Santa Barbara County's Paid Work Experience (PWEX) program, a limited-term subsidized employment program, had a very successful run from September 2009 to September 2010. The program proved to be a winner for employees, employers, and the community, and led to ongoing employment for many participants.
The PWEX program was funded through the federal stimulus package, known as the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Consistent with the goals of ARRA, the primary objective of PWEX was to provide an immediate source of income for low-income families.
The PWEX program was designed to fit within CalWORKs (TANF) and the Welfare-to-Work (WTW) program, which helps participants address barriers to employment, develop soft skills, gain work experience and progress toward self-sufficiency. The goal of PWEX was to offer participants several months of stable employment history within the public or nonprofit sectors, leaving them better-positioned to obtain an unsubsidized job when the stimulus period ended.
PWEX provided skill-building job opportunities in a variety of locations, including schools, clinics, nonprofits and public service agencies across the county. There was a job for every interest: in offices, facilities maintenance, healthcare and other paraprofessional positions, and more. By January 2010 we had exceeded our placement goals, and ultimately we made 373 placements.
In September 2010, the program ended when Congress did not renew funding. We were able to save 61 placements with minimal disruption, funding them instead under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), thus enabling post-aid individuals to avoid re-applying for CalWORKs. Another 30 Santa Maria PWEX participants transitioned to CalWORKs Work Study at Allan Hancock College
Who benefited?
- The whole community, as PWEX participants spent their earnings in the local economy. About $2 million in ARRA funds were provided, and a
California Lutheran University - Unemployed families in the CalWORKs program benefited from income, real-world job training, and recent paid employment for the résumé. Said one participant: “The PWEX program is an excellent opportunity for individuals to gain experience while they get paid; this has been a lifesaver!”
- Local nonprofits and public service agencies, as the additional workers eased the crisis of meeting rising caseloads with falling staffing budgets. “The staff we’ve received from your office have been a Godsend to us! They are extremely capable,” said one typical employer. “This is a win-win… They learn valuable skills and we are able to keep our head above water!”
Next Steps
A small-scale program (PWEX 2) began in December 2010, to facilitate continued employment of those who had transitioned to WIA but subsequently exhausted the hours available to them under the WIA program. It had 55 participants and ran through June 30, 2011.
We are presently working to develop an AB98 Subsidized Employment program...stay tuned for details in a future article.
We are presently working to develop an AB98 Subsidized Employment program...stay tuned for details in a future article.
