| First students
graduate from Jobs Partnership
Tuesday, April 29, 2003
- By SENEE SEALE MOON - The Leaf-Chronicle
Clarksville's Jobs Partnership program had its inaugural
class graduate last week, and is being characterized as
a resounding success in local work force development.
The national faith-based program teams churches and businesses
to help unemployed and under-employed people become successful
in the workplace.
"The structure of the Jobs Partnership program is unique
from other similar programs because at least one mentor
is assigned to each participant," said Randy Kelley,
Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce vice-chair of Workforce
Development and Gateway Health System CEO.
"The mentor may help with tutoring, developing job
skills, as well as helping create a plan for personal needs
like child care or transportation - and this structure is
what really makes the program successful for participants,"
he said.
The three-month program taught students how to create a
resume, complete a job application, dress for and conduct
themselves during the interview process, and seek employment.
Students also learned the importance of necessary "soft
skills," such as promptness, conflict resolution, public
speaking and communication techniques.
However, some students found the faith-based aspects of
the program to be the most valuable.
"It taught you a lot about how Jesus lived and how
he would want us to live," said graduate Stephanie
Hill. "It taught us how to accept authority and how
to respond to your boss in a positive way."
Hill said the program has given her a lot more confidence,
and she has already recommended it to other people.
Locally, the program is administered by the Chamber and
financially supported by Aspire Clarksville and other donations.
"To date almost $10,000 has been secured in giving,
but that has gone to pay for the curriculum, printing costs,
meal preparation for the students, supplies for the classes
and basic start-up costs," said Kay Hester, local Workforce
Development manager. "Financially we are accepting
donations and will be developing a budget for fiscal year
2003-04 to seek other sources of funding."
In addition to funding needs, the program is also seeking
volunteer business leaders and church members. Especially
needed are churches to adopt students and church members
to serve as mentors.
"Mentors are one aspect that sets Jobs Partnership
apart from other programs that help our neediest citizens,"
Hester said. "We need pastoral leadership from other
denominations. Jobs Partnership is not doctrine-based, but
it is Biblically-based. Jobs Partnership does not intend
to change a person's doctrinal belief, but is structured
to give persons hope from a Biblically-based curriculum."
Hester said the program will soon need a staff person to
follow the progress of each graduate, and she also hopes
to see the program branch out to other parts of the community.
"The Advisory Board envisions holding concurrent classes
in various areas of the city," she said. "I would
like to see a roster of 100 volunteers -- both business
and church leaders -- before the end of 2003."
Clarksville joins Knoxville and Chattanooga as Tennessee
Jobs Partnership cities. There are 25 active Partnership
programs in the United States.
Applications are being accepted for the second Jobs Partnership
class, which begins June 2. For more information or to volunteer
or make a donation, call Hester at 551-4313, extension 254.
Senee Seale Moon covers business and consumer topics and
can be reached by telephone at 245-0217 or by e-mail at
seneesealemoon@theleafchronicle.com.
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