NEO A&M decided in 1990 to become a part of the solution for the unemployed and underemployed. NEO A&M established a program whereby at-risk adults could overcome the expectation of failure, build success by building self-esteem, and reverse the trends that were harming them and their families. At-risk adults were defined as those adults who found themselves in poverty with little hope for improving their futures. NEO A&M worked to recruit these students to build a strong sense of community, to establish a public/private partnership, and to strengthen the participants' personal and social skills. Students are encouraged to select careers that had high marketability with potential to lead to self-sufficiency.
NEO A&M participated in the JOBS Program funding for the fiscal year 1992-1993. The purpose of this funding was to strengthen student services for Education, Training, and Employment (ET&E) participants (100% of which are on public assistance), who were enrolled as full-time students at NEO A&M. The primary focus of the additional services was recruitment, retention, and completion of postsecondary training designed to lead to productive employment. Central to all these was helping ET&E participants help themselves to regain their own self-respect. NEO A&M addressed the needs of at-risk nontraditional adult students who have been unemployed or underemployed with little hope for change. This objective is accomplished by helping such adults overcome their educational deficiencies and integrating them into postsecondary education. The methods by which these goals have been achieved is outlined in the appendices under methodologies. The observable outcomes will be referenced in the appendices under tracking.
The OWLS Program has been recognized as a state and national model program. Our program has been visited by over thirty educational and governmental agencies for replication. We have been interviewed by the Oprah Winfrey Show, the New York Times, and been featured elsewhere on television and in print. Other numerous awards have been given.
The ages of the participants range from 21 to 35 and over. About 96% of the participants are female, and 46% are male. Of the participants, 64% have a parent or parents who graduated from high school, while 36% are first generation high school graduates. The statistical breakdown for the last grade completed in high school is 67% graduated, 6% completed the 8th grade, 18% completed the 9th grade, 5% completed the 10th grade, and 4% completed the 11th grade.
Participants in the OWLS Program have a high educational need for developmental education. The primary reason is that approximately 40% of the participants are high school dropouts, which means they are almost always automatically deficient in core areas. For the 60% who graduated from high school, their high school graduation requirements did not meet college entrance level requirements in mathematics, English, reading, and so on. Consequently, the participants often find themselves in a deficiency status.
Nearly all of the participants have been out of the educational setting for a number of years, which is reflected in various standardized test data. Generally, entering OWLS students will have a score of 14-17 as their ACT composite score.
NEO A&M utilizes its own personnel and resources to ensure proper and efficient administration of the JOBS Program. The OWLS coordinator serves as a liaison between intraagencies and interagencies for the JOBS participants. The coordinator's responsibilities include recruitment and retention of JOBS participants. The coordinator possesses the ability to understand, develop, and motivate current NEO students and future students.
The NEO A&M OWLS Program utilizes lab assistants for the health science areas; the general science areas; and the reading, writing, speech, and math areas. The lab assistants provide full-time assistance in the relevant area for the JOBS participants, with full understanding that while it may take remediation, all participants can learn. Lab assistants work closely with faculty for the empowerment of participants.
The goal of the counseling program is to serve all participants in a multidisciplinary approach. The approaches include, but are not limited to, a one week pre-school workshop, individual socialization sessions, crises intervention, parenting, and stepparenting. All participants are required to complete an intake with the counselor. At this point, the client is given a set of recommendations in how to follow "A Typical Day" in the NEO A&M JOBS Program.
Due to class schedules, many clients schedule counseling appointments early in the day before their first class. Participants generally attend between three to four hours of class a day.
After eating lunch in the OWLS Center, a client may elect to check-in with their appointed staff member. The staff member will discuss any difficulties that the client may be anticipating or experiencing in coursework. If the client is experiencing an especially difficult task, the staff member will formulate a plan of action to aid the client. The task of all staff members is to aid and abet the individual in the process of becoming self-sufficient and empowered.
The staff member has a large number of tools to lead the client to understanding. The client may choose to utilize a variety of reference materials or software. The time that a participant spends with staff members and study fulfills the requirement of the initial contract that each participant signs. It is not unusual for JOBS participants to spend some time during each day with a large number of JOBS staff.
JOBS participants are active in many college organizations and clubs. The staff encourages active participation, which aids in developing effective social skills. A typical day varies for each individual as many participants are completing required health science clinicals.
JOBS participants are active in the program on a daily basis. We believe this holistic approach leads to active peer support and a strong community.
1.1 Assist Students/Clients To Increase Self-Knowledge and Self-Advocacy.
NEO A&M JOBS participants are required to complete a comprehensive intake with the JOBS counselor prior to admission to the program. The comprehensive intake evaluates cognitive, behavioral, and social skills. Through individual interaction with the counselor, clients discuss relevant needs, interests, values, and abilities that influence their career decisions as well as their desires to attend NEO A&M. Upon completion of the evaluation, the client may be admitted to the program and asked to sign a contractual agreement to ensure program compliance.
Many of the active participants report a high incidence of physical, sexual, and mental abuse. Emotional traumas may include depressive disorders, dependent personality disorders, or polysubstance abuse. Clients are supported and encouraged to confront personal issues in an atmosphere of unconditional positive regard. Many participants may seek counseling for guidance purposes. Through intra-agency and interagency collaboration, participants can have their immediate emotional and personal needs addressed.
Counseling services include individual and family therapy, physical and sexual abuse therapy, substance abuse counseling, and parenting and educational services. Through an understanding of career development theory and assessment, the counselor may aid the participant in career exploration or assessment.
The purpose of the counseling module is to empower the participants to make the difficult transition into their chosen career. Counseling assists the individual by providing a structure through which they may explore personal and career issues. Through maintaining contact with the counselor, students are encouraged to maintain their focus on studies while confronting barriers to personal empowerment. The client works in collaboration with the counselor to develop a treatment plan with measurable and observable objectives.
Social skills development workshops offer clients ample opportunity to learn practical skills to aid in personal development. The topics of workshops include relationships, parenting, assertiveness, co-dependency, addictive behaviors, eating disorders, communication skills, depression, accepting change, and conflict resolution.
1.2 Assist Students/Clients in Educational and Occupational Exploration
The NEO A&M JOBS Program incorporates educational and occupational exploration into the counseling module. Clients are assessed prior to entry into the JOBS Program. The primary goal of the JOBS Program is to encourage clients to select careers that have high marketability with the potential to lead to self-sufficiency.
The Educational Occupational Services testing coordinator completes an intake and assessment, which assesses participants' interests and aptitudes. Between the job developer and the participant, a decision is made to explore a specific career field. At that point, a referral is made to the NEO A&M JOBS Program to enroll a student in a particular major.
In conjunction with the JOBS Program counselor, the director of counseling at NEO A&M serves as a liaison between the JOBS Program counselor and the other counselors on campus. The director and her staff also serve the Career Orientation Assessment to the students entering NEO A&M. She and her staff analyze the results of the interest inventory and help participants decide which field of study might be most suitable.
The counseling services utilize SIGI, SIGI-PLUS, and Discovery. The assessments assist the clients in investigating their interest, values, and abilities. Students are encouraged to explore current information available through the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and Occupational Outlook Handbook. Career and educational exploration is the initial goal and is a continuing opportunity for every participant in the JOBS Program.
1.3 Assist Students/Clients in Career Planning, Preparation, and Transition
After completion of the JOBS Program, participants are referred to appropriate JOBS developers for placement. However, prior to completion, clients are given many opportunities to address career planning and transition.
The JOBS Program staff believe that employability training is essential to the success of the participants if they are to find secure employment that will remove them from long-term welfare dependency. Activities include goal setting, employee etiquette, and interview preparation.
A professional development course is available for participants to increase job readiness. Coursework covers topics such as social skills, office etiquette, résumé writing, and so on.
Due to lack of funds, many participants lack appropriate attire for effective transition. This need has been addressed by the Advisory Council. A clothes closet has been established so that clients may select and keep appropriate clothing for effective transition. The program has made an effort to include the business community; donations have been sought to sponsor students as they make the transition from school to work.
Overall, the NEO A&M JOBS Program assists clients in recognizing and utilizing their present strengths and abilities for effective career transition. The program staff is dedicated to the JOBS participants as well as to their employability.
2. Addressing the Needs of Diverse Student Populations
NEO A&M's target population is comprised of 100 ET&E participants (on public assistance) each semester. This population is reflective of the high poverty rate in NEO's surrounding counties, and the high rate of permanently displaced workers. The target population is then broken into four primary groups--clients who are under 21 with no high school diploma or GED; clients under 24 with limited work experience and either a GED or high school diploma; clients who have been on welfare for 24 out of the previous 36 months; and "other," which includes those recipients who are referred by the Department of Human Services (DHS) that do not fit into any of these stated categories.
The ages of the participants range from 21-35 and over. Approximately 96% of the participants are female, and 4% are male. Of the participants, 40% of the participants are high school dropouts, which means they are automatically deficient in core areas.
The counseling program addresses diversity through a multidisciplinary approach. Innovative approaches allow diverse populations to seek support in culturally appropriate and sensitive methods. Commonalities for the participants include alcohol/drug issues, sexual and physical abuse issues, and codependent relationships. The counselor utilizes the Substance Abuse Simple Screening Inventory (SASSI-2) for accurate assessment and evaluation. Counseling addresses communication, relationships, self-esteem assertiveness, and empowerment.
3. Program Support Systems
One hundred percent of the participants are provided an opportunity to have tutorial services in the four content areas of math, science, health science, and English by highly qualified, degreed personnel. The tutors also assist in the employability module by assisting with the pre-school workshop, Return to Learn; résumé building; and job readiness skills.
These services are coordinated through the OWLS coordinator. The coordinator is responsible for recruitment and tracking of the participants. The students are linked to the mainframe where formation can be retrieved on a continual, up-to-date basis. The OWLS coordinator serves as a liaison between NEO A&M and the various DHS sites. The coordinator further serves as a role model for the participants.
NEO A&M OWLS recently received the Outstanding Volunteerism Award from the State of Oklahoma. This award was given for their total dedication to NEO A&M, to other students, and to themselves in their dreams of breaking negative cycles. The ET&E participants, peer tutors, and peer counselors stand united in their hopes of breaking the cycle of dependency that has been a trap for the participants and their families.
1. Family/Parental Involvement and Support
The NEO JOBS Program has implemented a holistic approach which includes participants' families directly and indirectly. Families are included in a variety of program activities as well as services.
Families are often included in the counseling process. As individuals are empowered and enter the process of change, there is a direct impact upon the family system. Counseling activities often address the needs of participants' children.
NEO JOBS participants are encouraged to select careers that have high marketability and, thus, lead to potential for self-sufficiency. This aspect of the program directly influences the family. When a JOBS participant achieves self-sufficiency, it strengthens the family and improves outcomes for children. The program, therefore, breaks the intergenerational welfare cycle and dependency.
2. Faculty/Staff Involvement in Career Guidance and Counseling
The NEO A&M JOBS Program is strongly supported by the NEO A&M faculty and staff. During Return to Learn, the pre-school workshop, each department is represented by its chairperson. Each chairperson explains his or her department and its opportunities for the students.
If a JOBS participant encounters academic or attendance problems, the faculty notifies the OWLS coordinator via the mainframe for appropriate intervention. Participants often extend appreciation for the personal support and guidance they receive from NEO A&M faculty and staff members.
The NEO A&M Counseling Program supports the JOBS Program clients when appropriate. Participants may be referred for further career and guidance counseling. The coordinator of the counseling program is available if participants prefer another counselor to the JOBS Program lead counselor.
3. Intra-and Interagency Collaboration
The JOBS Program is totally integrated into NEO A&M's existing resources from the mainframe to the Jostens Integrated Learning System and Academic Readiness Lab (Title III). The coordination of activities was the core of effort during the first year. The program has now been widely accepted and is automatically included in campus activities.
The following agencies provide external assistance: Intertribal Council, Ottawa County Community Partnership, Miami Chamber of Commerce, Community Action, DHS from five counties and the state level, Job Training Northeast, Cherokee Nation, Willow Crest Hospital, Baptist Regional Health Center, Northeast Oklahoma Council on Alcoholism, Project Attend, Northeast Area Vo-Tech, ABE/GED programs, various civic organizations and church groups, NEO women, the state employment office, employment security commission, legal services, local legislators, and so on. The JOBS Program looks to these agencies for a broad range of services and resources, including additional financial aid, transportation, child care, book funds, and legal aid.
The NEO A&M JOBS Program Advisory Council is critical in the role of empowerment of participants and their future career success. The Advisory Council seeks to prepare the client for an effective transition to a career by providing interview clothing, mock interviews, mentorships, internships, and placement opportunities.
4. Collaboration with Business
The DHS Job Developers serve as the business and industry link for the JOBS Program. We have developers from five counties: Ottawa, Delaware, Craig, Nowata, and Mayes. They contact major employers in each county to develop a rapport in order to make referrals once the participant has completed or terminated their educational endeavors. They also place students in Work Experience Programs (WEP) to strengthen their career opportunities and experience. Placements include the Miami Chamber of Commerce, NEO A&M, and other entities.
The Professional Etiquette course at NEO A&M has become a regular part of the coursework for the participants. This course has been specially designed to train ET&E participants on how to prepare for their future career by learning how to dress, how to conduct themselves in a professional setting, how to interview, and so on.
The NEO A&M JOBS Program established the Advisory Council to enhance the connection between business and industry. The JOBS Program works closely with the Chamber of Commerce and speaks to a variety of civic organizations to open the lines of communication and break the stereotypical beliefs about those on assistance--to show that they can be highly motivated and highly prepared for the workforce.
1. Institutional Support
The administration at NEO A&M has been highly supportive of the NEO A&M JOBS Program. The president, academic vice president, fiscal vice president, and dean of students have demonstrated continual commitment to this program. The JOBS Program is further supported by NEO A&M's internal counseling program which consists of a coordinator of counseling, two other counselors, and a Native American counselor. All policies that apply to NEO A&M are incorporated into this program to further enhance student success.
2. Facilities
The OWLS Center is the central facility where the JOBS Program is housed. The center provides a work area where top of the line laser jet printers, IBM computer equipment, a copy machine, and other necessary supplies are used to equalize ET&E's academic opportunities. A formal family area with a television, VCR, and stereo is maintained for intimate group settings. The participants also use this area for "time out," perhaps a five- or ten-minute relaxation period between classes.
The OWLS Center also houses the OWLS coordinator and four highly qualified tutors whose work stations are equipped with computers, laser printers, and appropriate software. The tutorial program is designed to strengthen the developmental sequences, which are required to succeed in the certificate and degree programs.
The most important function of the center is to provide an area in which alternative viewpoints can be shared by contrasting socioeconomic strata through socialization. The ET&E participants can learn from the non-ET&E about values and behaviors through appropriate role modeling and, inadvertently, break stereotypical views held by non-ET&Es. Participants learn cognitive and behavioral skills that challenge the barriers to employability and self-empowerment.
The cost for the program consists of personnel, equipment, supplies for students and staff, communication, postage, and an emergency funding account for students who have specialized academic needs (e.g., nursing students must take the hepatitis shot, enrollment barriers, and so on). The first year's appropriations were $180,565 and NEO used $135,495. The appropriation for year two was $244,754 and the amount used was $216,000. The funding sources are DHS at 70.39% and NEO A&M's Local Share Contribution at 29.61%. NEO A&M also supplements this program through additional funding.
Interagency collaboration is an additional source of funding for the students' financial needs. All ET&E's are eligible for federal funding and loans, unless they have defaulted earlier. Private community support is sought for scholarships, clothing needs, and so on.
3. Guidance Personnel Qualifications
The NEO A&M JOBS Program is designed for the clients' holistic recovery by establishing a total support system. The lead counselor in the program has a master's degree in education (educational counseling), with a focus on community agency counseling as well as career counseling. He has received special training in multicultural as well as gender issues. His background includes individual counseling, family and marital counseling, substance abuse, and physical and sexual abuse issues.
The lead counselor is supported by the other JOBS Program personnel whose degrees range from an Associate in Arts to the doctoral level, most with bachelor's degrees. All staff members advise/counsel ET&E students either in academics, careers, or personal issues. One important element of staffing is to ensure that staff members understand the distinct appropriate referral boundaries to the lead counselor.
The JOBS Program is then supported by NEO A&M's counseling team, which consists of the coordinator who has a doctorate and four counselors who have master's degrees and who serve as academic, career, and personal counselors.
The JOBS developers from DHS further support the counseling efforts by direct referral, canonization with our staff, and follow-up with the clients as needed.
4. Professional Development
NEO A&M has professional development built into its strategic plan. Covey's Seven Habits and Total Quality Management are currently being offered to all personnel. The JOBS Program staff utilize both of these leadership styles on a daily basis, with frequent self-checks to ensure that we are serving the students well, while addressing our individual needs.
The JOBS Program has in-house staff training once a week. The staff training addresses the issues that have arisen that particular week. An example might be an aggressive participant. The team first discusses why the participant might be demonstrating this behavior and then the team will role play the situation to determine the best resolution. The staffing allows time to address the needs of the clients and the staff.
Professional development activities are designed into interagency meetings, the annual state DHS conference, the JOBS Program Advisory Council, and into other relevant training sessions. All JOBS Program staff members are also eligible to take any relevant course to their employment at the expense of NEO A&M; this option can further upgrade their skills and also give them an opportunity to increase their circle of influence.
5. Program Evaluation
To obtain funding for each period, NEO stated that it would concentrate on the following measurable and outcome-focused objectives:
The evaluation procedures are conducted by NEO A&M and monitered by DHS and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Additional audits are conducted by the internal monitoring systems for which NEO A&M must remain in compliance. A federal audit is possible, but has not been done for this program.
The program must stay within NEO A&M's established structure, including salary, work periods, and so on. The program is under the direct supervision and evaluation of Dr. Jim Lovell, vice president for academic affairs at NEO A&M.
6. Follow-up of Program Completors and Noncompletors
The NEO A&M JOBS Program begins with a documented referral from DHS. The JOBS Program is linked to the mainframe network which notifies the program coordinator when a noncompletor has withdrawn. In return, the coordinator/tutor notifies the DHS job developer. Upon graduation, JOBS Program staff enter the date the student completed a particular field of study. The JOBS Program staff is aware when a student becomes employed and that date is documented.
Completors and noncompletors are then referred back to the original job developer for placement. For the noncompletors, they often obtain a job from the partial vocational and technical training and/or improved self-esteem they received while at NEO A&M. The job developers search records to see if the participants are earning income and/or to find the date their cases are closed for noncompliance.
As of December 1994, 402 participants had entered the program, with 70 graduates and 84 employed.