Specialized Employment Programs

Many individuals have special concerns when looking for a job. Not everyone can present the same set of skills, abilities and life situations. The Boston Career Centers have special capacity and experience in working with individuals who can use some additional support and guidance during their job search. The following programs are designed to assist those with specific sets of circumstances.

Homeless

HomeWork is program for long term homeless individuals. It works with program participants to help find housing and begin employment services. For more information on HomeWork please contact the JobNet Career Center.

Ex-Offenders/People with CORI's

Individuals with a criminal record, no matter what it contains, face special barriers when looking for a job. Two Boston Career Centers have special support services available to those with a CORI who are looking for work. The Work Place has several programs one of which works with women returning from the Framingham House of Correction. JobNet has a set of services connected to the Boston Pre-Release Center. Both Career Centers provide a range of services to any Boston resident with similar concerns.

Disabilities

The Boston One Stop Career Centers host several programs to assist individuals with disabilities to secure employment and/or housing. The JobNet Disability Employment Services Unit is responsible for the delivery of employment services through several programs including:

• The Employment Connections Program
• The HomeWork Project
• The Disability Program Navigator Program
• Project Impact Benefits Counseling Initiative

JobNet’s Disability Employment Services staff also provides employment services to individuals who are visually impaired and are either directly referred to the career center from the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB), or come into the center independently requesting assistance.

For more information on services available please see the Boston One Stop Career Center Disability Employment Services Programs - First Quarter - Report 2008.

High School Dropouts

Young people who are neither in school nor working have few prospects in today's economy. That is why the PIC, working with the Boston Career Centers makes a special effort to assist those who have dropped out of school and those who finished high school without passing MCAS. PIC dropout recovery specialists and Career Center Youth Career Counselors work with young people to help get them back on track to education and employment. They help young people take the next step by enrolling them in school, GED programs, training programs and jobs.

TANF Recipients

Each of the Boston Career Centers have an employment service team that works primarily with TANF recipients planning to join the workforce. These teams work with individuals referred through the TANF office and with those who seek assistance on their own. The Boston Career Centers are familiar with the job search activity requirements of TANF and the documentation requirements by TANF. In addition to services offered at the Career Centers services are also offered at the Dudley Square TANF office.

Non-Native English Speakers

Boston Career Centers can assist speakers of many languages. Each Center has bilingual Spanish speaking staff. In addition, 14 other languages (including 2 Chinese dialects) are spoken at the Boston Career Centers. The following list identifies the linguistic capacity that exists at each Career Center:

Boston Career Link
Chinese (Mandarin)
Creole
Dutch
French
Haitian Creole
Italian
Portuguese
Spanish

JobNet
Chinese (Cantonese & Mandarin)
French
Haitian Creole
Vietnamese
Spanish

The Work Place
Bosnian
Creole
Ethiopian
French
Greek
Hebrew
Lithuanian
Russian
Spanish

Assistance in filing unemployment insurance claims is available in Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese at JobNet.