INDIANAPOLIS, IN – November 20, 2018 – Today nine young adults completed a training program that gives them the power and the tools to change their lives. The Pivot Re-Engagement Center, a partnership between EmployIndy, Finish Line Boys and Girls Club, and Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE), celebrated their first cohort of the “Power Huddle,” a mindset and employability skills course that prepares individuals for their next step in establishing their career.

Located at the Finish Line Boys & Girls Club on North Post Road, the Pivot Re-Engagement Center is one of many ways that EmployIndy has focused efforts on the Far Eastside, a target area of their strategic plan where unemployment and poverty remain higher than the rest of Marion County. EmployIndy launched the Pivot Re-Engagement Center with a goal of registering 100 young adults in 2018. Since the soft launch in May 2018, 740 individuals have signed up. Not only does this signify that there is a need for a safe space, but there is also a desire in these young adults to grow.

“They go through [the Power Huddle] not knowing it is a huge stepping stone for them,” said Jamarro Johnson, YES Youth Employment Specialist at CAFE. “When we meet and I address the steps to make this possible, they realize that their dreams aren't as far off as they once imagined.”

The first Power Huddle cohort

This is why the Power Huddle is a crucial first step to finding sustainable employment, discovering their passions, or engaging in post-secondary training and education. Once through the Power Huddle, CAFE is engaging participants by providing assistance in adult basic education enrollment and guiding young adults into their career through a variety of career exploration and service elements. For Pivot participants, these opportunities provide a gateway for each individual to pursue his/her dreams.

“It’s all about transformation for us,” said Rodney Francis, EmployIndy Senior Director of Opportunity Youth Initiatives. “If they are self-motivated and learn to establish a vision and goals for themselves, then they have a better chance at success.”

The participants come from a variety of backgrounds, but all share the same dream of creating a bright future for themselves. Daysha, 22, is a Power Huddle graduate who started her education at Indiana University in 2014, but then had to drop out for financial and transportation reasons. She decided to move back to Indianapolis and enroll at IUPUI. A little over a year ago, Daysha resigned from IUPUI for similar reasons but also had a realization: “Not only could I not pay for my own wifi, I realized I didn’t know what I wanted to do or where to apply myself.”

Jayden, another participant, is 17 and graduating early from Lawrence North High School. He finished all of his classes this past summer, and this fall he has been working at McDonald’s while waiting to walk at his high school graduation in December. Jayden has always wanted to become a carpenter but not looked into local training opportunities, so he was not sure how he could reach this next step.

“When [Pivot instructors] were talking, they were all saying things I needed to hear to build my own self-confidence,” said Jayden. “Instead of always underestimating myself, I had a real potential to go and achieve my goals. It helped me to see myself from a different perspective and know that I am capable of doing what I dream.”

This sentiment was the resounding echo from the students. The Pivot Power Huddle opened their eyes to see where their passions align with their skills and current workforce needs in high-demand industries.

Since completing the Power Huddle, Daysha has decided to not only re-enroll at IUPUI and get her bachelor’s degree in Communications, but she wants to apply for the Peace Corps by next year so she can work overseas with youth. In addition, Jayden has looked into the best carpentry courses and wants to start his own business once he has achieved his certification and established a solid amount of reliable clientele.

“I think this program truly has the potential to impact young lives on the eastside,” said Erik Davenport, the Pivot Re-Engagement Center Director. “Even in the past two weeks, I have noticed such a change in their mindsets. You can really see the turning point when they believe their dreams are reachable.”

EmployIndy’s goal is that all young adults will understand their potential to excel personally and professionally. With an estimated 30,000 young adults in Marion County who need to reconnect to postsecondary education and better careers, the stakes are high. However, EmployIndy believes that progress has to happen at an individual and granular level, and these nine individuals have begun the journey to improving their lives by learning more about themselves, their passions, and their potential for success.

“I want to recognize all of the Pivot employees: They do such a good job making sure everyone has the resources they need, and you can genuinely tell that they care about you. I know that they don’t have to do what they do and we all really appreciate it,” said Daysha.

The second Power Huddle cohort will last one week and begin on December 3rd. Info sessions will take place November 27th – 30th daily at 11:30am at the  Finish Line Boys & Girls Club. Plans are in the works to offer employer tours and invite businesses to come and inform potential participants about their organizational and hiring needs.

For more information about the Pivot Re-Engagement Center or the Power Huddle program, please contact Rodney Francis: rfrancis@nullemployindy.org

###

About EmployIndy  
EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. As the workforce development board for Marion County, guided by 21 business, civic, education, and non-profit community leaders, EmployIndy invests $20 million in public, private, and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually.

About Boys and Girls Club of Indianapolis
Since 1893, Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis have served the Indianapolis community. With five facility-based Clubs and five school-based sites, BGCI serves nearly 7,000 youth annually in the areas of career exploration and educational enhancement, citizenship and leadership, the arts, and health and fitness. For additional information, please call (317) 920-4700 or visit www.BGCINDY.org. Follow Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis @BGCINDY and “Like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/bgcindy.

About Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE)
CAFE’s mission is to offer direct aid to residents of the Far Eastside who are in desperate need. CAFE offers programming that supports youth and seniors alike, all with a continued focus on improving the quality of life for those who live, work and worship in the Far Eastside community. One of CAFE’s leading programs is their Center for Working Families, which helps transition families from living paycheck to paycheck to investing in their future – not only getting a job, but a career; not only meeting expenses, but saving for their first home.

Pivot, Power Huddle, and EmployIndy staff

Cohort 1 with shoes provided by Finish Line

Cohort 1 finding out about Kanye shoes from Finish Line

Ashayla Spearman

Cameron Kimmons

Daysha Beck

Dezmond Johnson

Jayden Dixon

Jeffery Ezel

Richard Berry

Tamia McNary

EmployIndy partners with Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) on several of workforce-ready initiatives. This partnership aims to break down barriers and make it possible for all individuals to receive adult basic education and actively enroll in a variety of training programs in order to further their skill set. Five years ago, the state General Assembly unanimously passed a bill to shift adult education to DWD, a move aimed to address both the recession and the looming talent gap that Indiana was facing.

At the Indiana Statehouse today WorkINdiana celebrated 6,000 completions and 5,000 certifications in five years.

Speaking at the event was EmployIndy COO Marie Mackintosh, Associate COO of Adult Education with the Department of Workforce Development Marilyn Pitzulo, and Ivy Tech's Madison Campus Chancellor Molly Dodge. They provided background on WorkINdiana and the dynamic shift to focusing on industry-recognized credentials so adult education could be seen as a stepping stone toward a career.

“Our vision was to serve students at any time, any place, at any pace.”

Marie Mackintosh, EmployIndy Chief Operations Officer

Then they passed the mic to three WorkINdiana participants: Brittany Young, Paul Powell, and Sarah White. These individuals shared their personal journeys and talked about where they are now because of the opportunities gained through WorkINdiana.

• Brittany Young attributes her confidence to the people who helped her along the way. “I developed relationships and gained emotional support all through this program.” As a  2014 WorkINdiana participant from southern Indiana, she completed entry welder training and landed a job at Vehicle Service Group as a Cell Coordinator.
• Paul Powell, a 2018 participant from Indianapolis, talks about quick results. “It is good to know that [WorkOne Indy] showed up when I needed it.” All within 6 months, he obtained his HSE, CDL-A certification, and started work at Eby-Brown as a CDL driver.
• Sarah White spoke to the 3 month Medical Assistant training she completed right out of high school in 2018. “It was a jumpstart to my career.” She is currently at Greene County Hospital where she is employed as a certified Clinical Medical Assistant.

WorkINdiana is just one of many ways that EmployIndy is working to skill-up Marion County's workforce. Recently, EmployIndy was awarded $125,000 of Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding from DWD in order to remove barriers for employers, service providers, and job seekers alike. This funding will give service providers the tools they need to knowledgeably serve the adult population and provide opportunities for them to skill-up into the jobs within Indianapolis' high-demand industries, providing a workforce-ready population for the future of Marion County and local employers.

Destanie at her childcare job, reading to her young son.

In June of 2018, Destanie was involved in a serious car accident and lost everything due to hospital bills and her lack of income during this period. With a young child, no employment, lack of stable housing, and virtually no support system, Destanie thought she had hit rock-bottom. One day when she was leaving her apartment she met Dian Krueger, a CAFE career and employment coach who was doing community outreach outside of her building. CAFE specifically offers barrier-buster support for individuals who need help reaching their next step, whether that means financing childcare and housing, connecting unemployed residents to job training or counseling, or preventing other barriers to success.

Shortly after meeting Dian and being introduced to CAFE's education and employment services, Destanie was enrolled in YES Indy, EmployIndy's Youth Employment System, where she was able to receive assistance and coaching so she could obtain a full-time job. YES Indy providers open doors for opportunity youth, focusing on those located in EmployIndy's target impact areas, so they can receive barrier-buster support through both career and education guidance.

Not long after joining YES Indy, Destanie was employed at the childcare center where her child was enrolled as part of the Great Families 2020 program. Great Families 2020 is a two-generational approach for quality childcare on the Far Eastside while partnering individuals with a case manager and financial and family supports coaches.

Currently, in addition to being employed at the childcare center, Destanie is enrolled as a part-time student at Ivy Tech Community College where she is pursuing her Associates Degree in Physical Therapy, furthering her previously earned CNA Certification. This opens doors for her to pursue other careers in the healthcare industry and allows her to stand apart from her peers as she moves from a job, to a better job, to a career.

Through partnering with organizations like CAFE, EmployIndy is able to further the workforce and increase economic development in Indianapolis. With EmployIndy’s YES Indy Barrier Busting support, Destanie secured housing. These barrier-buster funds provided a security deposit for her housing, connected her to a paying job, and assisted with childcare. EmployIndy’s support of these programs makes it possible for many individuals just like Destanie to take steps to further their education and career by easing life’s financial burdens.