Secure Jobs Advisory Committee
December 7, 2016
In attendance: Ashley Brehm, HAPHousing, Bud Delphin, CareerPoint, Joanne LaCour, DTA, Lisa Lapierre, Franklin Hampshire Career Center, John Lewis, STCC, Madeline Martinez, HAPHousing, Johnny Miranda, HAPHousing, Maegan Pedemonti, HAPHousing, George Ryan, Hampden County Regional Employment Board, Pamela Schwartz, Network, Maricelli Serrano, BerkshireWorks
November Progress Report (Hampden County): Click here. 49 placements so far, well in excess of 37 placement goal for fiscal year. Great success stories (see attachment for more detail).
Franklin/Hampshire update: Lisa reported their program is working with 7 referrals as of now. Will have enrolled participants soon. Two participants are working with the CEIS program and Secure Jobs is providing important additional support.
Berkshire update: Maricelli reported that one person has been hired.
WIOA update: A statewide partners conference was held earlier this week (many of the people around this table attended). Bud shared the two-fold challenge of WIOA: respond to business’ employment needs and meet the employment needs of challenged populations. Sometimes these goals can push up against each other. But the lower employment rate overall puts a focus on finding employment for the harder-to-serve populations. CareerPoint reported a total of 212 people identified as homeless have used their services since July, 2016.
Secure Jobs State Agency Update: Ashley reported on the statewide meetings regarding the state agency shift for the program. It is almost definite that DTA will be the new state agency home for Secure Jobs in FY18. DTA and DHCD are in close conversations, developing an MOU between them to work out the details of the collaboration. We agreed this could be a very positive move with DTA’s determination to meet barriers facing participants. We also acknowledged the connecting work of Linn Torto, executive director of the Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness.
Policy/advocacy focus discussion: We agreed that our educational efforts around Secure Jobs will focus first on outreach to Hampden County mayors. Pamela will reach out for separate meetings with Springfield, Holyoke and Chicopee mayors. We will include: Ashley (representing Secure Jobs), Pamela (representing the Network), Career Center serving each city, educational representative (e.g, STCC, HCC, VOC). For HCC, Pamela will reach out to Kermit Dunkleberg – assistant vp for business and education (via Jeff Hayden). Pamela will be in touch after initial contact is made.
The focus of the meeting will be educating the city leaders about the program and to engage in dialogue about possible partnerships.
Next meeting: Jan 4, 11 – 12:15, Holyoke Public Library (subject to confirmation)
