WHAT WE LEARNED
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“A lot of these training programs, the government pays $15K for six months to do medical assistant or dental assistant training. They don’t know anything after only six months. No one will hire these people.”
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“Education is a huge factor. There is no equality in education now. Wealthy communities and disadvantaged communities aren’t getting the same education.”
As we listened to what people had to say, some themes emerged: • Many San Diegans can’t make ends meet. • It’s complicated. People have difficulty understanding and accessing resources. • Skills don’t match available jobs. • Education, income and health are connected. Despite reports of a recovering economy, people are still struggling. According to those who work for local assistance agencies, this continues to be a shocking reality: One case manager reported, “Most of my families have never been in this position. They were working, got unemployment and those benefits ran out and now they need food stamps. It’s very sad. Many of them have to file bankruptcy and now they don’t pass the background checks to get a new job at the same level they had before.” One thing we heard repeatedly is that people are frustrated by the system – they need help navigating the resources that may be available to them. One participant explained it this way: “It’s not until you get into one of these programs or just happen to hear ... you’re never going to hear about the different options. They make it so difficult with all these procedures and paperwork. It’s a hassle.” Another added, “There is so much information out there; we need a more concise way to go and get [it].” We heard that child care and transportation are major issues: not only the costs involved, but the barriers those costs create to getting or keeping a job. Even at the early stages of employment – interviewing or training – without access to affordable ways to care for children and get to and from work, families are stranded in their circumstance. And what about the training that’s available? One participant commented that what’s available doesn’t match the need. We heard the same frustration from employers, who claim they have jobs to offer, but people lack the right training.
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