Workforce Development
As all good things go, our workforce development initiative began organically.
We offer every client of our thrift stores the opportunity to give back by volunteering. Because the quality of our interactions with clients are so dignified and loving, many do take us up on that invitation and return to become long-term volunteers. Unsurprisingly, as they volunteer their experience of belonging and purpose becomes catalytic for their own empowerment and self-sufficiency. Several years into noticing this effect, we decided to formalize it and be even more intentional in our development of our volunteers.
Thanks to the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative, from 2018 to 2021, we had the opportunity to pilot a model in partnership with several local agencies that put real feet to our workforce development initiative. TANF (the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program) began sending us work experience participants (WEP) regularly and the magic that we had witnessed before with our volunteers, began anew with our WEPs. In fact, we’ve been told that our program has the the highest rate of job placement post-participation.
We’re convinced that the experience of belonging that our team so lovingly provides is fundamental to this success.
The CHH Development Commitments:
Our partners for this important work include:
Chautauqua Works, Department of Social Services, RSVP, Probation, The Resource Center, Aspire, and Olmsted Center for Sight.
For eligibility info, please contact our office.