About a month ago I attended a program called Project Compass at the Boynton Beach City Library. Below I will post a brief description of this program and some ideas I gathered there. One thing that I have decided to do for the future is more programming "sponsored" by the Empowerment Zone. Ted Kramer of the Small Business Development Center presented on his organizations programs and I subsequently contacted him to have them do several programs at our library. I also reached out to Austin who is spending the off season in Connecticut and New York. He agreed to do a series of events for the Empowerment Zone. So, as of now there are 6 future programs scheduled for the EZ!!! Two on small business development and entrepreneurship, and four on job searching/resume creation. I will post more briefly on Austin's and the SBDC programs.
Here are my abridged notes on Project Compass:
Project Compass
What are the program requirements?
* Participants will attend a face-to-face training session that covers job-seeker information, personal financial skills, and resources for small businesses and entrepreneurs. At the session, participants will exchange ideas, information, and resources. They will then share this information with their colleagues and library administration.
* Participants are required to take part in four evaluations: a pre-workshop assessment, follow-up assessments three weeks and then three months after the workshop, and a final evaluation upon completion of Project Compass.
• Participants will identify and implement at least one workforce recovery activity in their local communities by October 2011.
• Participants must also participate in an online follow-up session in July 2011 to discuss their progress on their workforce recovery activities.
Possible Project Compass Activities:
Job Fair at our library
Specific program or help for veterans
Other ideas:
Create a checklist with help for the recently unemployed
• File for unemployment
• Places with help for paying utilities, etc.
• Update your resume
• Workforce Alliance contact info
Create a special section/collection of all career guidance books, resume and CV books, and cover letter books. Place the collection near the reference desk.
Create a survey to evaluate our constituency – difference between class takers and EZ patrons.
Networking event at our library, or business card exchange.
