Supporting Participants: How to Do Participant Case Management and Support
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Supporting Participants How to Do Participant Case Management and Support Case management in a workforce development program is defined as the process that provides guidance, nurturing and accountability to participants toward their successful job placement and retention. This process starts right at or just after program intake and continues throughout the life of the participant’s involvement in the program. Often it can continue informally even after official participant program involvement ends. The role of the case management is critical to the program. Case managers become the central point of contact and liaison for the participant and other program elements. They are the store-keepers of all information on the participant’s progress.
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The Case Manager
The Workforce Professionals Training Institute (WPTI) was created in 2003 as the first stand-alone organization in New York City whose mission is devoted exclusively to the training and development of practitioners in the workforce development field.3 Adapted here, they describe the case manager’s role as: Case managers are front-line staff whose primary responsibilities are to engage and retain constituents within the context of program services, to assist constituents who may have barriers to employment, and to help constituents who in need additional assistance in order to become fully job-ready... Employment case managers act as advocates, resource persons, educators, coaches, and counselors. Case managers will often have case-loads of constituents who require wide-ranging and intensive assistance as they receive services from the organization. They may assist with referrals for issues around child care, transitional public benefits, as well as income support issues that will ultimately help the constituent make a smoother transition into sustainable employment... Case managers are critical parts of the job development team. Their direct work with constituents, and often their broader understanding of the constituent’s needs and challenges can help inform the strategy of employment educators, trainers, job developers, and retention specialists in working most effectively with the constituent, resulting in more appropriate employment placement matches, and longer-term employment placement. Case managers may also refer constituents to a host of other resources 3 Workforce Professionals training Institute Web site (http://www.workforceprofessionals.org) Guide to Starting a Workforce Development Program Esperanza’s Capacity Library Resource www.esperanza.us
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