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477 Employment & Training
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Keegahn
William Martin Director
Saigee
Grace Hawkins Manager January - May 2020 The 477 Employment & Training (E&T) department addresses problems of unemployment and under-employment, and the economic needs of Alaska Natives and American Indians residing in Southeast Alaska. The department administers the following programs: Burial Assistance, General Assistance, Job Placement (Work Experience & On-the-Job Training), Training Services, and Youth Employment Services. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and the subsequent precautionary measures taken by the Tribe and local communities, E&T staff successfully transitioned to working from home.
2020 Highlights
Increased staff development through seminars and webinars in the areas of professional business writing, non-violent crisis intervention and domestic violence training. Purchased commercial equipment to provide embroidery, engraving, and direct-togarment printing work experience opportunities for tribal citizens.
Burial Assistance
Burial Assistance is an indigent burial program available only in the absence of other resources and provides financial assistance to tribal citizens to defray burial expenses. Provided 28 families with burial assistance.
General Assistance
General Assistance (GA) provides financial assistance to eligible clients for essential needs which include food, clothing, shelter and utilities. GA payments are not intended to pay bills, credit card debts or loans. GA is only to be used to pay verified actual/month expense amounts. Clients also receive career assessment testing, educational and training assistance, job-skills development, work experience and on-the-job training. Clients work with their assigned 477 caseworker to develop an Individual Self-Sufficiency Plan (ISP). Provided support to an average of 165 clients per month. There was significant fluctuation in the number of cases from month-to-month due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the highest at 247, and the lowest at 83. Contracted with Career Services Network, LLC, to provide weekly online webinars that focused on a variety of job-readiness classes, including, but not limited to, résumé writing, interview skills, dressing for success, and time management.
Job Placement & Training Services
The Job Placement and Training Services programs offer assistance with education, vocational training and employment opportunities to eligible applicants who lack specific training or certification to be considered for employment. Through these services, clients receive career assessment testing, educational and training assistance, job skills development, work experience and on-the-job training.
In 2020, there were no referrals to the Southeast Regional Resource Center for GED testing or the Juneau Job Center for basic office skills training as they exercised similar pandemic response protocols as the Tribe.
Provided services to 37 clients; 19 graduated and 25 secured employment.
2020 Highlights (Cont.)
Job Placement & Training Services (Cont.)
Placed three Work Experience clients in positions, one in Ketchikan and two in
Juneau. Due to the pandemic, no other Work Experience placements took place for the remainder of the year. Expanded partnership with Career Services Network, LLC, to increase training, education and employment opportunities for clients via weekly webinars. Coordinated a mask making project, “Sewing for Safety”to help fulfill the need for masks created by the COVID-19 pandemic. This put four dedicated tribal citizen clients to work making double layered cloth masks. Masks were donated to several tribal organizations and distributed to Delegates, staff, and tribal youth through the
Backpack to School event.
Youth Employment Services
The Youth Employment Services (YES) program assists eligible tribal youth between the ages of 14-24 to discover career/education pathways while developing employment skills and teaching self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent precautionary measures the Tribe and local communities adopted, the YES program was canceled in 2020.
2021 Goals
Expand partnerships with local, state, and national entities to provide a wider variety of job-readiness services, including, but not limited to, Zoom classes, webinars, and job-related clubs. Develop an in-house production center to produce embroidered, engraved and direct-to-garment printed products to fulfill program needs and to expand work experience opportunities for tribal citizens. Collaborate with the TANF department to help provide support to the Cultural
Heritage & Education department as they develop monthly cultural classes.
