Partnership Between EDSI & City of Philadelphia Highlights Transitional and Permanent Career Opportunities
Q&A Spotlight: Community Life Improvement Program
When you have two entities who care deeply about improving the quality of life, it leads to a perfect partnership and positive outcomes. The impactful community partnership happening in Philadelphia, PA called Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) is a program aimed at improving the quality of life in Philly neighborhoods. Carrying out such an important initiative requires a lot of hands, and EDSI/PA CareerLink® has many talented hands. Learn more about this innovative program partnership in the blog below.
What is CLIP?
CLIP is a City of Philadelphia program that partners with Philadelphia Works, Inc and EDSI. The CLIP program has been around for many years going back to 2017. When Covid-19 happened in 2020, this program supported Philadelphians who lost their jobs during the pandemic with temporary employment until they were able to secure permanent employment. Currently, funding for the project has remained in place through other funding sources, including WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act).
What is EDSI’s Role in the Partnership?
EDSI works with CLIP coordinators to offer participants being served in our Philadelphia CareerLink® the opportunity to receive on-the-job training with the possibility of being hired full-time with the City of Philadelphia after their time in the program commences.
Who is involved in coordinating the program and working with participants?
Our EDSI team, including two Project Specialists in the PA CareerLink® Philadelphia, help to support the project along with a supervisor under the Ascend Staffing group who works directly with CLIP supervisors. The Project Specialists manage recruitment, time and attendance, placement support, and worksite mediation/coaching.
Who can participate in the program and how does it work?
A participant must meet the criteria for WIOA, be a Philadelphia resident, and be at least 18 years old to be a part of the CLIP Program.
We work with participants during the transitional job period to help them find full-time employment. A transitional job assists individuals who are unemployed to establish a work history and develop skills to gain full-time employment and progress in the workplace.
The CLIP participants receive a bi-weekly paycheck and earn PTO and holidays after a certain number of hours have been fulfilled. Additionally, the CLIP Program is a steppingstone to prepare workers for employment with the City of Philadelphia’s CLIP Program, if chosen.
How does CLIP help Philadelphians make the city a nicer place to live?
Besides the partnership between EDSI and the PA CareerLink® that brings potential jobseekers to the city’s worker pipeline, partnering with residents, community groups, businesses, other city departments, and agencies to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods helps beautify the city.
As part of the program’s mission to improve quality of life, CLIP participants, volunteers or employees work to:
• Remove graffiti vandalism from buildings, street signs, and other street fixtures
• Enforce the City’s regulations to make sure vacant lots and areas are kept clean
• Lend supplies and offer trash pickup for CLIP-coordinated neighborhood cleanup
• Complete their community service sentences by cleaning and beautifying the city (if an adult non-violent offender)
Why is a program like this important to the economic success of the Philly region?
It provides employment to many people, especially underserved and justice-involved populations, who get an opportunity to work to rebuild their credibility and ultimately gain a second chance at leading an honest, healthy, and safe life earning sustainable wages.
Out of 73 jobseekers that came to PA CareerLink® for job search assistance, EDSI placed all 73 jobseekers into transitional work, with 20 individuals moving to full- time employment with the City of Philadelphia. The project also provides hard-working, skill-progressing transitional workers or participants the opportunity to become full-time city employees, with an average starting wage of $38,000 per year.
“CLIP is a collaborative effort in helping reentrants and others secure employment. The program is successful due to the local workforce board committing WIOA funds to offer transitional work, our partners in the City’s Managing Director’s Office sharing the need and teaching skills on the job, and the EDSI team at PA CareerLink managing the project, from planning to implementation to data tracking,” said Meredith McCarthy, EDSI Regional Director of Operations.
Below you can read a CLIP Success Story from a jobseeker participant who recently received services through Philadelphia CareerLink® and was offered a full-time job with the City of Philadelphia.
Akeem Spratley, City of Philadelphia Sanitation Worker, previously Transitional Work CLIP Crew Member: “I came to the PA CareerLink® for help with employment. They helped me with interview skills, talking to employers, and what not to say. Through the CLIP program I became a Sanitation Worker for the City of Philadelphia and basically, I help keep the city clean. I wanted this job because of the great benefits and the job security. I would recommend PA CareerLink® services to anyone looking for work.”
How can someone get started if they want to be considered for an on-the-job training experience or if they’re interested in CLIP as a way to gain volunteer or on-the-job training experience?
For those interested in on-the-job-training opportunities or joining the CLIP Transitional Jobs Program, reach out to PA CareerLink® at 1-833-750-5627.
For individuals or groups interested in volunteering time to the program, you can learn more about the city’s CLIP program at https://www.phila.gov/departments/community-life-improvement-program/ .
If you are a jobseeker interested in any other career resources, opportunities, or trainings, please call PA CareerLink® at 1-833-750-5627 or visit us online at www.pacareerlinkphl.org
Thank you to the EDSI content contributors (left to right): Latosha Lewis, Special Projects Manager; Evelyn Gomez, Director and Meredith McCarthy, Regional Director of Operations
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