Southwest Works Update (Davi)
The position as Southwest Works Career Navigator is getting closer to being filled. Interviews were held on Tuesday the 15th, and Davi has recommended one of the candidates for hire.
Southwest Works is a partnership between the Southwest Partnership and the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development. It will provide a full time Career Navigator for the Southwest Partnership neighborhoods who will do outreach around workforce development and be the initial point of contact for employers looking to hire locally.
Once the program is established Lisa would like to publicize it heavily in and out of the community.
Joanne asked where she should refer a community member from Sandtown-Winchester. Jeanne Cooper is at Samuel Coleridge Taylor and will be able to help.
Nehemiah Project
Lou has a concept for a community/workforce development program based on the Biblical story of Nehemiah. His proposal is that a workforce development and construction training program be developed using community members working on houses being re-developed by a group of developers. There is a group of developers (the Social Impact Development group) who are interested in development as a way of building communities and who are looking at redeveloping vacant houses in Franklin Square. Lou also sees a larger need for construction workers in Baltimore.
He has started talking to Project Jumpstart. Joanne will connect Lou directly to Matt Stubbs the program manager.
The Roundtable is in favor of supporting the project. Lou would like a sub-committee to be formed. Lisa, Darryl, Ellen, and Davi are interested. Darryl would like to meet the developers–Elizabeth and Lou will coordinate. Lisa suggested that someone from Second Chance should also be involved.
Local Hiring Commitments from Local Anchor Institutions
The SWP has asked each of the member anchor institutions to meet with the roundtable and/or share information about their local hiring goals and initiatives. We had a presentation last month from UMB and UMMC. The B&O has responded–they do not have a formal local hiring plan but do share positions.
We have not heard from Bon Secours, the UM BioPark, or Wexford Science and Technology. Lisa will check with someone she knows in Bon Secours’ HR department. The Roundtable discussed potential strategies and decided to organize meetings with the BioPark and Wexford and Bon Secours to begin the discussion.
Announcements
Jeanne: last Wednesday there was a job fair at Samuel Coleridge Taylor Elementary/Middle School. 16-18 community members attended from 8:30-10:30, and she thanked all the attendees. She will share photos with Maxine/
Joanne: An expungement clinic sponsored by Congressman Cummings office is coming up. She will share more details when they are available.
Darryl: is now working for Bon Secours. A number of events are upcoming, and he will share details when they are confirmed. Bon Secours is working with a number of temp agencies to provide work readiness testing and immediate income for clients. The last CNA/GNA class is full, and Bon Secours will share the contact information of applicants who did not get in with the Southwest Works coordinator.
Meeting adjourned for closed information and case sharing session around community members referred for positions at UMB and UMMC.
