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Our Mission

Breaking the Cycle of Chronic Unemployment Yvonne Nair, CEO Saffron Strand, Inc. Saffron Strand, Inc. 124A Washington Avenue, Unit C Point Richmond, CA 94801 Tel: (510) 778-9492 Fax: (510) 778-9493 E-mail: info@saffronstrand.org Website: http://saffronstrand.org. Our Mission.

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Our Mission

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  1. Breaking the Cycleof Chronic UnemploymentYvonne Nair, CEOSaffron Strand, Inc.Saffron Strand, Inc.124A Washington Avenue, Unit CPoint Richmond, CA 94801Tel: (510) 778-9492Fax: (510) 778-9493E-mail: info@saffronstrand.orgWebsite: http://saffronstrand.org

  2. Our Mission • Building job skills and increasing employment of homeless adults and youth in Richmond and other Bay Area communities • Providing public education and professional training to increase employment and economic self-sufficiency of homeless, hard-to-employ, and long-term unemployed

  3. The Need: Get the Homeless & At-Risk Back to Work • National overview • California situation • Contra Costa County challenge • Richmond -- the Perfect Labor Storm

  4. Challenge of Work Readiness • Major challenge – homeless, hard-to-employ, and long-term unemployed face barriers to employment that determine duration of unemployment • Technical barriers • Psychological and behavioral barriers • Saffron Strand intake process • Technical barriers have practical solutions. Psychological and behavioral barriers require case management and intentional community.

  5. Case Management Tools: Trauma Informed Care • Definition of trauma • Causes of trauma • Impact of trauma • Shifting the focus • Coping strategies • Taking the fence down

  6. Case Management Tools: Motivational Interviewing & Behavior Change • What is Motivational Interviewing? • Why is it used? • How does it work? • Readiness for change • Stages of Change • Precontemplation • Contemplation • Preparation and determination • Action and will power • Maintenance

  7. Intentional Community • Definition of intentional community • Role of the intentional community • Social supports of an intention community

  8. Homeless People Want to Work • Sacramento Homeless Connect • Homeless survey in Austin, Texas • Homeless survey in Baltimore, Maryland • Homeless survey in Portland, Oregon • Saffron Strand’s interest survey

  9. What Research Shows • “Employment and Income Supports for Homeless People”-- David Long, John Rio, Jeremy Rosen in National Symposium on Homelessness Research, 2007 • “Alternative Employment Strategies for Hard-to-Employ TANF Recipients”-- Erin Jacobs and Dan Bloom, MDRC, 2011 • Saffron Strand experience -- stipend versus no stipend

  10. Saffron Strand Center: Work-Ordered Day

  11. Saffron Strand Center: Work-Ordered Day

  12. Saffron Strand Center: Work-Ordered Day

  13. Why It Works

  14. Case Study 1: Clinton • 24 year old African American male born and raised in Texas • Lived in several foster homes and emergency shelters as child • Raised in very rigid, religious foster homes • Moved to California in search of employment • History of serial employment lasting no longer than 6 months to a year

  15. Case Study 2: Natalie • 34 year old African American female raised in Richmond, CA • Had long criminal history due to drug abuse and mental health issues • Due to early exposure, found education and employment in social services field in order to make changes in system she found to be flawed • Held positions in AODA rehabilitation clinic, child services programs, and mental health clinic but was always terminated for lack of training and inappropriate behavior

  16. Case Study 3: Anderson • 67 year old African American male born and raised in the Bay Area • Suffered exposure to drugs and alcohol as a child • Lived several homeless shelters as adult with repeated drug rehabilitation relapses • Lived in very rigid, religious treatment facility and transitional housing program • Mouth had most teeth missing with abscesses and ulceration due to chronic drug abuse • History of serial employment lasting no longer than 1 year

  17. Case Study 4: Silvia • 26 year old Hispanic female born in rural Mexico • Emigrated to U.S. at 16 years old for a better life • Education limited to 6th grade level, spoke very little English • Had 3 children – 2 grade school aged, 1 toddler • Had extended family in U.S. • Spouse required Silvia to stay at home raising children but spouse unable to make enough money to solely support the family • Had several jobs cleaning homes and offices and working in food services, but was terminated due to lack of training and child care issues

  18. Saffron Strand Outcomes • More than 250 homeless and low income people served • 210 total members • 74 active members • 12 very active members • 108 currently employed • 41 employed 2 years or more • 37 employed 4 years or more • 66% African Americans • 18% Caucasians • 8% Hispanics • 6% Asians • 2% Native Americans • 42% Ages 18-35 • 36% Ages 36-55 • 21% Ages 56-75 • 1% Ages 76+

  19. Thank You! Thank You! • Questions? • Saffron Strand, Inc.124A Washington Avenue, Unit CPoint Richmond, CA 94801Tel: (510) 778-9492Fax: (510) 778-9493E-mail: info@saffronstrand.orgWebsite: http://saffronstrand.org

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