Workforce First: A Holistic Solution
Our best measurements tell us there are over 2,200 people in Austin, TX experiencing homeless right now, although many experts speculate that this is only the tip of the iceberg. On top of these numbers, there are many more folks on the verge of homelessness due to extreme poverty. Although there are resources available for low-income Austinites, lots of people seem to be missing out on them! There are many explanations for the disconnect between these folks and the services designed to help them. Sometimes they are missing an ID, other times some other vital document, or transportation, and sometimes they are simply too busy on the day-to-day mission of securing shelter and food.
The Workforce First (WFF) program is a holistic, two-tiered solution to this issue. We offer extremely low-barrier employment paired with highly personalized case management to help folks work towards their goals of stable housing and employment.
WFF offers employment to homeless adults as alternative to pan-handling. We pick up workers at a convenient location and drive them to the work sites, we provide all the gear needed for the work, and we provide lunch. This leaves our WFF crew open to an incredible number of people who would otherwise be unable to earn a day’s wage. These folks can now get right to work; earning some money, rebuilding some daily structure, gaining newfound confidence, and engaging in services through our case management team.
Each WFF client designs an individualized service plan (ISP) with their case-worker. The ISP is a “One-Stop-Shop” service solution that helps folks gain the skills and resources needed to work towards stable housing and employment. By no means do we do this alone; a large part of this process is helping people navigate and access available resources that will help them get back on track. Our case management team also helps people acquire vital documents and professional licenses, set up P.O. boxes and e-mail addresses, create resumes, get cell phones, bank accounts, shoes, and so many more things that most people take for granted.
Are we doing this work perfectly? No. Do we have a monopoly on solutions to homelessness? No. Are we pretty sure this is a really great idea, and are we proving that to ourselves and our city every single day? YES! We are having great results so far, and our demand is always ahead of our consistently expanding capacity. Stay tuned, because the Workforce First program is only going to grow!
