|
Spotlight On...
Employment Services
Organization: The Housing Authority
of Kansas City (HAKC)
Main
Office: Kansas City, MO
The Housing Authority of Kansas City, Missouri (HAKC) assists in the
development, rehabilitation and management of safe, sanitary and affordable,
quality
housing. HAKC maintains affordable housing that, meet the long-term
needs of low-income households and serve as viable community resources
that
promote economic independence and self-sufficiency for their residents.
The HAKC
is also committed to promoting economic self-sufficiency and improving
residents’ quality
of life via its Resident Services department. An integral component is financial
education and FDIC’s Money Smart curriculum serves as the core instructional
element for six programs within HAKC. Hence, HAKC has trained staff members
teaching an average of three classes per week and overseeing three computer-based
instruction (CBI) classes. One program utilizing Money Smart is the Youth
Build program for individuals, ages 18-23 pursuing their General Education
Degree (GED); students are required to complete an average of 36 hours
of Money Smart year round. Other HAKC programs that incorporate Money Smart
are: Public Housing Homeownership; Section 8 Homeownership; Public Housing
Family Self-Sufficiency, Section 8 Family Self-Sufficiency and Resident.
Organization: Summer HEAT (Help Employ Area Teens)
Main Office: Trenton, NJ
The Summer HEAT program was developed
as part of New Jersey’s Public
Safety Plan (PSP), which aims to reduce youth delinquency, gang involvement,
and gun violence in New Jersey’s cities through partnerships between
local government and the community to reduce the impact of risk factors on
youth. The HEAT program helps disadvantaged youth gain positive employment
experiences. When New Jersey’s Summer HEAT Program was created, New
Jersey Youth Corps recommended that Money Smart be incorporated into the
initial training phase for all participants. The idea was adopted, and Money
Smart
for Young Adults is now part of the orientation for all Summer HEAT participants
that must be completed prior to job placement.
As a compliment to New Jersey’s
Summer HEAT Program, New Jersey Youth Corps created a Summer Youth Corps
Program to help out-of-school youth ages
16-25 gain positive work experience. Due to the success of the Money Smart
Training Program with regular Youth Corps members, Money Smart has been
incorporated into this summer employment program as a significant component
of the life
skills training program, and the curriculum is offered at all 12 of its
program sites throughout New Jersey. One site enhanced its financial literacy
component
by partnering with Wachovia Bank. Bank staff, meet with HEAT participants
on an ongoing basis to share information on banking and discuss how to
open an account.
Organization: Catholic Charities of Central Texas
Main Office: Austin, Texas
Catholic Charities of Central Texas (CCCTX) works to strengthen individuals, families and communities in the Central Texas area through direct services, community collaboration and social justice advocacy. In 2007, CCCTX received funding from the United Way of Williamson County to begin a new program out of their Georgetown, Texas satellite office to conduct financial literacy workshops in Williamson County. Money Smart was chosen as the curriculum to help area residents learn more about how to handle their money and make smarter financial decisions. A number of collaborative partnerships were also established with other community organizations throughout the county to provide workshops for their clients.
In February 2011, a new collaborative partnership was formed with Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area in Round Rock, Texas to help area residents who are currently either unemployed or underemployed to learn about the steps they need to take to recover financially and to rebuild their credit after a financial setback. Every other Wednesday, a Lunch and Learn workshop is offered using the Money Smart “Financial Recovery” module. Attendees not only receive a free lunch, thanks to funding from BBVA Compass Foundation, but also leave the workshop with the tools they need to assess their current financial situation, to develop a financial recovery plan and to avoid credit repair scams. The Lunch and Learn workshop has been so successful it is being expanded to another Workforce Solutions site in Taylor, Texas.
|
