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EASTON – “Employers now are looking for people with the soft skills,” said Mid-Shore Behavior Health’s Jimmy Morris, “in order to go any further…you have to have the soft skills first.” But when the starting line to employment is unequal, how do we ensure that members of vulnerable populations are given this kind of practical knowledge?
Mid-Shore Behavioral Health hopes to close these gaps through their new Workplace Excellence Program, a ten-module training course geared towards individuals who have faced life’s toughest setbacks: incarceration, homelessness, substance use disorders, long-term unemployment, and other similar circumstances. While initially intended to tackle those “soft skills”, Morris and his colleague America McKinney said they have made some changes to the program to meet the real-world needs of their clients. “We’ve been doing this since February… it’s still in the early stages, but we’re getting a lot of good feedback,” said McKinney.
The classes cover adaptability, communication skills, workability, and even basic financial literacy. “We are also implementing a financial planning class when they’re doing the 10 modules… because a lot of them haven’t had bank accounts or checking accounts for a while,” explained Morris. This component includes budgeting, understanding credit, how to open a bank account, etc.
Another afterthought-turned-opportunity was the discovery that many clients needed a refresher of basic reading and math skills – something Mid-Shore has now partnered with Chesapeake College to offer as needed through their adult education courses. Clients now complete a test at the beginning of the Workplace Excellence course to assess their needs in the areas of reading fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and foundational math. “We’re trying to cover all our bases,” McKinney said.
Morris said the modules are designed to be fun and supportive, following what the folks at Mid-Shore call a “no-fail” approach, and the classes tend to be interactive and team-based so clients can also learn the art of working as a team. To make the expectations of the class even more clear, the program uses a metaphorical compass to guide clients; North is for Networking, South is for Self-Organization, East is for Enthusiasm, and West is for Workforce. Not only are the classes and associated materials completely free to participants – they are also provided with breakfast and lunch during the sessions.
The program extends across all five Mid-Shore counties: Caroline, Queen Anne, Talbot, Dorchester, and Kent. Funding looks different in each locale, as some county’s Economic Development or other county offices fund the program, while Mid-Shore continues to apply for grants and receives money from local agencies. To participate, one must be referred by any of Mid-Shore Behavioral Health’s community partners that work with vulnerable populations – such as His Hope Ministries in Denton.
About 20 individuals total have graduated from the Workforce Excellence program since its inception in February, and there are already success stories of clients scoring well-paying jobs thanks to the skills they learned. “We’re really excited,” said McKinney, “just changing people’s lives one person at a time.”
In the future, McKinney and Morris hope to better address transportation issues, set up events where graduates of the program can meet potential employers, and expand their network of community partners.
