% securing transitional or regular employment within 60 days.
Our career development and job readiness training includes classes in basic computer skills, resume writing, interviewing techniques, professional networking, and how to conduct a job search. Concurrent with this effort are wrap-around support services provided by volunteers and staff, whose mission it is to have each student achieve a 'job-ready' credential as a passport to employment.
We also provide “Transformations” classes that focus on developing critical life skills. Here, students learn about forgiveness, trust, conflict management, communication, teamwork, and leadership and are expected to incorporate these concepts and lessons into their daily lives, their job searches, and beyond.
Students and staff also apply the Transformations concepts as we gather every morning for an invigorating process called 'Motivations'. Each Motivation session involves participants responding to the question of the day, such as, "Tell us about a challenge or obstacle you have overcome that will motivate someone else”, and then leading the group in a song. The community is united, inspired and energized through each individual's response.
CARITAS Works Academy is supported by a host of community volunteers from a variety of backgrounds including retired CEO’s of major corporations, human resource professionals, attorneys, retired school administrators, representatives from government and human services agencies, and clergy. The program would not be a success without the help of these committed and talented individuals.
Once job-ready, the staff supports program graduates in their job search and will continue to follow our students’ progress and partner with their employers to find solutions to issues that may arise during the transition into the marketplace of work. Our benchmark for success is that our students maintain a job placement for a minimum of one year. At that one year anniversary, we will celebrate the success of our students by inviting them to return for a special ceremony in their honor.