• The Joyce Foundation Evaluation of Midwest Transitional Jobs Programs: The Joyce Foundation held a bidders conference call on February 1, 2006 and offered participants the opportunity to ask questions about the Midwest evaluation project. Click here to access a summary of questions and answers from the call. Over 100 interested TJ programs and practitioners attended the call. Proposals are due March 17, 2006. Click here to download the RFP materials.

• The NTJN is partnering with Career Advancement Network of Chicago, IL to produce GETTING OUT, a film documentary revealing the complexities faced by formerly incarcerated women seeking work in Chicago. GETTING OUT will follow a small group of women newly released from prison through a Transitional Jobs program and into unsubsidized jobs. The filmmakers will track them from their jail cells to their families and communities, be with them as they apply for jobs, and record their experiences— pro and con —at their place of work. Please contact Mark Kaufmann at mkaufman1@earthlink.net for more information on the documentary.

• SAVE THE DATE: 2006 Transitional Jobs Conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, October 12-13, 2006.

In April 2005, the NTJN began its Census Survey Data collection. Since 2000, the NTJN has been using collected data on Transitional Jobs programs to prepare fact sheets describing the success of programs and promoting the TJ model across the US. Each TJ program is strengthened when we are able to point reliably to the success of all existing programs—we build a firm case for more funding, gain policy recognition, and earn public support for the Transitional Jobs program model.

From the NTJN Census Survey's collected thus far, the preliminary key highlights seen in the Midwest are as follows:

• Midwest TJ Program Components:
  • Average length of the TJ program is six and one half months.
  • Average hours worked per week is 27.6 hours.
  • Average wage per hour in TJ phase is almost seven dollars.
    
• Midwest TJ Population Summaries
  • On average:
    • 65% of participants served are male.
    • 35.4% of participants served are female.
    • 21.8% of participants served are TANF recipients.
    • 76% of participants served have Criminal Records.
    • 14% of participants served are young adults.
• Midwest TJ Program Outcomes:
  • 78% of participants complete the transitional work phase.
  • The average wage at entry into unsubsidized employment is $8 per hour.

If your program has not completed a Census Survey yet, please fill one out as soon as possible. Updated Census Survey data is instrumental in helping the NTJN promote the TJ model. If your program has any questions about the Census Survey please feel free to contact ntjn@heartlandalliance.org.

The following Midwest program Census Surveys contributed to this summary: Growing Home, Chicago, IL, Roosevelt University and the Career Advancement Network, Oak Park, IL, Community Assistance Programs, Chicago, IL, Sweet Beginnings, Chicago, IL, Heartland Alliance, Chicago, IL, My Sistah's House, Chicago, IL, Blue Jacket, Inc., Fort Wayne, IN, Workforce, Inc, Indianapolis, IN, Detroit: Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit, Detroit, MI, Community Re-Entry, Save a Very Important Person (SAVIP) Program, Cleveland, OH, and The New Hope Project, Milwaukee, WI.

• Taking the High Road: How States Should Meet TANF's New Participation Standards, Shawn Fremstad and Jason Walsh - The Workforce Alliance. The Workforce Alliance highlights Transitional Jobs programs as one of three major elements in taking a "high road" strategy in meeting higher TANF participation rates and extending more opportunities to families.
• Roca, Inc.: Young People and Families Striving for Change, The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation. The Transitional Jobs program at Roca, Inc located in Chelsea, MA is profiled on The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation website as part of its Youth Development series. Roca, Inc. works with youth and young adults in several different programs developed to create opportunities for youth and their families.
• Rikers Island Reentry Initiative, Public/Private Ventures. P/PV is working with the Center for Employment Opportunities, a Transitional Jobs Program, to conduct an evaluation of the Rikers Island initiative.

Washington State's Community Jobs program, is a comprehensive, paid work program that combines training opportunities with intensive case management services for TANF parents who have been unsuccessful in traditional WorkFirst job readiness activities. Community Jobs is administered by the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development through contracts with 16 community-based organizations that provide direct services to families in every county in Washington. Contractors develop job opportunities and employ parents 20 hours per week in temporary paid positions at nonprofit organizations and public agencies.

Community Jobs serves approximately 2,200 parents each year and more than 16,800 to date. An average of 64 percent of those in Community Jobs successfully obtain unsubsidized employment at the completion of the program.

A Community Jobs participant Brandee Robinson was born with severe hearing impairments, which as an adult made it difficult for her to find and keep a job. After being on TANF for two years, Brandee connected with her local Community Jobs Program in 2003. She was quickly assessed and placed on a work assignment that could utilize her highly marketable sign language skills, helping other hearing impaired students through interpretation in the classroom. Brandee was able to turn her paid work assignment into a full-time job with the same organization as a classroom instructor and sign language interpreter. She has received multiple promotions and is now completely off of TANF, living in better housing and working toward self-sufficiency. This is just one example of how Community Jobs is helping TANF parents reach their goals of providing better lives for themselves, their families and their communities.

Contact Info:
Diane Klontz
(360) 725-4142
dianek@cted.wa.gov

Q:How can I locate other Transitional Jobs programs in my area?

A:You can access a list of programs by state on the NTJN website -- www.transitionaljobs.net. If you are running a Transitional Jobs program and are not listed or if your program information needs to be updated please email the NTJN at ntjn@heartlandalliance.org.

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