Previous story | Table of Contents | Next
story
County Services News
Volunteer Mentors Assist
Welfare Recipients
For more than a year, many counties have been planning
how to implement welfare reform. In some counties, volunteer assistance
and involvement by local community groups will play a significant role in
turning those plans into successful programs.
Last October, Florida passed welfare reform now known as W.A.G.E.S. (Work
and Gain Economic Self-Sufficiency).
In Pinellas County, the county administrator has made a commitment to
place 250 W.A.G.E.S. clients in county departments so they will receive
volunteer work experience. The county's Volunteer Service Program will be
responsible for coordinating the project and will begin matching clients
to positions in October.
An important component of the Pinellas County program will be volunteer
job coaches from the community. They will be responsible for reinforcing
the skills that clients are taught in the W.A.G.E.S Job Club. A team of
paid staff, led by a member of the Pinellas County Schools' Adult Education
Department, will develop training for the job coaches and the clients' orientation
to the program.
In addition, the county's volunteer coordinator and three other staff
members, a representative from W.A.G.E.S, and staff person from the City
of St. Petersburg are planning training for staff who will be working with
the clients and volunteers.
"The support and enthusiasm I have received from the Administration
and the local W.A.G.E.S. Department is very exciting," said Pam Kinnaman,
volunteer coordinator. "We realize that, like welfare reform, this
is an experiment. However, the job coach concept presents an added dimension
for success."
Boulder County, Colo. is responding to welfare reform with a collaborative
volunteer component that involves several departments and divisions. Collaboration
will discourage duplication of volunteer program efforts, competition for
available volunteers and any confusion in the public's mind about the priorities
of county programs.
The group will initially emphasize programs serving the TANF participants
(formerly the county's welfare clients), and later, programs for the working
poor. Volunteers will serve as both family support mentors and as job mentors.
"The community is concerned about the impact of welfare reform and
the need for humane implementation," said Diane Knudsen, county volunteer
coordinator, Boulder County (Colo.) Community Services Department. "Presenting
a clear, coordinated message to the public regarding volunteer opportunities
and providing the most supportive and well-coordinated volunteer services
possible to our clients are Boulder County's goals for this program. The
support of the commissioners and the department directors has been a significant
factor in this collaborative approach."
In Anne Arundel County, Md. the Community Directed Assistance Program
(C-DAP) is a welfare reform initiative that involves community groups helping
families maintain self-sufficiency.
Community organizations, usually faith-based groups, are matched with
families to provide assistance. In the past, that support has included donating
a car, giving legal assistance, counseling, assisting with budgeting and
helping a family member get a job.
Hennepin County, Minn. will implement a demonstration project titled
"W2 Volunteers" as part of the county's welfare-to-work initiative.
Tammy Nodland, volunteer services director, Hennepin County Economic Assistance,
will recruit and train volunteers to serve as mentors, job coaches and speakers
bureau members.
"This collaboration involves the welfare department, jobs and training
programs that are county vendors, county residents and the faith community
along with the Corporate Volunteerism Council," said Nodland. "With
the development of volunteer position descriptions and our mentor training
program, we look forward to helping the community form a network of support
that will move our clients from welfare to work."
(County Services News was written by Peter
Lane, research associate, Volunteerism Project.) |