On May 31, the Little Rock Workforce Development Board (LRWDB) hosted a three-day Workplace Skills Orientation for participants in Little Rock’s Arkansas Promise work readiness initiative and their job coaches. Key topics in the Be Successful at Work workshop included: dress for success, workplace communication, conflict resolution, and bullying and sexual harassment. Volunteer instructors from organizations like the Human Resource Management Association of Arkansas (HRMA) contributed their time and expertise to provide information in these critical areas.
The LRWDB began its partnership with the Arkansas PROMISE Grant consortium in January 2015 to operate a summer youth work experience program to run in concert with the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP.) The majority of participants and employers reported have reported positive experiences with this effort. As one employer stated:
“We have been a part of the work program for over two years and love it. It’s a wonderful program for any business to be a part of! The worker gains knowledge and experience and the business is able to have additional help. It’s a great program and we’re fortunate to be a part of it!” – Angela Bennett, All About Staffing, Inc.
PROMISE – Promoting Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income – is a joint initiative of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the U.S. Departments of Education (ED), Health and Human Services, and Labor. Arkansas was selected as one of six programs nationally to promote positive changes in education and employment outcomes for the target population. Arkansas PROMISE provides innovative educational, vocational, and other services to youth SSI recipients, age 14 to 16, and their families.