Job Clubs
Are you looking for employment? Do you feel as if you are alone in this endeavor? Are you seeing no light at the end of the tunnel? A job club might be the answer for you. Job Clubs are a group of individuals getting together to supporting each other through the trials and tribulations of finding employment. There are no size or activity limitations. The design of the Job Club sets the tone, flow, time, and material covered. As the Job Club grows, it will continue to change to meet the needs of the participants.
The basic objective of a job club is to stimulate, motivate, and provide peer support to unemployed people encouraging greater activity in their job search. This is accomplished by expanding awareness and helping individuals learn the techniques to enhance their job seeking skills. Finding employment is a difficult process for all persons.
The economics of the country is a contributing factor on the unemployment rate. The unemployment rate among the blind, visually impaired, and disabled population continues to be triple that of the standard unemployment rate. Job Clubs have been very successful in assisting this population to find employment.
How to find a Job Club
The first thing to do is contact the employment service in your community to see if a Job Club currently exists. Sometimes local colleges or businesses sponsor these clubs. If you find that, there is a Job Club in your community schedule an appointment with the facilitator to evaluate if the program will meet your individual needs. Contact your local Blind Services Agency, Blind Training Centers, or local Vocational Rehabilitation office to see if they offer a Job Club. You might be able to work with these agencies in stating a Job Club if one currently does not exist.
How to set up a Job Club
If you are interested in starting a Job Club in your area there are a few things to consider. What type of Job Club do you want? Will it be long or short term? What material will be covered? Will you meet weekly or monthly? Do you need to find a facilitator? Where will you meet?
You only need a few energetic, enthusiastic, and motivated people to start a Job Club. Meeting places can be at local restaurants over coffee or a meal. Local churches, community centers, or libraries often have meeting spaces at no cost.
Participants will find that the peer support system developed through regular meetings provides stability, understanding, and emotional support while facing the rejection and frustration that accompanies the job hunting process.
The thing to remember is that all participants have a common goal and that is to find employment. It is essential that all have a well organized resume’, abilities statement, and action plan. Having individuals from the community speak at meetings provides members with knowledge, techniques, and networking skills for successful job hunting. In addition, the group is letting the community know that they are actively part of the job market.
Job Club Topics
Networking is a skill that all people need to refine when in the job market. The networking process will continue to develop as the Job Club grows. All persons involved in the Job Club will be able to contribute to the networking process in the membership, guest speakers, and community resources. Members need to continue to seek out community resources that can assist in the Job market process.
One might have excellent education, work history, and references’ but falls short in the interview arena. Mock interviews are the answer for solving this problem. It is easy, as the Job Club meets regularly, to forget this very important component. No one likes the dreaded interview but how we present our selves in the interview determines employment. It is best to ask individuals not involved in Job Club to facilitate the mock interviews allowing an element of realism. Video taping the interviews to critique later provides honest intervention from the peer support system.
The Job Club also might want to cover the following topics:
· Job readiness skills
· Communication and body language skills
· Disclosure of disabilities – the advantages and disadvantages
· Americans with Disability Act (ADA) – affects employment and the work place
· Identify individual strengths and skills matching them to local work opportunities
· Explore and analyze local work opportunities
· Transportation
· Social Security benefits
As the Job Club continues to meet and grow the interest and the needs of the group will dictate the topics to cover. Now that you are armed with the basics, it is time to call on a few friends, neighbors, or acquaintance to meet and get the ball rolling to find that job you are dreaming about. Remember, it is a timely process but the rewards are great at the finish line.
Author:
Susan Hipple
Director
http://visualinovations.org
.
By: Susan Hipple
About the Author:
I hold B.S. Degree in Administration of Health Care Services from Ithaca College, NY.
I have been legally blind all of my life and have understanding and compassion for an individual losing their sight.
In my 28 year career I have had numerous successes in job placement and overall integration into everyday life for those that are disabled.
Now with my Board we have created a non-profit foundation dedicated to bringing technology to the blind and visually impaired. Please visit us at: and help us help them.
