a second chance
b y meg fraser
back to work Training program gives seniors a second chance at a career
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nemployment remains at an all time high, and the job market continues to be flooded with applicants boasting impressive resumes. High school students looking for part-time jobs are suddenly competing with collegiate-educated professionals who are struggling to find work.
For seniors looking for new job opportunities, the prospects can seem dismal. The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is hoping to change that. Funded by the United States Department of Labor, SCSEP has more than $500 million behind it, and provides job training and placement with people with limited financial resources over the age of 55. It is an initiative offered through SER Jobs for Progress National, Inc., and is a life-changing opportunity for low-income seniors who are faced with unemployment at a time when many peers are considering retirement. For many older Americans, early retirement is not an option. “They gave us their best years. They worked hard and made this country better. Now the economic crisis is affecting our senior citizens disproportionately,” said Rafael Romo of Jobs for Progress. That is certainly true in Rhode Island
November 2010
“The list is growing and growing,” said Esther Mendez, a SER caseworker in Rhode Island who handles the SCSEP applicants. Her office keeps a running list of both English and Spanish speaking applicants, and said the job placements can’t keep up with the demand. “It’s getting a little bit harder because of the economy,” she said. Still, SCSEP is putting older people in this state and beyond, back to work. In the past 40 years, the program has helped millions of people find jobs, and more than 100,000 people are trained each year. “When we have slots we take a group of people, maybe 10 or 12, and they come from orientation and if they’re interested they do another follow-up and then if they qualify income wise then they get the case manager,” Mendez explained. “We do an assessment to see what it is that they’re looking for.” If the program is
a fit, participants can be directed to jobs they might not have been qualified before prior to SCSEP, which offers valuable skills like those in technology and computers. Participants work an average of 20 hours a week and are paid the highest of federal, state or local minimum wage. They are placed in community service activities, which program organizers hope will lead to unsubsidized employment opportunities. The training puts older Americans at a level playing field with their younger counterparts, and SCSEP officials point to the experience and reliability of an older employee. For more information on the Senior Community Service Employment Program, visit www.doleta.gov/seniors or call the toll-free help line at 1-877-872-5627. ■
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