Situations Vacant: Strengthening the Community through Employment Support Herron, Erica – Upper Hutt City Library, Upper Hutt, New Zealand Baxter, Melanie – Upper Hutt City Council, Upper Hutt, New Zealand
In common with many other Public Libraries, Upper Hutt has in recent years experienced a significant increase in the number of people seeking assistance to prepare job applications and search for employment opportunities. Unfortunately many of these people also face serious barriers in their quest to find work, with common issues including lack of self-esteem and low levels of both general and digital literacy. Engaging with the theme of Whanaungatanga, Upper Hutt’s Library and Community Development teams have partnered with Central Government, the voluntary sector and local businesses to develop and successfully implement an Employment Development project (Em-Dev) to address these issues and actively support people into employment. In collaboration with these agencies, the project utilizes the Library’s resources and facilities to provide a suite of programmes and activities that address a range of individual needs. In its first year of operation, the Em-Dev project has directly supported more than 40 people into permanent employment or further training, with others moving into the voluntary sector to gain experience. In addition to providing an overview of the project and its outcomes, this presentation will also describe the development and delivery of the activities and programmes and, in particular, will highlight the critical importance of building and maintaining collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Introduction The unemployment rate in Upper Hutt is relatively high with 1419 people unemployed out of a population of just over 40,000 at the time of the last census. This is due in part to the closure of several large factories and local businesses, such as the Dunlop tyre factory which closed in 2006 after operating in Upper Hutt for 57 years. Some of the workers from these businesses have never worked in any other job, either before or since. They knew how to use the computers at the factory but not how to access emails or even use a mouse. These individuals have found it very hard to find new employment as they do not possess many of the skills required today, lack career ambition or are simply unaware of their employment options. The programmes provided at Upper Hutt City Library identifies individuals’ barriers and assists them to become work ready in today’s fiercely competitive environment. This paper discusses why this service is provided in the Library, the development of the project, the suite of programmes the project offers, the collaboration with various agencies and individuals which made these programmes possible, outcomes and lastly two success stories.
Why provide employment support in a Library? The Library’s role as outlined in the New Zealand Strategic Framework is to provide opportunities for people to “learn new knowledge and skills throughout life to enable them to lead healthy and productive lives” (Public Libraries of New Zealand, 2012, 23). Libraries provide independent learning resources and programmes to people of all ages and abilities from babies learning new vocabulary at story sessions, to children experimenting with computer programming after school to adults learning how to send emails or put together a CV. These all instil a lifelong love of learning, new capabilities and enhanced confidence. Through this skill development, the Library supports self-improvement and the attainment of new or higher skills for those not able to access formal learning which has always been a significant role of public libraries (Public Libraries of New Zealand, 2012). Another important role of any public library is to include “those who are often excluded from participation in the local community” (Public Libraries of New Zealand, 2012, 26). Social exclusion usually affects those who do not have adequate income or regular employment (Public Libraries of New Zealand, 2012). The Library is a non-threatening environment where these individuals can come and learn new skills. They might walk past a noisy session in the Library and decide that the programme is something they would like to join or, if they deem it too intimidating, they can continue walking past the group and just browse books on shelves nearby. Upper Hutt City Library provides many resources useful to job seekers, including databases such as My Career Match to guide individuals towards various careers that may be of interest; books with tips on creating an effective CV, cover letter or advice for brushing up on interview skills; computers with internet access to search for jobs online, and access to CV and cover letter templates; and of course helpful staff who are able to assist with the use of a computer and give basic advice on cover letters and CVs. The Development of the Em-Dev project In 2011, Community Development identified a real need for employment support in Upper Hutt and sought to provide a programme to meet this need utilizing the Library’s resources and facilities. Initially, Job Club was formed to assist job seekers with their search, showing individuals the best websites on which to look for vacancies, advice on cover letters and CVs and provide support through the application process, every Thursday morning for one and half hours per week. Job Club was offered for approximately one year. This programme met the needs of many individuals who attended, and they were able to find employment. However it became apparent that a number of regular attendees were not work ready and were using the programme to meet their social needs. These clients lacked confidence and needed emotional support. Many also had low literacy levels and digital skills (see fig 1) As it was apparent that this group required further assistance, the Library undertook research into the various employment support services that are provided by the Upper Hutt community and further afield, including services provided at other libraries around the
country. This research resulted in either a programme being identified in the community or the development of a new programme (see fig 1). Barrier
Lacking confidence
Unskilled
Low literacy
Seeking emotional support
Solution
Breakfast Club developed in partnership with Dress for Success
Education providers, or employers for work experience
Refer to Read, Write, Plus
Job Seekers Club developed
Figure 1 Job Club was rebranded and redesigned to work alongside individuals to create pathways to employment for skilled people actively seeking work. Two further programmes were also developed in the Library, a Job Seekers Club and the Breakfast Club. The Em-Dev project was established to create a holistic approach to employment support by identifying barriers to employment and assisting them to overcome these through the suite of programmes available. Suite of programmes provided by Community Services The Em-Dev programme through the Ministry of Social Development focuses on employment and assisting clients to make the positive transition towards achieving sustainable employment through a range of job preparation interventions. The objectives of the service are to support Upper Hutt residents who are not employed to actively engage in work, thereby contributing to their long-term economic independence and well-being by: • •
Better meeting the individual needs of all those who are disengaged from work, education or training Raising individual, family/whanau and community aspirations particularly amongst young people and sole parents, and their awareness of the opportunities and services available to them
The style of delivery of the programme acknowledges and considers the situation of every participant and uses an approach that is appropriate and individualised to their specific needs. The Em-Dev programme utilises all the aforementioned Library programmes to ensure delivery is provided in a positive environment that encourages achievement. The Em-Dev programme starts with an initial interview with each participant to assess their employment aspirations and the level of support required. The participant is encouraged to attend Job Seekers Club and Careers Clinic and is enrolled in the next Breakfast Club to further facilitate their job search. Further training requirements are assessed and the participant is referred to training providers if required. The service is expected to support the participant over a 13-week period. During this time the participant is required to attend any group or individual programmes as well as show a dedication to self-improvement and further development to better enable them to obtain sustainable employment.
Em-Dev Service Content/Summary: • Develop and support local youth development initiatives that assist young people positively engaging in employment • Support ‘returning to work’ participants to increase opportunities for developing home-based business opportunities that will contribute to the local economy • Strengths-based approach – provide resources to assist clients experiencing barriers to employment, including CV development, job application and interview preparation, unmet training needs and work experience opportunities • Create focus groups to identify the attitudes, barriers, needs and goals of participants • One-on-one sessions to complete action plans to establish job choice and training needs, address barriers and childcare requirements, provide budgeting advice and set out short term goals • Address training needs by utilising local providers including Voluntary agencies Specialist advisors e.g. IRD, mentoring for self-employment and budget advice • Assistance with job placement Three programmes provided in the Library refer clients to the Em Dev project while clients from Em-Dev are also referred to these programmes to meet their specific needs. (see fig 2).
Figure 2 Careers Clinic (formerly Job Club) is an integrated short-term training and development programme aimed at increasing skills, career coaching and online job searching for ‘work ready’ individuals who require assistance through the pre-employment process. A volunteer career consultant and counsellor are available for participants to discuss their employment
requirements. Individuals can be referred for retraining, work experience or volunteering to develop their skills further. Job Seekers Club provides dedicated time for individuals to share experiences whilst searching for jobs online. Many of the people attending have mental health barriers that hinder their ability to be ‘work ready’. The ongoing nature of Job Club provides a supportive environment whilst encouraging participants to learn new skills. Breakfast Club is a six-week intensive course developed in partnership with Dress for Success where participants are divided into gender groups to ensure full participation and engagement while meeting the different needs of the two groups, men and women. Participants are expected to attend every session and complete homework as outlined in their workbooks. Participants learn how to create a job search plan, write cover letters and CVs tailored for specific vacancies and receive interview tips. At the conclusion of the course participants have a master cover letter and CV that they can tailor for each job they apply for, have learned how to dress appropriately for an interview and are eligible for an individualised outfit from Dress for Success.
Development of the programmes in collaborations with agencies A clear aim for Careers Clinic was developed with input from both Community Development and Library staff. The aim of the programme is to assist with the development of cover letters tailored to specific jobs, the creation of CVs, job searching skills and options for further development including volunteering, work experience, retraining and career coaching. Volunteers were sought with expertise to be able to provide this comprehensive service. Some Library staff also completed training in the development of cover letters and CVs with a careers consultant. The careers consultant was sourced through Volunteer Hutt, a local organisation that matches volunteers and organisations, after advertising through their website, and this person then referred a past colleague who is a registered industrial psychologist who also began volunteering. Careers Clinic is staffed by the Community Development Advisor – Employment, Library staff and these volunteers. Volunteers also manage the Job Seekers Club as this is an informal space for individuals to search for jobs and share experiences. A volunteer was sought through Volunteer Hutt and this weekly programme has an average of seven attendees each week. This includes a core group of five men who have now been searching for jobs for an extended period of time. Dress for Success was contacted in the research stage of this process to discuss the various employment services they provide. The Breakfast Club is something they provide in Wellington so it was decided to partner with them to provide a version of this programme in Upper Hutt. The Dress for Success Breakfast Club programme outline and resources were sent to Library staff who adapted a version to meet the needs of those looking for work in Upper Hutt, and a pilot programme was facilitated. Dress for Success provided a speaker for the first and last session, while the Library found speakers for two further sessions. Nine women attended the first programme. At the conclusion of the course, participants stated that they had gained confidence, increased their motivation and that the support of the other women had been very helpful. One participant stated that coming to Breakfast Club had
given her “direction and hope”, another that she was “depressed before attending the course as I was doing my CV all wrong but now I will tailor it to each job I apply for”, while another woman said that “each week I walked out of the session feeling on top of the world”. All participants are provided with a dressing at Dress for Success as part of their seventh session. A men’s Breakfast Club has been trialled and this programme continues to be funded through Em-Dev in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development. A large part of the success of the Em-Dev programme is the connections forged with local businesses, ensuring they develop and provide employment opportunities for Upper Hutt residents. Taylor Preston have been engaged to hold seminars to inform local unemployed people about the company, their policies and activities, job requirements, the recruitment process and other information. At the end of the seminar they interview any suitable candidates to take on for seasonal employment. All candidates from this process are provided with training, and there is the opportunity for potential growth within the company. Outcomes Job Seekers Club continues to meet the goal of providing emotional support to a core group of attendees. Careers Clinic facilitates all local job seekers in their employment search, and ensures CVs and cover letters contain relevant information and are designed to capture an employer’s attention. Breakfast Club develops women’s (and now men’s) skills and grows their confidence. Following each course, the women who attended are contacted to find out about their progress. A total of 23 women have attended three Breakfast Club courses to date, with 10 now employed, four studying and three volunteering (see fig 3).
Figure 3
Em-Dev supported a total of 67 referrals between the 1st of April 2013 and the 30th of June 2014, with 21 placed into employment, five placed into further study, 15 forwarded to other suitable service providers to address their needs and 26 remaining on the programme. Success stories Interview with Nga Powhiri Can you describe your experience of Breakfast Club? Breakfast Club provides you with the knowledge, skills and the tools to prepare you with your job search. Please describe your experience of Careers Clinic Careers Clinic enables you to apply what you have learnt to be successful in your job search. How did the two programmes differ? Breakfast Club is a course that helps with the preparation of your job search by providing you with tools and activities; Careers Clinic can be used as you need it to help you to apply what you have learnt. They both complement each other. How have the programmes helped you? These programmes helped to remove my barriers, increased my confidence, kept me motivated and build support networks. Searching for work became a full time job, but that’s how I got my job at the Upper Hutt City Council as a “Community Projects Coordinator for Timberlea” Is the Library the best place to host the programmes? Why? Yes. The Library is more than just a place to read books. It provides a diverse range of programmes to meet the various needs of individuals and groups. In my case, it provided the resources; the mentors and the facilities that I needed to support my job search, such as free computer, printer and internet use. The Library has become a place for community engagement and active participation.
Amber and Stefan Young parents Amber and Stefan first presented at the Library, along with their son Quinn, are very much a ‘team’. Over the course of three months, more than 60 hours were spent with them as a family helping them access the necessary community support and identify and overcome the many barriers they faced to gaining employment and getting ahead in life in general. Financial worries, personal debt, low confidence and depression were a real concern for both Amber and Stefan. They are dedicated and loving parents, but they were very isolated in the community and not getting any real emotional support to encourage them in their parenting. The focus was not only on finding them work, but also on establishing community connections to help them as a family. Over the course of the three months they both grew in confidence and have taken
personal responsibility for changing their circumstances. They have eliminated their debt, and frequently talk about how wonderful it is to be debt-free. They plan to be better and more responsible with money moving forward. They have also both successfully found work, which is a fantastic step forward for them as a family. Conclusion The suite of programmes provided by the Upper Hutt City Library provides skill development in the writing of cover letters and CVs for those who are work ready. For those who are not work ready the programmes provides emotional support, confidence development and increase of basic digital literacy skills. Through the programmes over thirty one people were employed between 1 April 2013 and 30 June 2014 with a further ten supported in study or placed in voluntary roles.
Reference List Public Libraries of New Zealand. (2012). A Strategic Framework 2012-2017. Retrieved from: http://www.publiclibraries.co.nz/wpcontent/uploads/2014/01/NZ_Public_Libraries_Strategic_Framework.pdf
