Bricks-n-Books Program Component # 1: Participant outreach and recruitment is part science, art, and faith. It is science inasmuch as there are distinct measures to take that go into successful recruitment. It is art to the extent you are creative in your approaches. And finally, it is important to have faith that those in need of your program will come in to receive help!
Bricks-n-Books’ recruitment strategies include everything from making presentations at neighborhood recreation centers, schools, churches, and neighborhood associations to being "approved training providers/vendor" by state and/or local workforce investment agencies as well as having contracts with those agencies that refer clients to us. We begin building a successful training and workforce development program by drawing on community strengths. To recruit participants, our program begins by reaching out to community colleagues (other community organizations, faith-based organizations, health centers, neighborhood associations, etc.).
While there are a number of strategies to choose from, our most effective marketing tool is program success. Word of mouth spread by successful participants and satisfied employers will generally creates greater numbers of referrals from public and community agencies, as well as increases in “walk-in.”
Case Management -- one of the most significant roles related to the success of each enrolled participant. Assisting participants with formal intake into the program where participant goals are developed, educational level is assessed, and critical biographical data is gathered. Case management also involves helping participants define career goals and may do job counseling. They serve as point persons for participant barrier resolution and resource referral; they review program compliance terms with participants and assist them in meeting its requirements. Files are established on the participant and referrals are made to partner resource centers where participant needs are addressed and progress is tracked toward stated goals.
A critical phase of the program, here is where we and the future participant gain first impressions of each other at the program level. It is also the first screen where we and the applicant, either individually or jointly, determine whether our program is a good match for his or her needs.
At this time the TraxSolutions, our Outcome Management System (OMS) is introduced into the process. TraxSolutions helps in the case management of each program participants, including capturing personal information, training program assignments, and the tracking of performance and reporting of outcomes for both the individual as well as the organization.
Conducting the Assessment Assessment is a vitally important part of our enrollment and participant planning processes. Although it is often thought of as testing, it actually involves multiple components, such as:
