Outreach and Referral Strategies - Improving Service Delivery Design and Capacity

About

The one-stop career center system ensures universal accessibility, and offers valuable services to customers.

However, those services may not get to those most in need, if there is not enough outreach, recruitment, marketing and communication to ensure that those needing the services are aware of the availability of the programs and resources, and know how to locate a center to request services.

Improvements to the one-stop network strengthened the ability to delivery services at a greater capacity.

But, serving those most in need - both job seekers and low-income workers - is not only about who walks through the door of a one-stop center.

Outreach and Recruitment Techniques - Go to Them

Depending upon what the demographic data on the region indicates, certain populations may require more outreach.

For each type of special or targeted population, you may need a unique method or strategy for locating, attracting and retaining their participation in workforce programs.

For example, you may have a referral or notification process with local shelters to outreach and recruit youth that are homeless or runaways. You might also have a referral process with a social services agency to refer pregnant or parenting youth.

At a minimum, you would need to know where out-of-school youth are, and then get the message out to those youth, possibly even locating a computer center or other recreational facility to attract and retain youth in one location where you can engage them and do intake.

CLASP Youth Policy work and focus on boys and young men of color

The same is true for veterans, for ex-offenders, disabled individuals, public assistance recipients, English language learners, etc. Either setting up a referral process with an agency they have contact with regularly, or actually going to where they are instead of expecting them to come to you, will help you successfully carry out outreach and recruitment.

Increasing Service Levels - Maintain Contact with Them

Much of your success - and your ability to meet expected performance outcomes - depends on your ability to communicate and market the benefit of your program's services to the populations you serve.

Establish reliable procedures for keeping your contact information with participants current, and maintain regular contact with them.

Marketing and Communication - Keep Trying to Reach Them

View as future customers those individuals beyond the doors of your workforce center that may need your help, that may never have heard of you yet, or that may have trouble with transportation and cannot get to a center.

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Topics:

Counseling - General Job Readiness Services - General Case Management - General Tracking of Participants Economic Development Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) Partnerships - General Program/Operations - General Program Design/Service Delivery Universal Access Data-Driven Decisions Performance Accountability - General

Target Populations:

General Audience

Programs:

Multiple Mixed Funding Streams Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) HUD - Public Housing Programs Social Security Programs (SSI, SSDI, Ticket to Work) Justice - Second Chance Act Prisoner Reentry Initiative Veterans Affairs DOL - Veterans Employment and Training Services DOL - Office of Disability Employment Policy Disability Employment Initiative Disability Program Navigators Reentry Employment Opportunities Agriculture - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) HHS Medicaid/Medicare HHS - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Transportation Programs

Geographic Locations:

National Scope

Industry Sectors:

Cross-Industry

Last Updated:
Created:
Resource Publication Date: 2015
Author(s): Employment and Training Administration
Organizational Author(s): U.S. Department of Labor
Posted by: Brandon Carter
Posted in: ION - Innovation and Opportunity Network