The Impact of Our Nation’s Heroes Coming Home to the Civilian Workforce

Jessica Cheng MA, MSWProgram Coordinator, Veterans FirstJVS Los Angelesjcheng@jvsla.org

AJFCA/IAJVS ConferenceHouston 2012

Heroes Coming Home•30,000 veterans coming

home/month

▫Limited Education ▫Military Skills

Civilian Skills▫Stigma with employers▫Education, housing,

physical and mental healthcare, and transportation

EMPLOYMENT

•In operation since June 2010▫Serve recently released,

unemployed/underemployed Workforce Investment Act (WIA) eligible male and female veterans and other veterans with service connected disabilities who have significant barriers to employment.

▫Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions)

Target Employers/Job Sectors

Identifying

target job

sectors

Evaluation of

employer needs

Introductory calls

and/or emails

Matching of client to openings

Careers as Wind Turbine Technicians, phlebotomists, CNAs, Network Administrators, Security, etc.

What’s an MOS?•Military

Occupation Specialty▫Marine

Corps – Mortarman?

www.mynextmove.org/vets

VetWorking Collaborative•Collaborative

with other VSOs▫Best Practices

•VetWorking Career Fair

•LinkedIn

Community Involvement

Motivating and empowering the community to give back and honoring our heroesSit & Sleep Promotion – Veterans Day

Barriers•PTSD•Depression•Isolation•Substance Abuse•Family Roles•Criminal Background•Motivation•Homelessness•Financial Illiteracy

Vets Helping Vets•Relatable

▫Branch, Deployment, Base▫Similar to civilian (same school, hometown,

etc)

Shared Experiences

• Building the Relationship

Addressing the Barriers•Training and Referrals •Battle Buddy Groups

▫Research on college campuses – lower suicide rates

▫Replicate Battle Buddy Mentality

Build multiple relationshipsProblem solve, social skillsCoping skills – role play and scenariosRange of topicsSupport from fellow veterans encountering similar barriers

Empathy VS. Relatability

Workplace Scenario

Allan has been an employee at Boeing for about 5 months. He has always met his deadlines and maintained his workload. Recently, however, he has been having trouble completing deadlines at work and has fallen behind on his workload. Co-workers have noticed him as being jumpy and appearing anxious while sitting at his desk and smelling of alcohol.

You receive a call from the employer regarding the situation and they are concerned.

MSW Military Perspective = Blends traditional social work with military issues

Social Work Perspective•Individual behavior is determined to a

large extent by social environment, e.g. community norms and values, regulations, and policies.

Advantages of Hiring Veterans• Loyal-committed• Self-starter, Initiative • Plan of Action - Answer and solve problems

without systemic guidance.• Accountable• Prepared/Work Ready• Adaptable/Flexible • Shift with any changes in order to serve the

main objective of the goal.• Safety-Oriented• Trustworthy• Team Player• Self Direction• Structured

Further Thoughts or Questions