Changing Welfare Services by Austin Michael J.;Feit Marvin D.;

Author:Austin, Michael J.;Feit, Marvin D.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 1487040
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group

Note: Institute members / South Hayward Neighborhood Collaborative (SoHNC)

FIGURE 13.1. Institute for Success Client Flowchart

Strengths and Challenges

The following strengths were identified by SoHNC members:

• The ongoing tenacity, hard work, and dedication of the SoHNC partners who maintain a high level of communication and trust.

• Universal access to services. The one-stop philosophy of linkage and referrals is not only beneficial to clients, but also helps the organizations handle increased numbers of clients.

• Universal intake forms and a centralized database facilitate client referrals.

• The strength-based model builds on the assets of the poor who frequently rely on family, friends, and faith-based organizations for help.

• The NCCD provides assistance to individuals ineligible for county funds through money it receives from rental properties.

The following challenges were identified by SoHNC members:

• The collaborative process is not easy. The partners have a diversity of opinions and beliefs that need to be blended to move toward collaborative goals.

• Community resources are inadequate for CBOs and faith-based organizations to provide the amount of support services (such as child care and ESL classes) required by WorkFirst and CalWORKs clients. The SoHNC goals are to support low-income families, but only poor families and a portion of the support services are funded by CalWORKs.

• Outreach is difficult in a transient, multilingual community, especially when 44 percent speak a language other than English at home. It is also difficult to reach isolated clients, as well as those with substance abuse and mental health issues.

With SSA support, the IFS seeks to address the challenges with new services that include post-WorkFirst employment activities, on-the-job training programs, an employment training panel, a microenterprise project, enhanced postemployment retention services, complete CalWORKs asess-ments, in-home family assessments, and on-site drop-in child care. In addition, GT has entered into partnerships with Hayward Adult School for the development of adult education and entrepreneurial centers and with Chabot Community College for a CalWORKs assessment center to be housed at the GTCC. Moreover, GTCC hopes to offer a shuttle for transportation to and from the assessment and training centers to job interviews or job sites, and to the main campuses of community college and adult school. WorkFirst services will be provided to new immigrant and low-income families with an emphasis on those who are non-English speakers.

SoHNC has broadened the scope of CalWORKs activities, leveraged funding from multiple sources, and forged strong alliances with employers and training operators. New and innovative services are being offered to South Hayward residents so that they may become self-sufficient.

PRESCOTT/WEST OAKLAND NEIGHBORHOOD

Description

The Prescott neighborhood has a population of approximately 6,000 people. It is located in West Oakland and is bounded by West Grand in the north, Mandela Parkway in the east, Third Street in the south, and Southern Pacific Depot in the west. Prescott is an English-speaking, working-class community comprised primarily of people of color.

Before World War I, Prescott had a strong economy and a flourishing recreational and cultural life. Economic decline followed the closing of the ferry and railway services after World War II. The downturn in

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