Employment & Training

Jiyál’axch Amelia Smiley-Rivera Manager The 477 Employment & Training 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 and On-the-Job Training), » Training Services, and » Youth Employment Services. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent precautionary measures taken by the Tribe and communities, E&T staff successfully transitioned to working remotely, where we have remained for a majority of the 2021 year.

ƒ Successfully delivered uninterrupted and quality services while remaining closed to the public and working remotely. ƒ Hosted a Virtual Youth Employment Services program and facilitated a Virtual POWER Conference preparing participants to re-enter the workforce after the pandemic. ƒ Executed a Standard Service Agreement (SSA) with the Business & Economic Development (BED) department to assist 477 clients in their job search efforts, provide more economic opportunities, and create jobs for tribal citizens in Juneau, Alaska. ƒ Received approval to expand the Employment & Training team to include one Workforce

Development Program Coordinator to focus on executing the SSA with BED while further developing the Work Experience program. ƒ Expanded partnerships with local, state, and national entities to provide a wide variety of jobreadiness services, including, but not limited to Zoom classes, webinars, and job-related clubs.

Burial Assistance

Burial Assistance is an indigent burial program available only in the absence of other resources and provides financial assistance to Tribal citizens residing in our compact service area to defray burial expenses. ƒ Provided Burial Assistance funds to 43 applicants in 6 Compact communities.

General Assistance

General Assistance (GA) provides financial assistance to eligible clients for essential needs such as 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/monthly 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 caseworker to develop an Individual Self-Sufficiency Plan (ISP).

ƒ Provided GA services to 105 clients residing in 4 Compact communities. There was a significant fluctuation in the average monthly caseloads as many relief programs were implemented in response to the pandemic (CARES Act, American Rescue Plan Act, Rent Relief programs, and the extension of Unemployment Insurance Benefits). ƒ Issued over 650 benefits to clients to help meet essential needs. ƒ 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. ƒ Organized a drive-by 477 Spring Informational Event that provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and program information to 128 Juneau families and 73 Compact families in the communities of Angoon, Craig, Hoonah, Kake, Ketchikan,

Klawock, Petersburg, Saxman, Sitka, and Yakutat. ƒ Facilitated a virtual Power Conference & Job Fair that focused on navigating the online job search, performing well during virtual job interviews, housing opportunities and funding programs available through Tlingit Haida Regional Housing

Authority, improving financial literacy, and safely caring for our children while working during a pandemic. A total of 74 clients participated on day one and 68 clients participated on day two.

Job Placement & Training Services

The Job Placement & Training Services program offers assistance with education, vocational training, and employment opportunities to eligible applicants who lack specific training or certification to be considered for employment. Clients receive career assessment testing, educational and training assistance, job skills development, work experience and on-the-job training through these services.

In 2021, there were minimal referrals to the Southeast Regional Resource Center for GED testing or the Juneau Job Center for basic office skills training due to COVID-19 safety protocols. ƒ Provided Job Placement & Training services to 11 clients; 1 completed the Administrative Assistant

I Training at the Vocational Training & Resource Center (VTRC) and intends to participate in the upcoming Administrative Assistant II Training. ƒ Placed one client in a Work Experience position with the Tribe. Due to the pandemic, no other Work

Experience placements took place for the remainder of the year. ƒ Successfully closed and celebrated 477’s “Sewing for Safety” group that put four dedicated clients to work hand-stitching over 9,000 double-layer cloth masks to help fulfill the need for masks created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks were donated to tribal organizations and distributed to

Delegates, staff, and tribal youth through the Back to School Backpack event. » One Mask Maker was selected to become a Certified Bernina Technician and received specialized training in Chicago, IL. She is now the Statewide Technician and has secured permanent, full-time employment in a highly specialized field.

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 selfsufficiency. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent precautionary measures the Tribe and local communities adopted, a virtual YES program was implemented in 2021. Students participated in weekly job-skills webinars, prepared résumés and cover letters, completed service projects in their local communities, and received participation stipends. The 2021 theme was, “Writing My Narrative.” ƒ Implemented an abbreviated YES program in six communities (Craig, Hoonah, Hydaburg, Juneau,

Kake, and Klawock); 10 youth participated in the program which included virtual webinars facilitated by Career Services Network and youth stipends.

ƒ Revisit the Job Placement & Training program infrastructure to identify ways we can successfully meet students’ needs while supporting their educational goals. Educational outreach and networking with educational agencies will be a top priority for our Training Caseworker. ƒ Further develop the Work Experience program infrastructure to support self-sufficiency employment opportunities for tribal citizens, to build a temporary laborers pool for the Tribe to call upon when needed, and to help more tribal citizens earn a living wage. ƒ Collaborate with departments within the Tribe to complete warm handoffs between programs and to share resources with one another when a tribal citizen is in need.