Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin - Job Training Program a 2016 Public Law 102-477 Annual Report
~ ., Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin - Job Training Program A 2016 Public Law 102-477 Annual Report
The Community Resource Center provides program services under the funding of Public Law 102-477 (WIA and N.E.W.), the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program and State of Wisconsin Income Maintenance (Food Share and Medical). The Public Law l 02-477 funds consist of WIOA Section 166 Comprehensive Services Program, WIOA Section 166 Supplemental Youth Services and Native Employment Works (NEW) Program. Our Tribal TANF program is not included under our 477 program funding. The funding cycle is based on a July 1 to June 30 year.
The Mission Statement is to provide high quality job training, employment, labor market information and income maintenance services.
Our Vision is to promote pathways to economic independence for our members and families. The Community Resource Program will administer effective programs that include the following goals:
1. To reduce the overall costs of public assistance by promoting work as a means of family suppo1t. 2. To promote individual employability of 477/TANF recipients through close collaboration and coordination between the 477 Program, Tribal TANF, Education Departments and all our partnerships that provide services to the community. 3. To reduce generational dependency on public assistance through the development and awareness ofwork ethics and their value to individual families, their children and the community. 4. To decrease specific barriers to employment such as drug and alcohol dependence by establishing drug testing as one of the necessary eligibility requirements for 477/TANF benefits. 5. Promote self-esteem, independence and selfsufficiency. The Menominee Indian Reservation/County is located in Northeastern Wisconsin on 365 square miles and consists of - s....._..._ the communities ofKeshena, c::J------South Branch, Middle Village, -c::J -..... Neopit and Zoar. ...
Demographics
In 2015 there were an estimated 4,573 people residing 111 Menominee County (http://factfinder.census.gov) an increase of 51 people since the 2014 estimated census. Of this population approximately 87.5 % identify themselves as Native American. The trend continues with more Tribal members moving home to the reservation when experiencing hard times off of the reservation Uob loss. decreased wages, etc.). Available housing remains a concern and many homes are multi-family dwellings. There are approximately 609 other relatives and 292 non relatives living in the family dwellings. (AmericanFactFinder.com) The Menominee County annual median household income was $37,740.00, compared to the State of Wisconsin 's rate of $52,738.00. These figures depict that approximately 41% of the households are living at or below the median household income and 22.6% living below the federal poverty level.
Employment The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin is the main employer within the county providing employment for 1,569 workers (an increase of 83 employees from 2015) which includes Menominee Tribal Enterprise-Logging and Saw Mill (199), Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Tribal programs, which includes the Tribal School (866) and Menominee Casino Resort (504). The Menominee School District rated second employing ISO followed by College of Menominee Nation with 154, and Menominee County Employees totaling 90 positions. The Save-a-Lot grocery store has 18 employees and the local Family Dollar and a Subway have an additional 15 employees. This total of 1,996 positions has increased over the past year by 60 positions. All Menominee Tribal programs continue to operating m a cost containment mode. When Directors have retired this past year Administration has reviewed these programs and have joined a few "like" programs to reduce Administrative costs to run the program to free up funding for services to the community.
Of the 1,996 people employed by the previous mentioned entities, 1,418 of these employees are residents of Menominee County. 1n the same respect 578 people travel to Menominee County from other counties to work in Menominee County. (AmericanFactFinder.com)
Labor Force Population Of the 2,597 eligible people to be in the workforce; 16-64 yrs. of age according to American Fact Finder, currently 1,4 18 are employed in the labor force, while 275 are unemployed. This leaves a total of 904 people not in the workforce currently. The unemployment rate for this population is 16.2%.
Menominee County Civilian Labor Force Data I 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 9mo. average Labor Force 1705 1766 1540 1589 1578 Employed 1428 1443 1338 1432 1441 Unemployed 276 319 202 157 137 Unemployment Rate 17.86% 16.7% 13.1% 9.9% 8.67%
Source: WI DWD, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, WI Labor Force Estimates, not seasonally adjusted
As budget cuts and cost containment continue for Tribal Departments the number of available work placement sites has been affected as well. We continue to be creative in working with Tribal departments to obtain as many placements as possible that will hopefulJy lead to part or full time employment for our clients.
Unemplovment Menominee County continues to have one the highest unemployment rates within the state of Wisconsin. Statistics from 2016 (Jan through September available) show an average unemployment rate for the year of 8.67% compared to the rate of 10.47% for 2015 and 15.26% for 2014. We continue to see this rate improve from year to year which is a welcome sight but we still have much work to do.
2016 Civilian Labor Force Estimates for past nine months Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept - - Labor Force 1554 1540 1545 1563 1550 1628 1618 1626 1574 Employed 1419 1403 1404 1404 1430 1479 1473 1486 1470 Unemployed 135 137 141 159 120 149 145 140 104 - Unemployment Rate% 8.7 8.9 9.1 10.2 7.7 9.2 9 8.6 6.6 Source: Department of Workforce Development
Programs and Services Through the fl exibility of PL-102-477 our program has been able to provide a variety of opportunities and activities to our client base. During the fiscal year we served 171 pruticipants with job training/education/employment services, 16 ofwhich were also receiving cash assistance through our Tribal TANF program. Out of th is 171 , 79 have tenninated services and 92 continue as active clients.
Veterans are given preference for services to our program. As a part of our application process our form asks the client to provide self-declaration of being a veteran or a spouse of a veteran to prioritize these applicants. This past fiscal year a total of 5 veterans received assistance through our program. Returning veterans are referred to their Veteran Service Officer, Mental Health, AODA and/or Vocational Rehabil itation to assist with any service related issues they may be experiencing.
Education Rates Ofour community members over the age of25 years (2,563 according to AmericanfactFinder.com) • 1069 hold a High School Diploma or equivalency diploma- 41.7% • 597 have some college training but no a degree - 23.3% • 246 have obtained an Associate's degree - 9.6% • 276 hold a Bachelor's degree - l 0.8% • 146 have a Graduate or Professional degree - 5.7% That leaves an estimated 229 individuals without a high school diploma - about 8.8%. The number of graduates and advanced degrees has increased since last year.
Education is always a goal when working with clients, furthering their education can open up so many more opportunities to them. This past year we had 34 adult clients and 3 youth clients with an Educational/Training goal and had 2 adults and I youth that obtained their goal and 2 other adults that completed another education outcome during the fiscal year. This number only takes into account those clients who are no longer a pa1i of the 477 program; many more continue to work towards their goal as an active client.
We are fortunate to have the College of Menominee Nation on our reservation and readily available to our clientele. To familiarize clients with the college their first visit is usually to complete their T ABE test during application. The Community Technology Center that now houses the Skills Lab, Job Center of Wisconsin and the GED testing lab are utilized often by our clients and the community. Many return to utilize the Skill Builder Lab to brush up on needed skill sets to improve their TABE scores. Clients also utilize other area technical schools and specialty programs.
This past fiscal year we had clients' complete the following goals: one client completed their CDL certification through Fox Valley Technical College; one client received his Welding Technical Education diploma from the College of Menominee Nation; one female client obtained her Office Technician diploma from the College of Menominee Nation; and one client enrolled and completed a weekend Dental Assistant Class tliat was completed in ten weeks. These clients were supported with a variety of supportive services for transportation, tuition and specialty clothing needs as well as a cash incentive for completion.
Work Experience Contracts, On-The-Job Training, Emergency Hires and referrals This past fiscal year we had 66 adult and 3 youth clients with an Employment Objective listed in their plan. Through the use of our Interdepartmental Agreement Form this past fiscal year we were able to assist 12 clients with a Work Experience contract and 3 clients completed an On The-Job Training contract for experience. The additional JPTA funding received this past fiscal year allowed us to provide longer contracts for some of the clients that would benefit from more experience and to provide some contracts that were just for experience and not for hire. A total of 34 clients did not meet their employment goal this fiscal year, of these many were working on barriers to employment. Those employed showed an earnings gain of $6.82. This past year we have worked closely with many departments including Menominee Transit, Menominee Tribal Clinic, Historic Preservation, Menominee Casino Resort, Menominee Early Childhood Services, Johnson O'Malley Program, Wolf River Development, and Conservation.
One female client completed her 8 week contract with the Menominee Casino Reso11 to gain work experience and was able to use her income to pay off a $591 traffic fine. Her placement was extended and she went on to secure a flex position with the Casino in housekeeping. This work experience was her first job experience ever.
Two male clients attended a Job Fair at the Shawano Job Center and received an interview with two separate companies. One became employed at a cheese factory and the other gentleman received a temp-to-hire position as a welder. The later was assisted with a welding helmet, gloves and gas cards.
One female client completed a 4 week contract with Wolf River Development Company and was hired full time at $13.82/hr. as an Administrative Assistant. She had over 22 years' experience as a Budget Specialist but her job was eliminated due to budget cuts.
One female client completed an 8 week contract with Menominee Tribal Daycare and was hired part time at $9.05/hr. Jn October 2016 she was transfeITed to a full time Head Cook position earning $11.24/hr.
One female client participated in the summer youth program for 3 years when she was in high school, which was her only work experience (six weeks each summer). She completed a Work Experience placement with the Historic Preservation Department and used her income to pay a $887 traffic fine. She secured a flex Room Attendant position at North Star Casino and used her earnings to pay for a State IDP and completed her Driver Safety classes, which were a requirement for her to regain her license. She passed her written exam and driving test and obtained a valid instructional permit. Our program assisted her by utilizing C&J Driver's Education for behind the wheel instruction and use of his car for her skills exam. She was promoted to full time employment with insurance benefits in August and has maintained her employment for one year. Work Experience contracts for our clients have assisted them to overcome their barriers and become ready for employment. The Job Counselors work with area departments to secure job placements for hire utilizing our Interdepartmental Contract. Most of these jobs are entry level positions within the Tribe where clients will work a set number of hours between 20 and 40 and be paid a comparable wage during their training period. While our program pays at the rate of minimum wage for these contracts the departments are encouraged to supplement the wage to bring the client up to the given rate for the position they are ft II ing. This past year 12 of the 9 positions were supplemented by the employers.
Many of our clients have little or no employment history and these placements give them the needed verifiable work history needed for job application requirements. Job Counselors work closely with the clients to monitor the client's growth in the position and assist with needed changes to assure the job is a good fit for the client. At the end of the contract the employer has the option to hire the client into a regular part time or full time position.
Our staff is always looking for new opportunities for our clients to become trained and employed. Our unemployment rate although it has improved, remains to be one of the highest in the state. The need for additional full time employment opportunities for our clients is great. Part time and on-call wages are not sufficient to allow for a livable wage. Childcare and transportation are also a challenge our clients face when seeking employment at area gaming facilities.
Tribal Pardons Past legal issues can serve as a hindrance when applying for employment. Our program has one staff that is knowledgeable in the Tribal Pardon process which allows for past aged convictions to be pardoned so they are able to obtain employment. Clients have to complete a paper process showing the improvements they have made in their lives and this gets presented to the Menominee Tribal Legislature for determination. This past year our employee successfully assisted 8 community members to overcome this barrier. Our program assists with the fees charged to complete this process. By taking care of this barrier they are one step closer to being self-sufficient.
Continued Training and Outreach Efforts While assisting clients to develop as individuals it is also important for staff to continue to develop. Our program continues to be trained and informed about the effects of trauma on our clients and how we can better work with them to assure we are not re-traumatizing individuals. This will be a work in progress as we continue to review policy and procedures and adapt to the need. The Director, Assistant Director and the newly hired Job Counselor attended the annual PL I 02-477 conference in Reno, NV. It is important for staff to attend these opportunities to refresh and learn new ideas to utilize while working with clients to reach their potential.
The Community Resource Center comprised of PL 102-477, Tribal TANF and Income Maintenance program, provided assistance and/or personnel for the following community events/activities during this fiscal year: Culture Camp (two sessions), Coats for Kids, Sturgeon Feast, Sobriety Pow Wow, Round House, Positive Indian Parenting, Youth Olympics, Night Out Against Crime, Coat and Blanket Giveaway and the Johnson O'Malley Senior Banquet.
Members of our staff participate in the following committees/activities: Community Engagement Committee, Community Coordinated Response Team, Labor and Education Committee, Environmental Protection Committee, Fostering Futures Advisory Council, Trauma Informed Care, and Night out against Crime.
Pathways to Success Training Calendar Located in our facility is a 16 workstation computer lab that also functions as a meeting room. This room is utilized daily by 477 clients, TANF clients and the community to attend the Pathways to Success Training Calendar events. Each month a schedule of events is planned and posted within the community and shared with clients. These trainings range from educational, informative to cultural crafting. This year we collaborated with the following programs to provide training: Menominee Tribal Clinic (health and wellness), UW-Extension (food preparation and cooking classes), and Menominee Job Center (interviewing, resumes, cover letters, soft skills and dressing for success). While the morning is reserved for the scheduled training calendar the computer lab is open every afternoon from noon to four thi,ty for clients to use for job search activities and resume creation.
We have staff members trained to complete the following on-site trainings throughout the program year: Native Wellness Life Skills Empowerment, Fatherhood/Motherhood is Sacred, Building Native Communities, Discovery Dating, Positive Indian Parenting and Healthy Relationships. We also offer workshops to enhance cultural activities including beading and regalia making. Transportation Lack of transportation is very prevalent on the reservation as well as eligible participants without a driver' s license. Throughout the year we have assisted 6 individuals with obtaining their instructional permit, their regular driver's license or reinstatement of their license. The local transportation department is also utilized to assist clients in getting to appointments, completing job search, and attending school. The bus routes are frequent to allow for most day time transportation needs. Extended hours were added to the schedule this year to assist with evening and weekend transportation needs. An additional agreement is still in place with North Central Technical College in Antigo (about 45 minutes from the reservation) to provide transportation for those wanting to attend schooling that is offered through this technical school and not the College of Menominee Nation. We have begun to issue tickets as well as a bus pass to those people working later in the evening as the regular bus route is done and they have to request a special ride. This has allowed flexibility to the clients and assures they have safe transportation later in the day.
We renewed our contract with the Transit Department as well to provide bus passes to our clients. These can be used for job search, work activities, appointments and other activities needed to work toward their self-sufficiency. This has been a cost saving measure for us as we pay a blanket rate for unlimited services.
The local Department of Motor Vehicle office open here on the reservation at the Transp011ation building makes it more accessible for clients to receive their temporary license, complete testing and their behind the wheel driver's testing. Being a familiar location helps to put the clients at ease, knowing that they will be driving in familiar tenitory as wel I.
Our department also has contracted with a local driving instructor to provide instructional refresher trainings as well as driving experience to our clients as a supportive service. He is contracted to meet with the clients for a set number of times and assist them in gaining the skills necessary to pass their driving tests. His vehicle is also available for testing day for those that do not have a reliable vehicle.
GED/HSED/High School Graduation Obtaining a GED or High School diploma is the first stepping stone to becoming gainfully employed. Clients are fortunate to have a few options when faced with pursuing their diploma. The Tribe Education Depat1ment offers GED services which include study time, one-on-one assistance, and testing. The local Menominee lndian School District has established a program to allow individuals, regardless of age, to obtain a regular high school diploma instead of a GED. Throughout the program year 4 clients worked toward their GED or high school diploma with all 4 successfully completing. Obtaining this goal has allowed them to then set new educational and employment goals for them to strive for.
Supportive Services An annual review was completed of the Supportive Services guideline listing and adjustments made where seen fit. Services assisted with vary but the main requests are bus passes, gas cards, car repairs, and tire replacement, tuition fees for workshops, car insurance, and interview or work clothing/footwear. A portion of the extra JPTA funding received this year was added to the Supportive Service line item to allow us to expand on these services. Traditionally we do not have ample money to fit the needs of the clients. This extra funding allowed us to assist with needed car insurance for employment as well as car repairs - two of the more costly expenses requested. Wisconsin State law states that all vehicles on the road must have at least liability insurance; this can be a challenge for clients living on a limited budget.
The sliding fee scale continues to apply to a limited number of the Supportive Service requests such as: A.ODA Assessment, Group Dynamics driver's license reinstatement, tribal pardons, car repairs and tires. The scale takes in to consideration if they client has income and makes them responsible for a small portion of the cost. This was put in place to stretch supportive service funding as well as to teach responsibility and cost sharing to the client.
This past year we provided a variety of suppo11ive services to clients. The highest used request is for gas cards to assist the clients in getting to appointments, job search and work. There is an annual limit per person on these to encourage self-dependence. The second most requested item is for assistance with interview/work clothing and shoes/work boots. Many clients just starting out in the workforce do not have the money to spend on these items and we want to assure they are able to look professional for their interviews and first days at work. Other items assisted with include birth certificates, glasses/contacts, gaming licensing fees, relocation fees, educational expenses, vehicle registration and driver's license fees. Obstacles to Achieving Employment We continue to struggle in finding adequate job search and/or work placement activities for individuals that are returning to the community after being incarcerated. The barriers put in place by their past limits the places that they are able to work within the Tribe. We are looking to outside sources more in neighboring communities to find the right kind of placement for them but these are still difficult to obtain.
Youth Services The Community Resource Center secured job placements for 79 youth to participate in a 6 week Youth Work Experience Program. Another (45) youth were referred to the Johnson O'Malley (JOM) program with (45) gaining summer employment, this program approached Tribal Legislation for funding for an additional 20 youth. One Youth Supervisor was hired on a temporary basis to provide supervision to the youth and assist the Recruitment and Training Coordinator. The youth ranged in age from 14-24 and they were placed within local departments. The program is designed to give youth an opportunity to pa11icipate in actual work and educational environments to experience and gain knowledge for involvement in the future labor force. The youth participated at their work sites for (16) hours with another 4 hours of Educational training for a total of 20 hours each week. We worked in collaboration with Human Resources, Youth Development and Outreach, Tribal Clinic Wellness and the Menominee Job Center to provide these weekly trainings at the Menominee Indian High School to focus on job skill activities.
One additional event was the screening of the documentary Paper Tigers. The video fol lows a year in the life of an alternative native high school that has radically changed its approach to disciplining its students, becoming a promising model to break the cycles of poverty, violence and disease that affect families. A member of the Fostering Futures Advisory Committee held an initial discussion with the youth about ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and TIC (Trauma Informed Care). The research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with another institute has demonstrated an association of ACESs with health and social problems as an adult where many have co-occutTing experiences. She shared that many Menominee children have experienced several ACEs in their lives. Trauma Informed Care is an intervention and organizational approach that focuses on how trauma may affect an individual's life and his or her response to behavioral health services from prevention through treatment. Trauma refers to extreme stress that overwhelms a person's ability to cope. The Menominee Tribe has been training agencies and departments throughout the community to create awareness and to have a clearer understanding of trauma and how it affects the day to day actions of people we encounter. There was some good conversation with the youth afterwards and they were open to share how they felt in their own settings and areas that they could see improvements being made. School counselors were on hand to assist in discussing this sensitive topic.
This year a new "Youth Work Readiness Tool" was utilized to show improvement and/or need for improvement with the youth's working skills. This tool is designed to assist supervisors in providing better direction to the youth and for the youth to identify and understand work expectations. Skills learned at the work site are measured preferably in week (2) and (4) of the program with the supervisor meeting with the youth to develop mutual goals or steps for performance improvement. By strengthening employer-youth communication youth learn and develop more productive work employability skills, character and self-responsibility. We received some good results with utilization of this tool; it serves as a good talking point with supervisors and youth employees.
At the end of our 6 week summer program, at the request of the Menominee Tribal Clinic, (2) youth worked for an additional three week period, and one youth worked an additional three weeks with the Emergency Management Program. They entered Work Experience contracts to continue with their employment based on their positive work ethic. The positions were funded through the each individual department.
Applications for the program including a resume were accepted over a three week period and then graded on a point scale considering low income, type of family (1 or 2 parent/guardian/youth parent), etc. Placements were picked according to highest to lowest score. A group orientation was held to go over rules and expectations as well as goal setting for the youth.
Some of the community events that the youth assist with are Breakfast with Santa, Summer Youth Olympics, Toys for Tots and the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament.