term working poor and no improvement in
environment or outcomes for the children in these families.
Consequently, what social workers have
found is the problem is not simply an unemployment problem: it
is a life skills problem. Something as simple as setting
an alarm clock in order to make it to work on time is a foreign
concept to many welfare recipients.
Some common obstacles adults face when
attempting a transition from welfare to the workforce are
ineffective work habits and work history, poor organizing and
decision making skills, few resources, lack of education and
training, preventable health issues, and numerous personal
distractions.
THE HISTORY
In order to see change in the lives of
these families, the Hampton Department of Social Services
created FASTFORWARD, a new innovative eight week plan to
assist people in moving successfully from welfare to the
workforce.
The thought process of the FASTFORWARD
program began in 2000 when Walt Credle, who is the director of
Hampton’s department of social services, implored his
staff to come up
The author is the public communications
manager for the city of Hampton.
he Hampton
Department of Social Services is taking existing welfare reform
to the next step. By implementing a new “welfare to
work” plan, Hampton is ensuring better long term outcomes
for
Hampton families, children, and the city
as a whole. The goals are higher income, longer job
retention, and long term independent productive citizens.
“FASTFORWARD” as the program is known, is
making these goals obtainable.
THE PROBLEM
Hampton’s social services staff has
found that federal and/or state welfare reform does not go far
enough. Simply finding a welfare recipient a job does not
resolve the long term issues. Closed cases are not
translating into better situations for families.
Participants are not keeping jobs due to poor
organizational and life management skills, preventable medical
conditions, and problems with parenting and interaction with
family members. Even when welfare to work participants
are employed, their income stays below poverty level.
Finally, the traditional system of referrals to community
resources is simply not working.
These issues resulted in increased
population of long
Shown Right, Director of Hampton
Department of Social Services Walt Credle posed in front of one
of the FASTFORWARD displays in the FASTFORWARD Center.
