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History

The Towards Employment timeline tells the story – of an evolution into a highly effective organization using a holistic approach to help move people from poverty to a paycheck.

1976 – Our Roots

Manpower Supportive Services, a new program area within Neighborhood Centers Association (NCA), was formed to develop and implement a comprehensive supportive services model for individuals involved with the City and County Comprehensive Employment Training Act (CETA) programs. CETA was a federal government program to assist economically disadvantaged, unemployed and underemployed persons. Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) replaced CETA in 1982, and Workforce Investment Act (WIA) replaced JTPA in 1998.

Supportive services include those services or needs required to complete training, start a job or keep a job – such as bus tickets and other transportation assistance, childcare, tools, boots, uniforms, health exams or eyeglasses.

1988 – Supportive Services for the Economically Disadvantaged

The Manpower Supportive Services program was incorporated as Towards Employment. At the same time, Towards Employment created the “Supportive Services for the Economically Disadvantaged” (SSED) program to assist low-income individuals not served under JTPA. In 1992, the SSED program became a regularly supported program of United Way Services.

1992 – Expanded to holistic approach

Towards Employment entered new territory when we began providing job readiness and job seeking skills, placement and retention support for low income Greater Cleveland residents. This holistic approach has been the key to helping clients successfully prepare, find and keep jobs. Since 1998, Towards Employment has been awarded contracts with Cuyahoga County, funded by Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grants, to provide these services for individuals referred by the County.

2000 – Better retention, lower turnover with ACHIEVE

Believing that traditional job retention services did not fully engage the employer in the process, Towards Employment developed a worksite-based job retention model, called ACHIEVE.  The Achieve model utilizes a combination of individual case management, group activities and supervisory training to enhance job retention for entry-level workers and to lower employer turnover rates.

In 2001, we successfully piloted Achieve at five employer sites in the Greater Cleveland area. In 2002, it became one of 15 innovative programs from across the country to be part of the Employment, Retention and Advancement national demonstration project, sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services. Over a three-year period, Achieve was implemented at 22 employer sites with MDRC, a national workforce development research organization, evaluating the program and outcomes. Since completing the demonstration project in 2005, Towards Employment has been successfully marketing Achieve services to employers on a fee for service basis.

We continue to work with employers, other community based organizations and the public sector on adapting Achieve across a variety of industries.  Towards Employment has received national recognition as one of the leaders in job retention in the country due in part to the success we’ve created with the Achieve program.

2004 – Re-entry program for ex-offenders

With approximately 6,000 ex-offenders returning to Cuyahoga County from prison each year, there was a growing need for specialized employment programming in the community. Towards Employment began programs to train and employ individuals with criminal records, as well as a legal services department. 

Both of these programs had previously been operated by the former Cleveland Works organization. By combining programs, Towards Employment strengthened its ability to provide employment services for the large numbers of people released from prison — as well expanding the range of support services offered to all clients, including legal counsel and representation for issues impacting their ability to get and keep quality jobs. Cuyahoga County’s Office of Re-entry supports Towards Employment with a contract to provide this customized job-readiness workshops for ex-offenders.

2009 – Green jobs & fresh opportunities

Towards Employment is helping disadvantaged job seekers find new opportunities in the “green jobs” movement.  New programs and partnerships help prepare workers for the expanding green job market and link graduates to Northeast Ohio employers.

For example, Towards Employment provided employment services for cooperative worker-owned businesses developed by the Greater University Circle Initiative.  All of the “green” companies are built around sustainable, environmentally sound practices – and hiring local residents from University Circle neighborhoods struggling with poverty, isolation and crime.  The first business, Evergreen Cooperative Laundry, opened in the fall of 2009  with Ohio Cooperative Solar opening soon after. 

Towards Employment was also selected as a key partner in Tri-C’s “Pathways out of Poverty through Green Jobs.”   Low-income, disadvantaged residents, including those with a prison record, take part in a pilot program, followed by coursework and training in home weatherization, deconstruction and energy efficiency.