Project EASE:  Education Assistance to Support Employability

An Overview

Statement of Need

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In the past, a class centered on low literacy African Americans has been a challenge to sustain due to the negative connotations associated with being “illiterate”; this is especially true for individuals attending “reading classes” in their own community such as the area contiguous to the West Las Vegas Library.

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This is unlike the view of the Hispanic population that make up most of our classes and who view attending an “English” class as a positive step toward improvement for themselves and their families.

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Project EASE Goals

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We launched Project EASE (Educational Assistance to Support Employability) in the Historic West Las Vegas community. Historic West Las Vegas is an area with a large African American population. The goal of Project EASE was to target native English speakers, especially young African American men experiencing underachievement due to low literacy, reading, and writing skills. We also targeted those who desired an introductory course to a GED preparation class.

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Project EASE featured classes that promoted the acquisition of basic reading and writing skills in a context of increased employability on the part of the learner. It was our hope that students desired to be a part of the program because the skills learned would help them to attain or retain employment during this struggling economy.

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We felt confident that Project EASE would provide African Americans and other native English speaking adults with the necessary reading, writing, employability, and technology skills to better prepare them for the job market and/or higher education.

Therefore, we wrapped the educational aspect of the program within the employability component; in hopes of recruiting this hard to reach group.

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Recruitment

Appearance on neighborhood radio show hosted by State Senator Steven Horsford, County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly, and personal meeting with Councilman, Ricky Barlow.

Feature front page story in Nevada Connections, the Nevada Adult Basic Education Newsletter.

Feature story in the Las Vegas Review Journal View Newspaper, a Community Newspaper.

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Recruitment

Strategic planning with West Las Vegas Library staff members.

Provided the Las Vegas - Clark County Library District branches with informational presentations and flyers.

Personal contact with community leaders and organizations with a similar client base.

Blanketed community businesses i.e. barber/beauty shops, stores, restaurants, social service offices, dry cleaners, apartment and housing complexes, etc. with flyers.

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An informational meeting entitled

“Coffee Chat”

was held for potential students at the West Las Vegas Library

Recruitment, con’t.

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Coffee Chat, con’t.

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Coffee Chat, con’t.

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Description of Program Content

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Instructors and VolunteersMany of our instructors work as teachers in the public and private sector, speak more than one language, and have advanced degrees in an education related field.

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Guest Speakers

Each class cycle featured guest speakers primarily from potential employers including both the public and private sectors. It was hoped that in some instances students might actually be able to fill out applications for existing employment opportunities or at a minimum practice applications with the entities represented.

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Testing and Curriculum

Students were assessed before and after instructional hours. The assessment tool used by the Project EASE program is CASAS (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems). The curriculum used for instruction was TABE (Test for Adult Basic Education) Reading and Language books.

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Interview ClosetParticipants had an opportunity to see proper interview skills and workplace attire modeled. Students received, free of charge, actual outfits that were used for interviews and the job fair.

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Job Fair

Our students participated in workshops regarding useful local employment websites, consumer credit counseling, reinventing oneself, and more.

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Student Outcomes

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Twenty eight students graduated from the program.

Eight students had perfect attendance with 80 or more hours of classroom instruction.

There was a 74 % overall student retention.

Twelve students have reported “getting jobs”.

Two students are earning high school diplomas.

One student is earning a GED.

Two students are pursuing college degrees.

Graduation Students received certificates of

achievement and promotional items for their attendance.

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