The Research:
Financial education is widely acknowledged as an essential ingredient that helps low-income individuals accumulate wealth.

Jobs Programs that include pre-placement training and wrap-around services are the most successful in terms of job retention.

Job Readiness programs that offer classroom training, workplace training and life skills training are the most efficacious.

Our Response:
The Economic Self-Sufficiency Initiative invests in programs that break the cycle of government reliance and help Camden County residents achieve economic self-sufficiency. By 2010 we promise to help 1,500 individuals achieve work readiness, 1,200 individuals obtain employment, 1,000 individuals achieve financial literacy and 600 individuals obtain adequate housing.

The Programs:
Camden County Women's Center, ACCESS Program, NJ Association on Correction
The ACCESS program will help victims of domestic violence gain skills around computer literacy, job readiness, and transitional/competitive employment in the community. The program will also continue to address domestic violence services such as homelessness, trauma, self-esteem, and child care issues.

Community Gateway Program, Camden County College Foundation
This program provides Camden City participants with a neighborhood-based learning environment and a pro bono 15-week course of basic instruction per semester that prepares them for job readiness/employment specific skill development. The program collaborates with faith-based and community organizations to provide literacy and job skill preparation.

Genesis Comprehensive Self-Sufficiency Program, Genesis Youth Employment Training
This program will provide 20 hours a week of programming for ten weeks to youth. Program services will include career development, workplace readiness training, team building and financial literacy.

HOPE Institute, Parkside Business & Community In Partnership, Inc
This is a three-month program that works to help participants acquire the skills and knowledge needed to manage their credit and work through budget issues. Topics such as household budgeting, credit clean-up, understanding the mortgage process and the responsibilities of home ownership will be covered. This is followed by one-on-one counseling with a financial advisor who helps clients set personal financial goals and timelines to reach their goals.
Job Readiness and Employment Program, Woodland Community Development
This program will provide one-on-one job readiness session to Camden residence focusing on self-esteem building, resume preparation, completing job applications, interviewing skills, work related conflict management, and proper work-place conduct. Once clients successfully complete the job readiness sessions and skills assessment, they are employed at one of the programs partner employers.

Job Ready!, The Boys & Girls Club of Camden County
This program prepares teen club members to enter into the workforce with skills they need to start their professional careers successfully. It teaches older teens effective job skills that will help them to gain employment and develop transferable work skills that prepare them for future careers. The training helps teens to identify job opportunities, write effective resumes, and perform well in interviews, while developing skills around problem solving, teamwork, conflict resolution, and effective communication.

Phoenix Employment Program, AIDS Coalition of Southern New Jersey (ACSJN)
In concert with the Social Security Administration - Ticket to Work Program, ACSNJ's program will provide the opportunity for HIV+ and physically and mentally disabled individuals to receive employment counseling, resume assistance, and job skills training.

Young Adult Self Sufficiency Case Management Program, Steininger Behavioral Care Services, Inc.
This program will provide case management services to mentally ill young adults between the ages of 18-25. The case management services will include individual assessment (clinical, work readiness, financial), service planning, linkage with services, monitoring, consumer education and support, consumer advocacy, and system advocacy.

Youth Corps. Program, The Work Group, Inc.
This program provides full-time education and work readiness training designed for school dropouts from Camden County. This grant would provide a Retention Specialist who would work with students transitioning into employment, post-secondary education, or technical skill training. They will provide home check-ins, on-site job retention support, supervision, "lifetime" resume updates and replacement services, job matching, career coaching, access to an after-hours hotline, etc.