The cornerstone philosophy of the welfare reform efforts we implemented
as governors in the 1990s was to provide a hand up, not a handout. In
that same spirit, a major objective of the Bayh-Carper welfare reform
proposal now before the U.S. Senate is to empower people with the tools
they need to overcome obstacles to getting a job, and to help them succeed
once they have one. An Indiana program called "Keys to Work"
offers the nation a blueprint for encouraging workers as they make the
critically important initial transitions into the work force. It is a
set of "best practices" that other states can emulate.
Created in 1996 with the advent of the federal "Welfare to Work"
legislation, the program operates under performance contracts with the
Indiana Manpower and Comprehensive Training (IMPACT) program and through
competitive and formula grants for Welfare to Work. In some ways, it operates
like a traditional employment agency, but with some nontraditional clientele
and much more ambitious goals. The clientele include some of the toughest
cases: non-English-speaking workers, welfare recipients, rehabilitated
criminals, former substance abusers, and "deadbeat dads," among
others. And the goals are not just to help them find jobs, but also to
prepare them for full-time employment and help them tackle the problems
that arise while they are transitioning into new work environments.
Keys to Work creates for job seekers a responsibility and reward system,
developed in conjunction with the Indianapolis Private Industry Council:
All participants must sign a "Commitment to Self-Sufficiency,"
a pledge to put the difficulties of their past behind them and to work
with diligence to take control of their future. In return, the program
helps them recognize their inherent gifts and talents and better utilize
their potential in full-time employment.
To help new employees overcome problems that might derail their efforts
to get a foothold on the career ladder, program participants receive an
individually tailored "crisis contingency plan." It is designed
to help with childcare, transportation, housing, nutrition, hygiene, work
attire, addiction intervention, anger management, and family counseling.
Keys to Work aims to help strengthen families, offer guidance on building
a financial foundation, and provide incentives to keep working. To accomplish
these goals, it has created an associate assistance program that offers
financial planning seminars, develops budgeting plans to match income
with expenses, and uses experts from agencies such as the IRS to educate
workers about the Earned Income Tax Credit and other work incentives.
Traditional job placement agencies focus primarily on the financial future
of those they place in jobs. Keys to Work, by contrast, has done a remarkable
job of making its associates meet their financial obligations from the
past -- especially child support. Of the 391 clients in Keys to Work,
137 are noncustodial parents who owed $2,433,767 in child support. Those
parents have paid back over $500,000 and have committed themselves to
meeting their future obligations.
Why are companies willing to take a chance on the employees Keys to Work
represents? One reason is the $2,400-per-employee Work Opportunity Tax
Credit, which is available for employers who hire individuals moving from
welfare to work. Another reason is the full-service assistance that Keys
to Work provides its associates -- from transportation to wage subsidies
to help buying uniforms. But one of the key reasons is the flexibility
and long-term support Keys to Work offers these employers. Instead of
refusing to place its associates in anything but the "perfect job,"
Keys to Work teaches them that the best way to find a good job is to build
a personal employment record by taking advantage of each opportunity to
work.
The program's formula has achieved striking results. Of the 391 persons
currently enrolled, 93.4 percent have been placed in jobs. As Congress
continues to debate Welfare to Work reauthorization, Keys to Work offers
a shining example of how families are strengthened, companies well-served,
and individual futures improved when people are given the opportunity
to succeed.
