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Writer's pictureEmployment Connection

What's Happening at Employment Connection: July 2023


We’ve been busy at Employment Connection! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn for all of the latest info on our programs and events. And if you're not already receiving our monthly newsletter in your inbox, click here to sign up.


Here's just some of what Employment Connection has been up to since our last newsletter.

Solar Panel Installation Training Program

Our next round of Solar Panel Installation Training begins in August! Participants get paid hands-on training to help begin a promising career in the green jobs industry. Call Christina at (314) 333-5665 or email her at brewingtonc@employmentstl.org to register now!


DOCY Update

Year one for the Dutchtown Opportunity Coalition for Youth is in the books, and a great one it was! In this first year, DOCY engaged with over 900 youth through a variety of community events, neighborhood meetings, collaboration with partner agencies, and hosting our own events. We enrolled 69 youths from the Dutchtown, Gravois Park, and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods. Between our youth clients and their household members, the Dutchtown Opportunity Coalition for Youth has made over 100 referrals to assist our clients in summer programs, employment services, GED programs, housing assistance, utility assistance, and more! We are so excited to see what year two brings us.


Who are we serving?

  • 68% of our clients live in 63118 and 29% live in 63111

  • 52% of our clients identify as female and 48% identify as male

  • 88% of our clients identify as Black, 10% identify as Biracial and 2% identify as White

  • 33% of our clients are 15 and older, 53% of our clients are between 10 and 14 and 14% of our clients are under 10 years old.


World of Work

WoW! Our World of Work job readiness program is graduating dozens of people ready to work and get on track to self-sufficiency! In June, over 60 people graduated from training sessions offered at our Market Street headquarters and other locations across the city. And so far in July, 34 people graduated, and we still have several sessions to go!


WoW doesn’t stop after class. We continue to help clients find job leads, complete applications, get them to job interviews, and keep close contact to make sure they continue employment. We’re very proud of our graduates and clients!


If you or someone you know could benefit from World of Work, let them know about our upcoming two-day sessions:

  • In the Wells-Goodfellow neighborhood at 5504 Natural Bridge, July 25th–26th, 9am to 3pm

  • In Peabody Darst Webbe/LaSalle Part at Al Chappelle Community Center, August 1st–2nd, 10am–3pm

  • At our Market Street headquarters from 8:45am to 3:30pm

    • July 24th–25th

    • August 7th–8th

    • August 14th–15th

    • August 21st–22nd

Call (314) 333-JOBS [5627] to register.


Partnering with SLDC to Bring WoW to More City Residents

Speaking of World of Work, we’re excited to announce a new partnership with St. Louis Development Corporation! SLDC and Employment Connection are teaming up to help develop the St. Louis workforce by offering additional World of Work training sessions at the Northside Economic Empowerment Center at Sumner High School.

Our first class at this location wrapped up on July 20th. We’re offering additional sessions in September and November. Again, call (314) 333-JOBS [5627] to register.


Thanks to Cure Violence Global and the City of St. Louis

After three successful years, the City of St. Louis recently decided to discontinue its engagement of the Cure Violence model. As such, our implementation of this specific violence interruption program ended last month. We are very proud of the work that our Cure Violence staff produced in the Dutchtown, Gravois Park, Mount Pleasant, Wells-Goodfellow, and Hamilton Heights neighborhoods and saw firsthand how their work saved countless lives. They also worked with their teammates at Employment Connection to connect high-risk individuals to employment training and placement services, emergency housing assistance, behavioral health counseling, and other critical services.


We also have to thank Cure Violence Global for their unbelievable support of our Cure Violence staff over the past three years. Their ongoing training, technical assistance, and evaluation support was incredible, as together with the City of St. Louis, we worked side by side to address gun violence in these neighborhoods.


Please note that our violence prevention site in Peabody/LaSalle Park was not impacted by this decision, as that location was never identified as a Cure Violence site. We are also excited to report that several funders have encouraged us to continue our violence prevention work in the greater Dutchtown area and in Wells-Goodfellow/Hamilton Heights, and so we are re-hiring many of our former Cure Violence staff to continue their violence interruption efforts. We are also currently in discussions with several public and private funders who are interested in Employment Connection continuing our violence prevention work in these historic neighborhoods. Stay tuned, and thanks to all of you for your support of our Cure Violence program!


Looking for Full-Time Work?

Managed Work Services, our social enterprise employment service, seeks hospital housekeepers and environmental services workers. These are full-time positions with the potential to earn bonus pay as well. Apply at MWSSTL.com or in person at our office at 2838 Market Street.


EC Out and About

Lauren and Caitlyn from our DOCY team recently attended an Office of Violence Prevention Kickback event at O’Fallon Park!


And Samir, Gerrel, Mario, and Lamont from our Peabody Darst Webbe/LaSalle Park Violence Prevention team attended another recent violence prevention event!


Mike, Umi, Henry, and Tyrone recently participated in the Moorish Festival!


CEO Sal Martinez represented our agency at a recent LaSalle Park Neighborhood Association concert! We look forward to sponsoring upcoming LPNA events soon!


There's much more going on at Employment Connection! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to stay up to date with all of our programs and events in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Clair County.


If you're not already receiving our monthly newsletter in your inbox, click here to sign up.

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