This spotlight profiles the implementation of the POWER (Pursuing Opportunities With Employment & Resources) project at Liberty Community Services, Inc. in New Haven, Connecticut. The POWER project is a component of Project HERO (Housing and Employment Resources for Improving HIV Outcomes). The goal of Project HERO is to improve HIV outcomes through an established patient-centered medical home by linking people living with HIV who are unstably housed to HIV care, housing, and employment services. This project is supported with funding from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.
Job clubs encourage peer support to prepare for work and expand participants’ networks. POWER expands upon the job club promising practice, using the concept of an Employment Spectrum. The Employment Spectrum recognizes that obtaining work is not a linear path but an individual process that focuses on a person’s readiness to learn new skills and build networks and resources. Over an 8-week period, POWER brings people together for 16 sessions to explore their strengths, learn about education & training options, build self-esteem, and make progress on the Employment Spectrum. Among the 42 POWER participants 6 cycles, 71% of enrollees progressed on the Employment Spectrum.
Among the 42 POWER participants 6 cycles, 71% of enrollees progressed on the Employment Spectrum.