SCSEP Program Awarded $210,317 From Center for Workforce Inclusion

North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments announced today that it was awarded a $210,317 Workforce Inclusion grant from the Center for Workforce Inclusion, Inc. (Center).

Almost 90 percent of this grant – originally from the U.S. Department of Labor – will provide temporary employment to no less than 38 low-income older Alabamians living in Cullman, Lawrence, and Morgan Counties. These older adults will participate in the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), a cornerstone program of the Older Americans Act and the only federal job training program targeted exclusively to low-income, older jobseekers.

In its 59th year, SCSEP promotes personal dignity and self-sufficiency through work. The training attained through SCSEP provides in-demand skills for older, unemployed, low-income Americans. The Center, a top-tier U.S. Department of Labor National Grantee of SCSEP, works through a network of local partners delivering career training programs for eligible 50-plus-year-old workers across the United States. To date, the Center has served more than 500,000 qualified older workers in permanent employment through the SCSEP program. “Our long-term, local partners are key to the strength of the Center and provide the systems to train older Americans into a strategic advantage for employers across the country,” said Gary A. Officer, Center for Workforce Inclusion President and CEO. “We are very pleased to continue our support of the North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments for the 46th consecutive year.”

“SCSEP helps our community’s eligible 55+ job seekers learn new skills and refresh old ones when coming back into the workforce,” said Robby Cantrell. At their training sites, SCSEP job seekers help local community, faith-based, and public agencies carry out their mission, such as the Cullman County Extension Office, Mosaic Mentoring, and The Kitchen Food Pantry., Alabama Department of Rehab Services. “By working in SCSEP positions, SCSEP provides hope and dignity to low-income, older job seekers with the toughest employment challenges. This grant from the Center is essential to delivering these vital workforce training services to our community.”

Many SCSEP participants have been offered jobs at their host agency once their term is up. Specifically, in recent years, NARCOG has hired five part-time and two full-time individuals over several years. The two full-time individuals work in the Transit Department, helping coordinate transportation for people in the community, planning driving routes and keeping in contact with the bus drivers. The five current part-time employees have varying roles, including custodial work, data entry, and receptionist duties. Each individual role contributes to helping NARCOG run as smoothly as possible, assisting the community with resources and connecting.

For 60 years, the Center for Workforce Inclusion has worked with older, low-income job seekers overlooked by traditional workforce programs. We trace our roots to the National Council of Senior Citizens, launched in 1962 to advocate for older Americans. We are now the only national entity dedicated exclusively to the workforce development needs of underserved workers over the age of 50. Since our founding, we have empowered nearly 500,000 clients to attain in-demand skills, overcome barriers to employment, and secure employment with more than 5,000 employers in industries that range from financial services, hospitality, and office administration to social services, health care, transportation, and manufacturing. For more information, please visit www.centerforworkforceinclusion.org.