Northwest Wisconsin Concentrated Employment Program, Inc.’s Business Development Conferences, Upcoming Events and Press Releases.

Upcoming Events:

CEP, Inc Awarded Rural Health Grant
2009 Summer Youth Employment Program

Press Release: CEP, Inc Awarded Rural Health Grant

Northwest Wisconsin Concentrated Employment Program (CEP, Inc) recently received a $150,000 grant from the federal Office of Rural Health Policy, in the Health Resources and Services Administration, to fund the first year of a three year project. The grant’s purpose is to provide training and pre-employment services for people interested in becoming direct care health workers. In addition, it includes continuing education for direct care supervisors and managers.

The executive director of CEP, Inc., Steve Terry, described the grant as “meeting the needs of our elderly and disabled while also providing an important employment opportunity for the residents of Northwest Wisconsin. Over the course of the next three years, the Direct Care Worker Initiative will recruit, train, and help to place 300 individuals, while also providing training for their supervisors. If we’re successful this first year, the grant allows for two more years of funding, for a total of $375,000.”

There is currently a shortage of direct care workers in the eleven counties of Northwest Wisconsin, with over 1300 people on waiting lists for in-home, personal care services. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services wants the waiting lists eliminated, with all eligible people receiving the needed services. In addition, the State has expanded long term care options, making more citizens eligible. At the same time, the general population is aging, further adding to the need for personal care workers.

The grant has three primary goals, according to Terry. “First, the grant seeks to increase the number of people receiving these direct care services. By increasing the number of trained workers, the grant will help decrease the number on waiting lists, while also serving the expanded population group.”

“Secondly, the funding will increase the numbers of trained and certified direct care workers: 75 the first year, 125 the second year, and 100 the final year of the grant. Once trained and experienced, we want to help employers keep these workers. That ties in with the third goal of initiating polices that enhance job satisfaction and retention of direct care workers.”

To implement this grant, CEP, Inc staff will work closely with both public and private service providers, as well as a working consortium consisting of the Wisconsin Personal Services Association (WPSA), Northern Bridges, and Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College. For more information regarding the direct care workers grant initiative, contact Sue Bodoh, Grant Manager: sbodoh@nwcep.org.

2009 Summer Youth Employment Program

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Providing seasonal workers AT NO COST to your business or non-profit organization!

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Applications Now Being Accepted for Employers in Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, Washburn & Counties.

As part of President Obama’s American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (AARA) of 2009, the Northwest Wisconsin Concentrated Employment Program (NWCEP) has received funding for a Summer Youth Employment Program. With the additional funds, eligible youth (ages 14-24) can receive paid work experience and gain employment readiness skills. The Summer Program will operate from May until September, 2009. Young people will work in a variety of entry-level job settings, including government agencies, hospitals, non-profits, small businesses, and retail organizations, with their wages paid by AARA stimulus funds received by NWCEP. Special consideration will be given to activities that expose youth to opportunities in “green” educational and career pathways.

The Summer Youth Employment Program strives to:

Emphasize real-world labor expectations;
Provide the opportunity to explore careers of interest;
Increase awareness of services offered by local community-based organizations;
Provide opportunities for career instruction, financial literacy training, academic; improvement, and social growth.

Businesses and Non-Profit Organizations can utilize the benefits of ARRA by having additional workers to carry out projects that they may not have had the funds to implement otherwise. If your business or agency wants to benefit from the Economic Stimulus monies and you are interested in supervising a youth this summer, contact Brad Gingras at NWCEP, 715-682-9141, ext. 200 or bgingras@nwcep.org.

In the interest of the participants' safety, NWCEP staff will assess OSHA compliance and Child Labor Laws at each potential work site. Northwest Wisconsin CEP, as the administering agency for the ARRA Summer Youth Employment funds, reserves the right not to fill a requested slot if the position is considered non-conducive to the youth’s safety and well-being. Employers must also agree to the terms and conditions of the program, including offering exemplary supervision and meaningful work duties.

If your business or non-profit could benefit from this program, complete the Youth Employment Site Application. A NWCEP staff member will contact you to further discuss your employment needs and to set an appointment for a site assessment.

There are still a limited number of available slots for youth participants. We encourage residents ages 14 to 24 to apply by contacting their nearest Job Center or calling 1-888-780-4237.

Download the Youth Employment Site Application here, completely fill it out and fax back to 715-682-9181.