Creating Quality Education, Job Preparation & Life Skills

The Education, Job and Life Skills (EJLS) Community Council works to see all Midlands citizens receive an education that allows them to achieve self-sufficiency and realize their potential. Through programs that increase student success rates, improve adult and family literacy and encourage civic engagement, the council is developing a community of learners who value education.
 
The United Way has offered three rounds of competitive funding (2004, 2005 and 2007) for programs that target priorities in Facing Facts. Councils also work on a variety of Community Initiatives and projects to address the priorities of Facing Facts. To follow is a summary of the current work of the Education, Jobs and Life Skills Community Council.
 
EJLS Council Chair: Cynthia Walters, Palmetto Health Alliance
Staff: United Way of the Midlands Senior Director, Kathy Olson
 

EDUCATION, JOB AND LIFE SKILLS COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Current UWM Education, Job and Life Skills (EJLS) Community Council Grants

 
EJLS Goal:  To develop a community of learners who view education as a virtue, value education as a means to a better quality of life, and insure that all citizens receive an education that allows them to achieve their potential for self-sufficiency.
 
Priority One Issue:  Increasing Student Success Rates
Priority Two Issue:  Improving Adult and Family Literacy
Priority Three Issue: Encouraging Civic Engagement  
 
Contact:  Kathy Olson (803) 733-5412 or kolson@uway.org
 
PRIORITY ONE – INCREASING STUDENT SUCCESS RATES
 
 
2007 Grant - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia, Inc. received $32,600 to expand current  one-on-one mentoring programs matching adults with children in Lexington County and Richland Counties.   The goal of the program is to enrich and improve the social, emotional and academic well-being of children through professionally supported one-on-one relationships.  
 
2007 Grant -  Boys Scouts, Indian Waters received $105,578 to implement Scoutreach, a scouting program that targets youth from low income/high crime neighborhoods in Fairfield, Lexington and Richland Counties.  Scoutreach offers a structured environment led by trained, nurturing adults with the goal of providing a foundation to make ethical choices over a lifetime through character development, citizenship training and physical fitness. 
 
2007 Grant -  Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands  received $90,000 to implement Project Learn, an after school educational enhancement program in Richland and Lexington County.  The school-based program targets 950 at risk youth and seeks to increase the quantity and quality of homework, high-yield learning activities and young people's commitment and motivation to learning and education.  The program also provides English literacy workshops aimed at improving English language skills for youth.  The goals of the program are to improve school grades, behaviors and attendance and increase test scores.   
 
In 2005, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia, Inc (BBBS) received $40,767 to provide one-on-one mentoring to youth by matching adults with children in Lexington and Richland Counties.  The goal of the program is to enrich and improve the social, emotional and academic well-being of children through professionally supported one-on-one relationships.  In 2006 BBBS service increased by 19% serving a total of 284 children.     
 
In 2005, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands received $60,000 to implement a youth development program in the Greenview community serving at-risk youth ages 10-15. The program provides services in five core areas: Education and Career Development; Character and Leadership Development; The Arts; Health and Life Skills; and Sports, Fitness and Recreation. The results have been positive, including 85% of participants reporting increased knowledge of the dangers of using drugs and a 72% decrease in negative behavior reports at school and in the program.    
 
In 2004, EJLS awarded $50,000 to the Community Mediation Center to implement a truancy mediation programin Richland School District Two. Mediation provides the student, family and school an opportunity to develop solutions in a neutral, non-threatening environment. This program met the expectations of the United Way of the Midlands in 2006 and is currently working to further decrease school absentee rates and drop-out rates. The program is being renewed for another year, based on the program's 87% success rate of successful mediations and reduced school truancy.  

PRIORITY TWO – ADULT AND FAMILY LITERACY
 
2007 Grant - The Nurturing Center received $74,340 for a comprehensive adult literacy program designed to address the therapeutic, educational and employment needs of 50 parents with multiple risk factors in Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry and Richland Counties.  The goal of the program is to complement the current therapeutic program at the Nurturing Center with adult literacy services, employment training and job placement, follow-up and tracking services.

2007 Grant - The Palmetto Center for Women (PCW) received $50,000 in collaboration with Bible Way Church of Atlas Road to provide adult literacy, GED preparation and workforce readiness skills for parents of at risk children and other students in the PCW's afterschool program in Richland County.  The goal of the program is increase wages and employability opportunities available to women through improved education.  
 
In 2005, Family Service Center received $45,000 to expand and increase capacity to provide literacy services in Fairfield County. The funds will be used to expand existing basic literacy, English as a Second Language, financial literacy and pre-GED classes to service more adults throughout Fairfield County. The goals include improving the quality of life for the clients through new employment opportunities, attainment of certifications or improvement in reading and communication skills.   
 
In 2005, Turning Pages, a Volunteers of America program, received $30,000 for an adult literacy program. Turning Pages offers a full range of learner-led instructional programs for adults seeking to improve their basic reading, writing, math and English language skills. The goals include preparing clients to obtain their GED, developing entry level employment skills and improving basic reading and writing skills. All 27 English as a New Language learners who completed at least 30 hours of instruction over one year advanced at least one assessed skill level, and 77% of adult basic literacy learners advanced one grade level equivalent.    
 
WORK/LIFE SOLUTIONS Program
In partnership with Family Service Center, United Way of the Midlands provided $100,000 in match funds to secure a $1, 394, 775 grant contract from the Central Midlands Council of Governments.  The WORK/LIFE SOLUTIONS Program assists adults and dislocated workers eligible under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) to achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency by gaining and retaining stable employment.  UWM provides supplemental funding for a variety of supportive services such as child care, transportation, and emergency health care and job-related needs.   In 2006-07 the program served 1478adults in Fairfield, Lexington and Richland counties.  
 
PRIORITY III – PROMOTE VOLUNTEERISM AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT    
 
United Way of the Midlands is addressing this priority by supporting the new Volunteer Center at the United Way of the Midlands. EJLS supports this priority through strategic partnerships in the community such as the Midlands Reading Consortium and the UWM VISTA Partnership.  
 
Strategic Partnerships: 
 
 
Midlands Reading Consortium (MRC)  United Way of the Midlands in partnership with Richland School District One has implemented the Midlands Reading Consortium.  MRC is a volunteer tutoring initiative that targets improvement in language development and  reading proficiency by third grade. The pilot program began in 2006 at two elementary schools in Richland County.  In cooperation with the classroom teachers the tutors work with students one-on-one or in small groups.  Program evaluations indicate student improvement in reading, writing and classroom behaviors.  The school Principals requested that the program continue in 2007. 
 
UWM VISTA Partnership The United Way of the Midlands received an AmeriCorps*VISTA award from the Corporation for National and Community Service.  The project will strengthen organizational capacity and infrastructure of six local partner agencies so they are better equipped to address the needs of the impoverished. The VISTA Partnership complements United Way's current work based on Facing Facts.   Federal Grant Value: $226,389/year for three years UWM Federal Grant Match: $10,380   

 
 
Education, Jobs and Life Skills Community Council Non-Competitive Grants
 
Agency
Program Name
Description
2007 Funding
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands
Education and Career Life
Youth Development
$72,816
Fairfield County Board of Disabilities and Special Needs
Diversified Services/ Employment
Sheltered Workshop and Job Training for Adults with Disabilities
$12,495
Newberry County Literacy Council
Adult Literacy
Adult Literacy
$10,645
Palmetto Center for Women
Out of School Programs
Out of School Time Programs for Boys and Girls (After-School and Summer Camp)
$42,090
Volunteers of America of the Carolinas
Greater Columbia Literacy Council
Adult Literacy
$40,680