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JVS MISSION STATEMENT 2007 ANNUAL REPORT Networking remains the best way to connect with a job. There is less value placed on the long tenured employee and some feel the pressure to search within a 3 to 5 year time span. People no longer expect job security and worry more about maintaining their benefits. There continues to be an onslaught of diverse immigrant populations. The trend still is for entry-level manufacturing jobs to become obsolete. Employment Services continues to see the growth of micro businesses as an alternative to the ongoing rotation in and out of jobs. Not surprisingly good computer skills are required for any job. In the retail industry there are unskilled jobs but they require working weekends. Sixty to seventy percent of employees over age 60 plan to continue to work. The growing influences on the job market are bridge jobs, pre-retirement careers and entrepreneurial opportunities. Young professionals starting out in the job market have attracted some unusually high salaries, are smarter than ever and at ease with technology. The rampant growth of job listings online can be confusing to the job seeker. Although Illinois unemployment has lessened, depression is a key problem for those searching. Attorneys continue to want to change careers. Older workers are just starting to reenter the job market but they have poor computer skills. Rehabilitation Services are serving people with more diverse problems such as criminal backgrounds and interest groups are looking to partner with service providers to cope with these challenges. The increase in the minimum wage has resulted in reduction in work hours and/or benefits. Those who are enrolled in supported employment programs are more dependent than ever on their job coach. Disabled adults are viewed as more reliable but need more than one job to pay the bills. Childcare is a growing job market but now requires higher education to cope with healthcare issues, diverse language and cultural backgrounds. The State has begun recognizing the need to pay for services, not strictly just for job placements. One of the many challenges is that training locations may be differently situated from where the jobs are. The State is increasingly interested in rehabilitation services taking place outside the facility in the neighborhoods. Interpreting Services remain in demand but competition among service organizations has increased. Homelessness and parenting issues are increased challenges to the job seeker. Credit history has increased importance and rent for SROs (single room occupancy) is increasing faster than social security benefits to pay for it. One of the phenomena that confronts JVS is the growing number of early retirees who will want to continue to be employed. A lot of effort was expended in trying to get a more complete picture of whether these people want to continue in a similar field of experience, try something new, or possibly be more interested in volunteer opportunities different from their life's work. JVS staff were trained at the 2 Young 2 Be Retired Seminar and insights into this demographic were gleaned from discussions at the annual meeting of the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services (IAJVS). Baby Boomers will articulate their needs when they come in for services. There has been considerable development of technology to market and promote JVS' programs and services. JVS uses Constant Contact, a mechanism whereby sophisticated messages targeted for specific communiqués can be sent by e-mail but are free of the cluttered identification list. JVS is also planning to utilize "Buy Me," a concept which promotes our entrepreneurs' new businesses and helps those who receive loans and/or are starting up small businesses connect with each other to promote their products and services. As our network grows so will the small businesses benefit. JVS became certified as a Small Business Development Center (SBA) and now has access to larger and an increased number of loans than our current resources permit. We also benefited from financial and business experts, Terry Savage, renowned journalist and author and Marc Schulman, international bakery products manufacturer, each of whom spoke at our Duman Microenterprise Center and Loan Fund seminars, offering advice on how to start, grow or stabilize a business. The IAJVS Program of the Year Award recognized CareerTracks, which is a special approach for at-risk young adults to engage in achieving a career or educational direction. A client satisfaction survey resulted in nearly 90% being pleased with the services they received. JVS also spent a great deal of the year preparing for its CARF Accreditation Survey that is required to receive government funds. But most important, accreditation is a peer review by colleagues who also operate similar programs and is used as a yardstick to upgrade JVS' organizational and professional services compared to an approved set of standards. JVS is also reviewing its Jewish Employment Network (JEN) networking program for professionals and business executives to determine the market for an executive search entrepreneurial program. Because public and private resources have not been able to sustain the agency's programs, a small registration fee for Employment Services clients was adopted with the goal of making the difference between the lack of COLAs received versus maintaining staff to operate our programs. JVS is now managing its microenterprise loans in-house and has contracted with a new client payroll company to process wages, benefits and program activity. In 2006, the JVS Board of Directors engaged a consulting firm to conduct a Business Operations Review to study the agency's back office operations and propose efficiencies and enhancements. During the last year the Board has worked closely with agency executive staff to implement the consultants' recommendations and improve organizational management, financial management, and timeliness. The Board re-affirmed its responsibility to assist the agency in securing resources to support current and future programs. In 2008 they will host a "Strictly Business" luncheon to raise funds from our corporate partners. They have made a commitment to work with staff to develop one or more self-sustaining social entrepreneurial enterprises that will be consistent with our mission and generate resources for program growth and development. The Board approved a policy for Controlled Growth Distribution of earned assets to protect our Board Designated and Endowment Funds. They also supported the agency's need to employ a dedicated grant writer and will underwrite this position until it becomes self-sustaining. The JVS Board engaged in continuity planning to strengthen the agency and ensure an orderly succession process for future transition. They studied the structure of JVS, the evolving field of vocational service, and the qualifications for agency leadership. During the coming year the Board expects to complete and begin implementation of the initial phase of the continuity strategy. JVS is grateful to our agency staff for their consistent and outstanding performance on behalf of our clients. Our talented and dedicated professionals have helped those in need acquire occupation skills, develop career plans, find jobs, learn English, and negotiate loans to start their own businesses. The agency takes great pride in having touched the lives of this diverse group of people, and is deeply grateful to the Board of Directors for their support of JVS services through fundraising, advocacy, public relations and policy development. JVS is equally grateful to our partners: the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, government agencies, employers, and countless volunteers. Together we provide invaluable services and support to our community's unemployed and underemployed citizens.
JVS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2007-2008
TESTIMONIALS The following are success stories from our clients: "When I lost my job, I was devastated. My friends recommended that I call a JVS Career Counselor for career/job search advice. I came in and we worked on and updated my resume. My counselor instilled in me that "this too shall pass, " and to hang on because if you are doing the right things, something good will come your way. Persistence was another attribute that she promoted. She helped me focus on my emotional health. We discussed issues I encountered during the interviewing process. I took rejection too personally. When that happened, I left a message and she responded immediately with motivational advice. She invited me to a group workshop, which was a great experience, giving me structure and introducing me to some great people. I learned that I was not alone and that others are struggling in a similar situation. She told me to believe in myself and the more I did, the better I did in interviews. Thanks to her, I got back my self-esteem and was able to got out and get the job I wanted." "I began my journey when I told my rabbi in June I had lost my job. She said I should send her my resume which she would distribute to congregants who might have some contacts or other information. She also referred me to JVS, as they have more comprehensive resources than she did. I contacted JVS and the counselor called me back the next day to schedule an appointment. I had a clear career path, so I didn't need the assessment service, but I did need counseling to deal with job loss and directions to start searching. She was not only sympathetic, but at each session, provided other ideas and leads. I also used the computers in the resource room. Everyone I met was friendly, helpful and understanding of how difficult things were. I could not have made it without that support. On October 23, six months to the day I was laid off, I received a job offer from the Hyatt Corporation that I immediately accepted. I cannot say enough nice things about JVS. I would highly recommend them to anyone needing this service. I will also let my rabbi know how much JVS helped me. I now look forward to a new chapter of my life and will take this experience with me wherever I go." "I wanted to let you know how much I benefited from attending the Jewish Women's Entrepreneurial Training class. As a new business owner without any previous training, the class provided me with a basic understanding of how to structure and launch my business. The class was rich with information on resources available to entrepreneurs, and I appreciated the opportunity to network with other participants. The materials were excellent, and the presentations were stimulating and a nice mix of lecture and interactive exercises. I would highly recommend this class to others who are developing a business. Thanks so much for all your help. It was a terrific experience." "We were so pleased with the service we received form JVS' College Counselor who alleviated all the pressures that most parents experience during the college search. She explained to our son the importance of fitting in socially as well as academically. She added that his religion was a strong consideration in making his final choice. His high school counselor never addressed these issues, only looking at his class rank and ACT score. She guided him through filling out his applications and writing an outstanding essay and powerful personal statement. She knew all the application deadlines, what schools had rolling admissions and their criteria. She relieved us from the pressure of nagging our son and dealt directly with him via phone and e-mail. He received acceptance letters from his first two choices and, thanks to her, needed only to make his final decision." "My son was recently accepted at college and we are thrilled. I wanted to thank JVS' College Counselor for helping him reach this milestone. We started working with her this past fall and, at that time, he had no idea where he wanted to apply. She met with my husband and myself and learned of our expectation. After that she met regularly with him to help him focus on his search. Once they had identified schools, she made sure that his applications were complete and filed in a timely manner. With all this up front work, we were able to relax. Though this process may seem simple, my son has ADD and organizing and getting him to meet deadlines is sometimes a daunting task. Without her help, our household would have been very tense. She made the process such a smooth one. He was accepted in the school that was his first choice. We are all so pleased with the outcome." "Thank you sharing your time and expertise with me. I value the information about networking, support groups and training. This job search process is not easy, so having JEN as a resource is a big help. I appreciate you adding my resume to the JVS website database, receiving e-mails about job leads, and the additional sessions to improve my job search skills. Thanks again for your enthusiasm, warmth and sound advice." "I want to personally thank both JVS and JCFS counselors for contributing to my gainful employment. Your group sessions helped soothe the emotional upheaval during the trying times and created the renewed energy needed to secure a job." "As I have recently finished my second term as a recipient of a 2006-2007 scholarship grant, I am enclosing copies of my most recent transcripts for your files. It has been another challenging year of study, and I have gained valuable hands-on experience as a social work intern. I am excited about the upcoming year as well, not only because I plan to complete my program of study, but also because I will be entering the specialization year. It has been a privilege to have the support of the educational funds, and I hope that I have proven myself worthy of an additional scholarship grant in the coming year. Thank you once again." "I came to JVS in early 2007. I had lost my job as a CNA 3 years ago due to illness. I worked for over 10 years prior to that and was hoping to find a similar position. The Employment Specialist gave me a CNA job lead and asked if I wanted to apply. My resume was quickly written, typed by the department Secretary and faxed to the company. I received a call the next day to interview and started work within the week helping with the personal care of a young women recovering from a stroke. I am very grateful to have been referred to Jewish Vocational Service." AFFILIATION ACCREDITATION PRIVACY PRACTICES PERSONNEL CODE OF ETHICS
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