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 RECOVERY 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: -57 PAID APPRENTICES WERE PROVIDED WITH UP TO 300 HOURS OF PAID WORK EXPERIENCE. -45 APPRENTICES WERE PLACED INTO UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT EXCEEDING CONTRACT GOALS OF 50% PLACEMENT RATES. CLL PROVIDED THE 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 11,130 FROM VEHICLE DONATIONS THIS FISCAL YEAR IN ADDITION TO 13,230 FROM ANSWERING SERVICE CUSTOMERS.

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 CONTINUED TO PROVIDE COVID-19 OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND SYSTEM NAVIGATION SERVICES THIS 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 4000 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. -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 EMPLOYER ADVISORY COUNCIL BRINGING EMPLOYER RESOURCES AND EDUCATION TO SFV EMPLOYERS.

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: CLL SERVED 301 CLIENTS WITH SOME TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE. 231 CLIENTS PARTICIPATED IN IN-DEPTH JOB READINESS SERVICES WITH 164 OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT, EXCEEDING CONTRACTUAL PLACEMENT RATES. A TOTAL OF 56 WERE SUPPORTED WITH FUNDS FOR WORK/INTERVIEW CLOTHING, TRAINING/TESTS, WORK DOCUMENTS, TRANSPORTATION, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND OTHER ITEMS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN AND/OR MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT. CLL CONTINUED A CAREER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS THAT PROVIDED CAREER TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO 46 INDIVIDUALS WHO WITH ALL 41 COMPLETING TRAINING AND 29 PLACED EXCEEDING CONTRACTED GOALS.

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 SERVED 1318 PARTICIPANTS WITH CASE MANAGEMENT AND NAVIGATION SERVICES TO CONNECT THEM TO HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH, AND OTHER REQUESTED SERVICES. A TOTAL OF 247 PARTICIPANTS WERE PROVIDED WITH FUNDS FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR CLOTHING, WORK DOCUMENTS, HYGIENE, TRANSPORTATION, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND OTHER ITEMS NECESSARY TO SUCCEED. A. FINANCIAL COACHING SERVICES: CLL CONTRACTED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL PROTECTION & INNOVATION TO PROVIDE FREE FINANCIAL WORKSHOPS AND INDIVIDUAL FINANCIAL COACHING TO CLL'S CLIENT BASE. A TOTAL OF 204 RECEIVED SERVICES RESULTING IN THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: 136 HAD A BUDGET IN PLACE, 141 OPENED A NEW BANK ACCOUNT, 133 SET UP OR INCREASED EMERGENCY FUNDS, 101 DECREASED DEBT AND 147 REVIEWED CREDIT HISTORIES OR PULLED REPORT. OVERALL CLL'S PARTICIPANTS BENEFITED FROM THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES OFFERED THIS YEAR.