2000 Best Practice Awards

661 Learning Independence From Employment
Wheeling, West Virginia
Contact: Angie Hanasky (304) 242-4447

Wheeling Housing Authority's LIFE Program was designed to motivate and train public and assisted housing residents in seeking, obtaining, and maintaining employment. The program specifically targets current or recent TANF recipients who remain unemployed despite nearing the end of TANF eligibility period and individuals who have been sanctioned by the WV DHHR for failing to complete training and employment. All phases of the 90-day program were developed with the special needs of the public housing residents in WHA complexes and those participating in the WHA Section 8 program. The four components of the LIFE Program: Recruiting and Orientation Wheeling Housing Authority and the Ohio County office of the WV Department of Human Resources collaborated to identify and recruit program participants. LIFE Program Staff worked with DHHR Economic Service Workers to identify twenty of the hardest-to-serve public housing residents who were making little or no progress towards self-sufficiency. Those individuals were contacted by the Economic Service Workers and directed, or in some cases, mandated to apply for enrollment in the program. The participant's orientation starts with an interview with the Life Coordinator. The goals of the program, clear statements of what is expected from the participant -ranging from appropriate dress to classroom etiquette, and attendance requirements are reviewed. Keeping in mind that consistent attendance at any job-readiness program was an identified problem with this population, great emphasis was placed on candid discussions with applicants about factors that kept them from completing other programs. The most common obstacles included transportation problems, child care problems, personal problems, not having appropriate clothing, and simply not being accustomed to following a routine. The initial interview included an assessment of the participant's current resources, life goals, and barriers to employment. After the needs assessment identified problems that may potentially prevent attendance or stand in the way of obtaining employment, an interim plan was developed with emphasis on problem-solving strategies. Recognizing that daily classroom attendance for three consecutive weeks requires planning and preparation that this population is not skilled or experienced in performing, special care was taken to offer guidance yet, to allow the participant to take ownership in the process of preparing for the program, the Life Coordinator used an interactive methodology to direct the participant to use critical thinking skills to identify and use personal, community, and family resources to resolve potential problems and to access services to overcome obstacles that generally included securing day care, clothing and personal hygiene items, resolving scheduling conflicts, and basically introducing participants to the practice of juggling personal and professional responsibilities , a common issue for working women. Two to three weeks of follow-up and continued assistance with preparation, as well as constant motivational reinforcement centered on personal empowerment occurred for all participants. Classroom Training The three-week classroom component of the LIFE Program centered on the development of skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to attain employment and long-term self-sufficiency. The classroom setting was designed to mimic the workplace. Participants were expected to attend daily, dress appropriately, and behave in a professional manner. Participants were paid stipends of $50 per week for perfect attendance. The curriculum, developed by the D.M. Saunders Corporation was developed specifically for the WHA resident population that the program was intended to serve. The entire curriculum centers on a content-intense, learner-centered and interactive approach to teaching skills with an intensive promotion of personal accountability and responsibility of the student. Each participant received a packaged manual that containing all instructional modules, work sheets, and reference material. Learning was facilitated through hand-on practice and feedback. The Classroom Training consisted of five modules encouraging self-development, self-responsibility, change, and growth while giving participants the tools necessary to survive in 21st century workplaces. The Program Modules: ·Orientation to the World of Work ·Life Style/Work Survival Skills ·Your Personal Best ·Job Search Skills ·Developing and Maintaining Positive Work Relationships Job Placement The Wheeling Housing Authority's Life Program Coordinator worked with local agencies to identify outreach and employment/placement opportunities resulting in securing jobs for program participants. Several local non-profit and for profit agencies agreed to interview LIFE Program graduates and to recognize the certificate of completion of the program as an asset to the applicant. Participants received an incentive of $200 for 90 days of consecutive employment. Job Retention and Follow Up (Job Club) LIFE Programs graduates continued to receive job placement, support services, and job retention programs after the classroom component ended. A "Job Club" was formed where participants proactively help themselves as well as assist each other by providing information, moral support, and problem resolution during the transition from welfare to self-sufficiency. Technical assistance and continued job placement assistance from the LIFE Program Coordinator remains a crucial service throughout this time.

898 Community Homebuyer Investment Program
Wheeling, West Virginia
Contact: Bill Gossett (304) 233-1114

The CHIP program promotes home ownership opportunities through outreach and education activities targeting low and moderate-income individuals and families in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia and Eastern Ohio.

1503 YWCA Transitional Housing Project
Charleston, West Virginia
Contact: Debby Weinstein (304) 340-3555

The YWCA Transitional Housing Project will provide affordable apartments and supportive services to homeless women and children, as well as, women who are coming out of violent relationships. The Transitional Housing Project features ten newly renovated apartments including four studio apartments, four one-bedroom apartments and two - two bedroom apartments. Residents stay in the apartments up to 24 months, and receive a variety of supportive services to help them become self-sufficient. Services include: case management, adult education, budgeting, job training, parent education, and other needed services identified by the resident and the case manager. The women pay one third of their income for rent. There are two innovative components of the Transitional Housing Project - being two retail stores located next to the apartments. The "Past n' Present" Gently Used Clothing Store and Gift Shop and "Perkin' Up" Gourmet Coffee Shop. The revenue from the clothing store and coffee shop will support the operations of the Transitional Housing Project. The "Past n' Present" clothing store features high quality used clothing at reasonable prices, as well as Blenko Glass (Handmade nationally recognized West Virginia glass) and new jewelry by West Virginia artists. "Perkin' Up" features a variety of gourmet coffees and teas. A manager was hired to manage the operation of the shops. Volunteers provide services to customers and inventory tasks. This project's start was identify as a priority from the Kanawha Valley Collective - the Continuum of Care group in Charleston/Kanawha County, WV area. Initial funding to start this project was acquired from HUD's Continuum of Care funding program. Numerous partners have collaborated financially on this project to make it truly a successful community project.

1513 The Child Development Academy at Mars
Huntington, West Virginia
Contact: Cathy Burns (304) 696-5533

In the past six years, the City of Huntington has assisted with the construction of three new child-care facilities and the expansion of four existing centers. All of the child care facilities have waiting lists. Appreciating the changing workforce, Mayor Jean Dean has led the effort to make children a top priority of her administration. A survey of Marshall University professionals revealed 350 families were in need of child-care.

This newly constructed childcare academy provides high quality childcare for students, staff, and the community, as well as state of the art training for university students. Jointly developed by the City of Huntington and Marshall University, the facility opened in August 1999. It was built from the ground up to meet the needs and withstand the wear of very young children. Elementary Education majors seeking an endorsement in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten education observe and perform a practicum at the center. Communication students participate in the classrooms gaining experience in language stimulation, as well as conducting complete speech and hearing screenings.

1596 Youthbuild New Page Housing
Kincaid, West Virginia
Contact: John P. David (304) 442-3157

Recruit high school drop out students age 16-24 to complete General Equivalency Diplomas (GED )or competency certificate of mastery while learning a reusable and marketable skill for life time employment. The participants gain on-site housing construction and rehabilitation construction skills through work experience and off-site academic classes. On-site education includes site preparation, carpentry, electrical, concrete, landscaping, reading blueprints, math, calculus and manuals for future use. The program has one-half the class working on-site while the other half are attending classroom instructions. Each class works on a one-to-week schedule. Youth drop out of school for individual reasons and are in need of counseling and social service support. The participants are from the coalfields of West Virginia, in particular all of Fayette County and adjoining parts of Kanawha and Raleigh Counties that have 49 percent poor families. Per capital income in the three census tracts are $7,804, $6,961 and $7,940. Based on the Southern Appalachian Labor School experience they have discovered youth at risk experience considerable difficulty and abuse in their lives. Findings reveal difficulties include physical and verbal abuse, beating with billy clubs, abusive stepfathers, being called derogatory names, stealing, fighting, breaking/entering and bringing weapons to school. On the average, the number of family members in participant households is 4 and average grade completed is 9th. Forty-five percent of the youth reported that 75-100 percent of their income (stipend from Youthbuild Program) is used for home expenses. The Female Contractor that works with Youthbuild is an example of minority success and an excellent small business person. She supports and encourages the students, mostly under extreme difficult hardships, such as, no transportation, lack of food and some have no housing. There have been times when the students were actually living in tents. The select group that do acquire GED's are eligible to obtain an Americorp Educational Award of $2,400. Also, they are allowed to set for the Construction License and other Job skill Licenses such as welding and electrician.

1610 Amazon.com
Huntington, West Virginia
Contact: Cathy Burns (304) 696-5533

Job creation is the biggest need for the Huntington-Ironton area. Efforts have focused on creating better paying jobs and technology based jobs. The Empowerment Zone designation supports the area as having high poverty.

On January 13, 2000 the giant e-commerce company, Amazon.com, announced plans to open an East Coast Customer Service Center in the Huntington Empowerment Zone. The company will initially create 375 jobs. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Amazon.com is the Internet's number one book, music, DVD and video retailer. This announcement established Amazon's first customer service center on the East Coast. The company will initially occupy space in downtown Huntington, but agreed to be the anchor tenant for the newly proposed Business and Technology Park. This park is a premier project of the Empowerment Zone initiative and construction of the park will begin summer 2000.

1738 Ohio Valley Affordable Housing Seminar
Wheeling, West Virginia
Contact: William Gossett (304) 233-1114

One day free affordable housing seminar sponsored by a private non profit for affordable housing providers (lenders, realtors, contractors, non profits, etc.) located within West Virginia and Ohio. The seminar encompassed 12 workshops to educate housing providers relative to resources for their clients. Benefit in linking regional providers with resources that could be brought in to the community and provide for networking. In addition to providing home owner resources to the providers the seminar furnished a location for networking opportunities.

2072 Montani Towers
Charleston, West Virginia
Contact: Robert V. Flynt (304) 347-7000

Montani Towers Healthnet is a Neighborhood Network center which incorporates a Nurse Managed Wellness Center and a computer lab at Montani Towers Apartments, a Section 8 high rise for elderly and disabled in downtown Wheeling, WV. This is the third for the center. The intention of the center is not to replace any existing service or medical care. The intention is to provide services for health awareness and wellness and the services include, but not limited to, blood pressure screenings, cholesterol checks, monitoring of blood sugar for diabetes, exercise programs, and various programs on health education of interest to the elderly. Computer instruction is being incorporated into the program by access of health information and issues via the internet and self-sufficiency is promoted by enabling the residents to produce their own building newsletter and calendar of events.

2517 State IDIS Technical Assistance
Charleston, West Virginia
Contact: Tracey Rowan (304) 558-4010

The State of West Virginia provided technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico just prior to Puerto Rico going live on the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS). HUD Washington had suggested that the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico contact West Virginia for peer to peer assistance before the IDIS conversion took place. Both grantees have three separate entities that administer their CDBG, HOME, and ESG programs. Since the State of West Virginia had already established their IDIS system with three separate entities and operated the system for more than a year, they were a good model for the Puerto Rican management team to use as an example. The training took place on February 16, 17, and 18, 2000.

The technical assistance was needed because the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico was going live on IDIS March 20, 2000. The respective program staffs were unsure how to set up their programs in IDIS. In reviewing the three West Virginia programs the Puerto Rican program staffs were able to see how the West Virginia programs were set up and how the West Virginia systems functioned. Based on this exposure to the West Virginia systems, the Puerto Rican staffs were able to ask questions, review alternatives, and determine how they would set up their systems under IDIS. Working with a functioning system and seeing how that established system worked helped the Puerto Rican program staffs design their respective program systems under IDIS.

2597 McMechen Housing Authority's Safe & Drug Free After School Learning Center
Benwood, West Virginia
Contact: Cindy Tribett (304) 233-0830

The McMechen Housing Authority's Safe & Drug-Free Communities Program was designed to provide training curriculums and activities for youth residing in low income housing and throughout the communities of Benwood and McMechen. The program also incorporates activities that provide positive prevention messages about tobacco, alcohol, drug use, and violence in today's society. The goal of the program was to use a variety of programs and activities to ensure that participants develop and maintain healthy relationships.

2766 Mingo County Wood Products Industrial Park
Charleston, West Virginia
Contact: Tracey Rowan (304) 558-4010

The Mingo County Wood Products Industrial Park will give the State of West Virginia the ability to process one of its most abundant raw materials. If successful, West Virginia grown timber can be processed in-state rather than being sent out of state. West Virginia timber processed in-state will command higher prices in the marketplace. Rather than simply exporting raw materials, the state can process the wood and add value to the product through manufacturing. This will create employment and generate more money for the state and its citizens.

Content Archived: April 20, 2011