This is an education and career readiness program that facilitates self-sufficiency
for our moms and their families. The Rising Star program is unique in that it
fills a service gap. Most employment programs focus on teaching job skills. But,
as studies by Home for the Homeless and the Institute for Children and Poverty
have shown, the homeless and near-homeless clients New Moms serve need to become “job-ready” before
they can benefit from job training. New Moms' career program starts with crucial
pre-training components, including life skills counseling and assessments of
vocational interests and aptitudes, and then moves to job skills, career placement,
and job retention.
When our moms come into the program, most are operating
at a fourth grade level of education. We provide an intensive
range of services that include:
Individualized career and aptitude
assessments: Participants complete a “Discovery
Process” that includes individualized aptitude and
interest assessments. These assessments include the Adult
Basic Education Exam (TABE), which determines at what grade
level a participant is functioning, as well as Career Direct
personality and interest assessments. The results are used
to formulate a detailed education/career plan that is a
personal “step ladder” approach to ensuring
that each participant builds a record of success in creating
forward momentum on her efforts to achieve self-sufficiency.
Weekly classes focusing on education
re-entry, career readiness, and personal development: New
Moms offers classes daily on life skills topics (parenting
education, nutrition planning, budgeting, and other practical
living skills) as well as career-oriented topics (career
planning, educational options, job shadowing, interviewing
techniques, resume preparation, etc.) Once a week, there
is a career outing to a job site where the clients have
the opportunity to learn more about their options and the
skill sets/preparation needed to achieve success.
Tutoring/open computer lab: Study
Hall times are available in a computer lab where participants
can learn how to use computers, take computerized practice
GED tests, conduct education and career research on the Internet,
write a resume, and learn interviewing techniques during
one-on-one time with New Moms' staff and volunteers.
Finishing Academy: The week-long
Academy is held three times annually for clients who are
ready to begin employment. This is an intensive effort to
instill in participants work values and a clear understanding
of basic job expectations held by employers that can lead
to long-term career success. At the conclusion of Finishing
Academy, participants are slotted into paid internships designed
by Rising Star staff as mentoring opportunities in the career
field the participant is pursuing. Internships are four months
in duration, include paid child care, and meet welfare reform
work activity requirements.
In 2005, Rising Star served 58 moms with 24 completing the Finishing
Academy and securing a paid work internship with a phenomenal
job retention rate of 65%! In addition, 32 moms were enrolled
in or graduated from school, a GED program, or vocational training.
The
Rising Star Career Readiness Program: 