OIC/DC believes that people living in poverty need jobs but not just any job. They need jobs that will enable them to be self-sufficient, maintain their families and invest in home ownership and in their community. Employment, self-sufficiency, stable families, home ownership are component parts of a safe and stable community. The relationship of these factors and their connection to the quality of life in a community has been researched time and time again. And the research has clearly shown that there is a direct and inescapable relationship of these factors to the community's well being. It is a relationship that typically shows, if any one of the factors positively increases; all will increase, resulting in the overall health and vitality of the community. The OIC/DC addresses the employment factor------jobs, jobs, jobs. As such, in 2009, OIC/DC served more than 1,076 participants in its two divisions: 656 in the Adult Division and 420 in the Youth Division. Most of the participants live “east of the river” and in Ward 8 where unemployment and poverty is the highest in the City.
The Adult Division had the following programs:
•A+ Certification Computer Repair Program
•Office Practices/Microsoft Office Specialist Program
•Pre-Apprenticeship for Construction Trades
•Weatherization/Solar Energy Program
•Family Service Program (Job Readiness, Life Skills & Job Placement)
•Ex-Offender Program (Job Readiness, Life Skill & Job Placement)
•Community Out Reach Program
OIC/DC performance rate remain steady at:
• Job Placement Rate 72%
• Job Retention Rate after 3-6 months on the job. 79%
The Youth Division and DC Public Schools, worked together to provide services to our youth. The overarching goal of the program was to provide a career learning experience coupled with academic enrichment and job readiness skills building, so that the young people (14-17 years of age) in the program see the value of and need to stay in school, raise their grade levels and obtain a high school diploma. The program accomplished the following: Continued to provide a comprehensive array of services that included academic enrichment, career exploration, employability development, mentoring, case management, leadership development, and support that helped to maintain the young people’s ability to return to school and succeed in school. As a result of this activity, 85% of the youth tested indicated an increase in their grade level, 95% of the youth remained in school, 17 of 18 seniors graduated.
Program Description