Cheyenne COMEA House

While the journey employment program may have started last September as a simple class to improve resumes for clients is has since evolved into a class that teaches not just how to get employment but maintain it and creates a better life for the client. While following the Comea mantra of reaching a “hand up” the journey program is not a prerequisite for any client to gain an extended stay.

The class began with two students and now ranges from ten to twenty. The class meets every Wednesday night at 8 pm but case work continues all week with the employment work coordinator. The curriculum for the class is broken down into three main components; the initial job process, job maintained and behavior modification, and the hand up philosophy.

The initial job process includes how to search for jobs, networking, follow up with Wyoming Workforce registration, and cold calling prospective employers. The class then moves into how to fill out applications, and resumes using the computers in the class. Local employers come in to assist in the how to interview process and clients have use of the clothing room to gain an appropriate interview wardrobe.

The next phase of the class is the job maintained and behavior modification. This portion of the class was created to address the issue of the “revolving door” syndrome. Clients leaving here for a while, then after losing a job again they are back in our doors. We use the Behavior Matrix therapy method to identify clients’ needs in an effort to help them grow so they might better maintain employment and housing within our community.

The final phase of the class is the Hand up philosophy. The concept that we have walked these shoes and it is not enough for the client to pick themselves up; they need to reach out a hand to another in order to better the entire facility. Clients look for jobs for each other while they look for themselves. Clients who find work still come to class in order to help each other fostering a strong community of good will within our own walls.

Over the last several months the class is performing at an over 60% success rate. That is 60% of our clients find work and are on their way getting back on their feet! In the coming month we are hosting a job fair, a housing seminar, and U.S. bank will be providing the class with financial guidance so they will better be able to budget themselves when they do get on their feet.

The Journey Class not only teaches how to get a job, but how to lead a better life. Getting a hand up, then giving one will lead us all to a brighter future.