Center For Living And Learning

THE MISSION OF CENTER FOR LIVING AND LEARNING IS TO IMPROVE LIVES BY ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS TRANSITIONING FROM TREATMENT, INCARCERATION, HOMELESSNESS AND OTHER DISADVANTAGED POPULATIONS TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT OR SELF SUFFICIENCY THROUGH JOB TRAINING, JOB READINESS AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES. CENTER FOR LIVING AND LEARNING ENVISIONS A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY VULNERABLE NEIGHBOR WHO WISHES TO BE SELF-SUPPORTING IS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.

1.APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM: APPRENTICES IN THIS PROGRAM CARRY OUT THE DAILY OFFICE FUNCTIONS OF CLL, INCLUDING STAFFING A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CALL CENTER. THE PROGRAM SERVES WELFARE-TO-WORK TRAINEES AND THOSE TRANSITIONING FROM TREATMENT AND INCARCERATION THROUGH A TRANSITIONAL SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAM. SERVICES INCLUDE INTENSIVE SUPPORT AND ROLE MODELING, AND INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION RELATED TO SETTING BOUNDARIES, DEALING WITH PERSONAL ISSUES, HANDLING ANGER AND STRESS, MAINTAINING SOBRIETY, AND MANAGING FINANCES. SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY OUR TEAM OF PEER MENTORS - ALL OF WHOM ARE FORMER CLIENTS - WHO HAVE THEMSELVES SURMOUNTED SIGNIFICANT PERSONAL BARRIERS TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT. APPRENTICES ALSO RECEIVE TRANSPORTATION AND CLOTHING ASSISTANCE, ASSISTANCE WITH LEGAL MATTERS INCLUDING EXPUNGEMENT OF RECORDS AND WAGE GARNISHMENT REDUCTIONS, AND REFERRALS TO HOUSING AND COUNSELING SERVICES. SKILLS OBTAINED INCLUDE CUSTOMER SERVICE, PROGRAM SERVICE DELIVERY, OFFICE AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS. KEY OUTCOMES OF THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM INCLUDE: -30 PAID APPRENTICES WERE PROVIDED WITH BETWEEN 300 HOURS AND 9 MONTHS OF PAID WORK EXPERIENCE. -22 APPRENTICES WERE PLACED IN UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT EXCEEDING CONTRACT GOALS OF 50% PLACEMENT RATES. CLL PROVIDED ABOVE SERVICES AS A FUNDED PARTNER THIS YEAR THROUGH THE LA: RISE PROGRAM WITH REDF AND THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO INCREASE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE PAID TRAINING PROGRAM. A.ALL ABOUT YOU LIVE ANSWERING SERVICE: THIS SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CALL CENTER IS OPERATED BY APPRENTICES AND PROVIDES BUSINESS AND CALL CENTER SERVICES TO PAYING CUSTOMERS. APPRENTICES PERFORM LIVE CALL ANSWERING AND VIRTUAL RECEPTIONIST SERVICES TO SMALL COMPANIES, STARTUPS, INDIVIDUAL OWNERS, NONPROFITS AND DOWNSIZING COMPANIES. APPRENTICES ARE TRAINED IN CUSTOMER SERVICE, DATA ENTRY, MICROSOFT OFFICE, CLERICAL AND GENERAL OFFICE; THOSE WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE SKILLS ARE ADDITIONALLY TRAINED IN MANAGEMENT AND SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING. AS PART OF THE CARS4JOBS CAR DONATION PROGRAM, APPRENTICES COMPLETE DONOR FILES, COORDINATE THE PICKUP OF DONATED VEHICLES, PROCESS TITLE PAPERWORK, AND ENTER INVOICES UPON SALE OF THE VEHICLE. -THE CARS4JOBS DONATION PROGRAM GENERATED 63,089 IN REVENUE FROM 109 CAR DONATIONS THIS FISCAL YEAR.

2.JOB READINESS PROGRAM: THE PROGRAM SERVES NO/LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS WHO EXPERIENCE MULTIPLE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, INCLUDING THOSE TRANSITIONING FROM DRUG/ALCOHOL TREATMENT, HOMELESSNESS, AND INCARCERATION; WELFARE RECIPIENTS; FORMER FOSTER YOUTH; AND VETERANS. THE PROGRAM OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE INTAKE AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND ONE-ON-ONE PEER MENTORING SERVICES TO PREPARE, PLACE, AND RETAIN CLIENTS IN LIVING WAGE EMPLOYMENT. SERVICES INCLUDE PRACTICE APPLICATIONS; RESUME AND COVER LETTER WRITING; INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES AND FOLLOW UP ETIQUETTE; PROPER GROOMING, WORK HABITS AND ETHICS; AND JOB RETENTION COACHING. CLIENTS ARE ALSO PROVIDED WITH TRANSPORTATION TO JOB FAIRS AND INTERVIEWS, ASSISTANCE TO CONFRONT LEGAL ISSUES, HELP OBTAINING A CALIFORNIA ID, AND ASSISTANCE PURCHASING INTERVIEW CLOTHING AND WORK UNIFORMS. FIFTEEN COMPUTERS ARE PROVIDED DURING BUSINESS HOURS FOR CLIENTS TO SEARCH AND APPLY FOR JOBS. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING SERVICES AT CLL'S MAIN OFFICES, WE SECURED A GRANT TO CO-LOCATE AT A PARTNER DRUG TREATMENT CENTER. THIS ALLOWED CLL TO EXPAND PEER- GUIDED SERVICES ONSITE AT THE TREATMENT CENTER THUS PROVIDING A MUCH-NEEDED SERVICE TO MEET CLIENTS WHERE THEY ARE RESIDING AND IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES FOR THIS POPULATION. CLL CONTINUED TO INTENSIFY ITS DIRECT OUTREACH TO EMPLOYERS, STAFFING AGENCIES AND RECRUITERS TO INCREASE POSITIVE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES. ALL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY OUR TEAM OF PEER MENTORS. CLL IS THE ONLY AGENCY IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY WHERE ALL STAFF MEMBERS - INCLUDING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - ARE FORMER CLIENTS. KEY OUTCOMES OF THE JOB READINESS PROGRAM INCLUDE: -OVER 400 CLIENTS RECEIVED SOME TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE. 271 CLIENTS PARTICIPATED IN IN-DEPTH JOB READINESS SERVICES WITH 194 OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT, EXCEEDING CONTRACTUAL PLACEMENT RATES. A TOTAL OF 165 WERE SUPPORTED WITH FUNDS FOR WORK/INTERVIEW CLOTHING, TRAINING/TESTS, WORK DOCUMENTS, TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER ITEMS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN AND/OR MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT.

3.CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES: CLL CONTRACTED WITH THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES TO PROVIDE PEER GUIDED REENTRY INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO THOSE BEING RELEASED FROM THE LA COUNTY JAIL AND OTHER JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS. CLL RECEIVED 631 CLIENTS TO SERVE WITH CASE MANAGEMENT AND NAVIGATION SERVICES TO CONNECT THEM TO HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH, AND OTHER REQUESTED SERVICES. A TOTAL OF 194 WERE PROVIDED WITH FUNDS FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR CLOTHING, WORK DOCUMENTS, HYGIENE, TRANSPORTATION, RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND OTHER ITEMS NECESSARY TO SUCCEED.

4.ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: CLL ENGAGED IN EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH STRATEGIES OVER THE FISCAL YEAR, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: -WE PERFORMED EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TO INFORM THOSE WITH CONVICTIONS ABOUT THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE AND HOW TO GET INFORMATION ON ELECTION ISSUES. -WE PROVIDED EDUCATION TO PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS ON LEGISLATIVE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE POPULATIONS WE SERVE. -WE PROVIDED OVERDOSE PREVENTION EDUCATION TO CLIENTS AND PARTNERING AGENCIES. -WE MAINTAINED OUR "FACES OF CHANGE" CAMPAIGN BY PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY EVENTS AND DEMONSTRATING TO THE COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYERS THAT THOSE WITH CONVICTIONS CAN CHANGE AND ARE EMPLOYABLE. -CLL PROVIDED COVID-19 OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND SYSTEM NAVIGATION SERVICES FROM JANUARY OF 2021 THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. SERVICES INCLUDED: BASIC COVID EDUCATION ON SAFETY, PROTOCOLS, UPDATES, WORKPLACE PROTOCOLS, DISTRIBUTING PPE, TESTING/VACCINE NAVIGATION, ISOLATION RESOURCES AND GENERAL RESOURCE LINKAGES. CLL HAD OVER 900 INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION ENGAGEMENTS AND REGULARLY BROUGHT THE SERVICES TO GROUP SETTINGS SUCH AS TREATMENT CENTERS, REENTRY HOMES, SHELTERS, SHARED LIVING, FOOD BANKS, SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER PARTNER AGENCIES THROUGHOUT LA COUNTY. THOUSANDS WERE REACHED THROUGHOUT THE NINE MONTHS. -THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SERVED AS CO-CHAIR OF THE LA REGIONAL RE-ENTRY PARTNERSHIP (LARRP) EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE, WORKING TO SOLVE RE-ENTRY BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT WITH OTHER SENIOR EXECUTIVES WORKING IN THE EMPLOYMENT AND RE-ENTRY FIELDS. -THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ALSO SERVED AS CHAIR OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY PROVIDERS' COLLABORATIVE, BRINGING TOGETHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS MONTHLY FOR EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS AND NETWORKING AND AS CHAIR OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY EMPLOYER ADVISORY COUNCIL PROVIDING SERVICES TO EMPLOYERS.