LIFE&WORK

Program Mission Statement:

(self-reported)

The goal of The Jobs Partnership of Florida is to inspire and equip several key people groups for success at work and life. We desire to help under-employed workers who are locked into minimum-wage jobs to master the people skills that lead to advancement into positions which pay a living wage with basic benefits; We desire to assist immigrants new to the American workplace to hone their existing job skills, or to learn new ones, so that they have competencies that are in demand in the marketplace. We desire to provide hope and an attitude adjustment process for those who have experienced failure in the workplace and are now unemployed. We also desire to empower persons with little prior work experience to prepare for entry-level jobs and beyond as they make the transition from welfare to work.

Score Summary

Overall Score:	Better
Practice Principles:	Better
Faith Related Elements:	Better
Outcome Measures:	Better
Change Process:	Better

Program Facts

• Paid (FTE) Staff Working: 3
• Program Participants Last Year: 84
• Meets about 810 time(s) with each participant per month
• Participants remain in the program for 6 months

Board Activities

Funding Overview

(self-reported)

	This Program	This Organization
Organization Budget: $225,000 Program Budget: $225,000
Foundation Grants	20%	20%
Government Grants/Contracts	11%	11%
Individual Gifts	7%	7%
Business/Corporate Gifts	22%	22%
Congregation/Denominational Gifts	30%	30%
Dues/Fees/Income	10%	10%
Other	0%	0%
	Average Program Funding From All Samaritan Programs	Average Organization Funding From All Samaritan Organizations
The next charts display the average funding sources for all programs currently in the Samaritan Guide for your comparison. Average Organization Budget: $3,820,907 Average Program Budget: $340,761
Foundation Grants	23%	18%
Government Grants/Contracts	3%	8%
Individual Gifts	32%	33%
Business/Corporate Gifts	8%	8%
Congregation/Denominational Gifts	10%	10%
Dues/Fees/Income	8%	9%
Other	13%	11%

It is important to maintain diverse income sources for your programs and for your oganization as a whole. Doing so provides long-term financial stability to your organizations and programs. It is also important to note that government funding often comes with stipulations and restrictions. More information is available in the Raising Resources Toolkit - pdf.

Score Details

Program Focus
Program Mission	Clarity and specificity of the program's mission statement.	Good
Target Population	Clarity and specificity of the programs target clientele.	Good
Eligibility Criteria	Clarity and specificity of the program's eligibility criteria.	Excellent
Program Requirements	Well defined requirements for client participation.	Good
Referrals From Other Organizations	Do other organizations recommend this program to their clientele.	Excellent
Referrals to Other Organizations	Does this program recommend other programs to their clients?	Excellent
Volunteer to Staff Ratio	Are volunteers effectively incorporated into the program?	Better
Past Participant Recruiting	Are past program participants recruited as volunteers?	Good
Evaluation and Practice Princples
Practice Principles	How supports and resources are provided to increase outcomes.	Better
Outcome Measurement	The ability to measure stated program outcomes.	Better
Change Process	Specific and measurable statement of the program's goals.	Better
Faith Related Elements	Integration of faith related elements.	Better
Measurement Frequency	Frequency of measuring client outcomes.	Good
Program Evaluation	Level of the budget allocated to measuring client outcomes.	Good
Institutional Stability
Organization Age	A measure of the organization's durability.	Excellent
Board Oversight	How involved in the program are the members of its board?	Good
Program Duration	Average duration of a clients participation with a program.	Good
Finances
Budget Diffusion	Diversity of the programs funding sources.	Excellent
Government Funding	Does this program accept little or no government funding?	Excellent

Program Score Details

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Outcomes & Measures:

(self-reported)

Scoring for this section is based on the organizations ability to provide at least three clear and specific outcomes with corresponding measures in which a relationship is shown between outcomes and measures.

Outcome 1: Class Completion

Measure Used:
Attendance log, Completed Individual Employment Plan, Resume

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Outcome 2: Removal of Employment Barriers

Measure Used:
Referrals to service providers

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Outcome 3: Career Path Opportunity

Measure Used:
Job placement, salary increase, promotion

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Outcome 4: Vocational Training

Measure Used:
Enrollment w/training provider, graduation/completion

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Change Process:

(self-reported)

Scoring for this section is based on the organizations ability to provide clear, measurable, client-focused stages of change based on participant participation.

Through its network of partner churches, The Jobs Partnership of Florida offers a 12-week, faith-based, soft skills (KEYS), and employability skills (STEPS) training called LIFE & WORK. The classes are designed to build self-esteem while equipping each candidate with practical ways to find and keep a meaningful job opportunity. The classes meet two times a week for a total of 48 classroom hours over the 12-week period.

The KEYS classes inspire the participants to develop a sense of personal responsibility that encompasses self-discipline and self-confidence. The course topics can be summarized by the following:

• Effective communication skills and courtesy in dealing with supervisors, co-workers and customers.
• Work ethics such as showing up to work everyday, on time, and being committed to the concept of work.
• Positive work habits such as completing assigned tasks and the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

The KEYS curriculum includes homework assignments, instruction by trained volunteers and small group discussion. The small group discussion is facilitated by volunteer mentors recruited from local churches. The mentors agree to care for the same small group for the entire 12-week process, providing positive role models, and no-nonsense accountability. Patterns of destructive behavior that might be indulged elsewhere tend to be challenged in a firm but loving manner, removing the barriers to meaningful employment.

The STEPS classes are designed to equip the participants with an understanding of their skills and abilities and how to effectively market themselves as they pursue a career path opportunity. The curriculum includes:

• CareerDirect Assessment
• Customized Individual Employment Plan
• Professional resume preparation
• Effective interviewing techniques
• How to conduct an effective job search

The STEPS course also provides ongoing opportunities to improve skills and eliminate employment barriers through a network of partner service providers. In addition, experienced Human Resource professionals recruited from the local churches serve as Job Counselors to the same small group of participants throughout the 12-week course, coaching them in the completion of the employment tools and preparing them for success in their job search and ultimately, the workplace.

The 12-week course concludes with a graduation ceremony, celebrating the participants’ completion of the intensive training and showcasing their accomplishments with invited business and community partners, along with family and friends.

Successful graduates of these courses are invited to utilize the job placement services of the Jobs Partnership of Florida. This service includes identifying, screening, and referring individuals who are good matches to business partners that have posted their open job listings, giving the graduates access to key decision makers within the company. There is no guarantee of a job offer, only an opportunity to interview, with the hiring decision at the sole discretion of the employer.

Throughout the 12-week process and beyond, the Jobs Partnership of Florida offers motivation and encouragement for success on the job. Job placements with business partners are monitored and followed up to ensure both employers and employees are satisfied with the working relationship. Referrals to community resources are made available to all program participants to help with life and family issues that might interfere with their workplace success, such as childcare and transportation, in an effort to increase job retention.

End Notes

Incomplete Applications

Significant decreases in certain scores may indicate failure to comprehensively complete certain sections of the Samaritan Award application. Please be sure to fill out every question in the Samaritan Award application.

Relative Scoring

Total program scores are partially computed against other programs from within the same pool of applications and so are not cumulative.

Additional Reference Material

More information on scoring and methodology may be found on the Samaritan Guide and Award website.

Acton Institute Relationship

The Samaritan Guide and Samaritan Award are projects run by the Acton Institute. Inclusion in the Guide does not signify endorsement by the Acton Institute. More information on why the Acton Institute runs this project is available online.