What sets the STRIVE model apart from other programs is our five week intensive attitudinal training coupled with two years of graduate assessment and continued support.
Together, these produce low costs, fast entry into the workforce, and high job retention rates. Because of the effectiveness of this approach, STRIVE has been featured on "60 Minutes " three times since 1997. Elements of the model have been widely adopted throughout the employment field in the United States.
RECRUITMENT
STRIVE is committed to working with the communities and populations that can benefit most from our job training approach. Outreach teams visit street fairs, prisons, youth service agencies, churches and other organizations to distribute information about our work. Our wide network of contacts with other community-based organizations and STRIVE graduates refer program candidates to us.
TRAINING
Our training consists of a multi-phased, intensive, professional development training program with a heavy focus on dress, speech and behavior in the workplace.
Phase One. Clients learn how to prepare resumes, fill out job applications, use the telephone properly and interview successfully. They "work " in a simulated job site where they must be on time, perform assigned tasks, be part of a team, accept orders and criticism and keep personal issues out of the workplace.
GED and Computer classes are incorporated into the curriculum and continue until the applicant receives a GED and becomes proficient in the use of Windows, Microsoft Word and the World Wide Web.
Phase Two. GED and computer classes continue and clients are assigned to a Placement Specialist who engages them in an intensive job search effort. Clients also have access to a Supportive Services Coordinator for information and referral services.
JOB PLACEMENT
Job placement is a misnomer because STRIVE’s clients apply for and obtain jobs on their own. STRIVE's Placement Specialists provide leads based on their understanding of participants' abilities and their knowledge of employers' requirements. They also coach participants in the telephoning and interviewing process. Relationships with employers are built on satisfaction over a period of time with STRIVE hires. Graduates find job placement in manufacturing, construction, retail, non-profit, custodial, and food-services industries.
FOLLOW-UP
Follow-Up consists of keeping in touch, on a quarterly or more frequent basis, with working graduates for two years following their initial employment. The objective is to keep them on-the-job. Participants who leave jobs are placed in new positions. Counseling and attitudinal training are given where needed. STRIVE attempts to maintain a job retention rate of 80%, measured by the number of participants continuously employed for two years following graduation. This number is directly influenced by the state of the economy. STRIVE’s commitment to its graduates is for their lifetimes.
ADVANCED PROGRAMS
Advanced programs are aimed at furthering the careers and incomes of STRIVE’s graduates. STRIVE provides a broad array of support services, including referrals for child care, legal assistance, housing placement, substance abuse treatment, medical and mental health services, domestic violence counseling, parenting skills and referrals to others services as needed. STRIVE believes that no factor has a greater impact on job retention than supporting clients as they attend to personal and family needs.
