One of the key points of the mission statement for the Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese of Superior highlights; meeting the critical needs and issues of our society through the use of our gifts and resources in partnership with public and private enterprise.
It’s clear that employment is a critical need for anyone desiring to lead an independent life where they have the ability to realize the benefit of their labor in pursuit of their own unique goals. Perhaps one of the best examples of how they achieve this mission is through the Community Employment programs operated by their affiliate agencies across our area.
Located in; Superior, Medford, Rhinelander, Barron and Siren, each program works to support those facing disabilities to search for and retain long term employment with local businesses.
Think about all it took to make your own employment possible. At some point you worked to develop the skills required in your desired field. You developed a resume based on your previous experience and education. You most likely researched opportunities in your area and networked with friends and associates to develop job leads and hopefully an interview.
And that’s just what happens before you get the job. On a daily basis, you need to be able to access reliable transportation to and from work. You need to be able to arrive ready to work and complete your assigned tasks while interacting with managers and co-workers in a productive and professional manner. These are all aspects of working that we all must navigate and the Catholic Charities Bureau affiliates are prepared to assist those they serve.
Serving more than 150 people in our area, and 599 people throughout northern Wisconsin, Catholic Charities Bureau affiliate Community Employment Programs have the ability to assist people with any level of ability and disability.
For those who are more independent, it might be as simple as assistance with developing an effective resume and practicing interview skills. Others will benefit from completing a skills assessment and taking the time to research different job opportunities, while others may need long-term assistance with transportation and possibly even a job coach.
Those not quite ready to enter the job world have the ability to take advantage of the different Prevocational Programs operated by each affiliate. In Superior, for instance, the Challenge Center offers opportunities for employment in both Bay Produce and Marathon Industries. Here, people work to develop the soft and hard skills it takes to gain and keep employment long term. These are safe environments where employees can experience working with their peers, learn how to take direction from a supervisor and the importance of completing tasks in a timely manner. Employees can experience different types of work that will help them as they transition to working in the greater community.
None of this is possible without the support of the local businesses that know the value of these great employees. When many businesses hire their first employee through a Community Employment Program, they do so out of a desire to be charitable. In almost every case, however, they go on to hire even more, as they quickly find these employees to be their best in terms of job performance, punctuality, attitude and loyalty.
A great example of this in our area, is Chartwell’s on the Campus of UWS, where they currently employee three people through the Challenge Center’s Community Employment Program. Each affiliate program under the Catholic Charities umbrella works to create relationships with local employers to both help develop jobs as well as educate them on the benefits of hiring those they serve.
The continuum of services offered by the Catholic Charities Bureau are designed to dovetail together in order to support the efforts of those served to live as independently as possible. In Superior, the staff in the Challenge Center Supportive Homecare Program works with individuals in their own homes to assist with many of the daily tasks that make going to work possible, such as laundry, cooking, shopping and transportation.
In a similar fashion, the eight homes operated by the Challenge Center offer the supports needed for many of their residents who are also served by the Community Employment Program. In essence, each program directly affects and supports the efforts of the other.
Meeting the critical needs and issues of our society, on behalf of those served in our communities is at the root of every program operated by the Catholic Charities Bureau affiliates. The efforts of the Community Employment Programs speak directly to their mission as they strive to help prepare and support those they serve in developing the necessary skills for a lifetime of meaningful employment.
Mark Kroll is director of the Challenge Center.
