Commitment2Career Program EMQ FamiliesFirst December 10, 2015 Ms. Yali Lincroft Program Officer The Walter S. Johnson Foundation 505 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94111 RE: Commitment2Career Program Dear Ms. Yali Lincroft, Sacramento EMQ FamiliesFirst is thrilled to present this proposal for your review. We look forward to partnering with you to provide a job readiness program to current Sacramento EMQ FamiliesFirst foster youth participants between the ages of 17 and 21. Aged-out foster youth have an extremely high rate of poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, and high school dropout rates. The objective of the Commitment2Career Program is to help prepare our participants to be effective job candidates and jobholders. They will participate in hands on activities that will bring awareness to their skills and interests, available training and schooling, resume/cover letter creation, interview preparation, and money management. Over the last year we have distributed our Needs Assessment Questionnaire to the current foster youth participants at Sacramento EMQ FamiliesFirst. The results of this Needs Assessment Questionnaire have informed us that our participants greatly need help preparing for entry into the workforce and desire supportive mentors and educated staff to guide them through the process. The Commitment2Career Program provides one-on-one peer mentoring and tutoring, one-on-one career counseling, and interactive job readiness workshops. EMQ FamiliesFirst has an excellent reputation of providing comprehensive, thoughtful programs to struggling youth and families. We are now seeking to run a job readiness program that addresses the unmet career development needs of our foster youth participants. Our proposal requests $156,015 in funding to obtain the software and hardware necessary to successfully run our job readiness program for one year from July 2016 to June 2017. More specifically part of the funding will go towards paying 2 part-time Peer Mentors and 2 full-time Career Counselors, as well as purchasing equipment needed to use for the interactive workshops. We appreciate The Walter S. Johnson Foundation expressing a desire to positively impact foster youth through our Commitment2Career Program. Please contact us at 916-388-6400 if we can provide you with any other materials or if you have any questions regarding our proposal. Thank you for your consideration, Molly Scher, Denise Perez-Flores, Karen Jarquin, Sara House, and Rachel Radekin Sacramento EMQ FamilesFirst Board of Directors 9343 Tech Center Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826
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Commitment2Career Program
EMQ FamiliesFirst
December 10, 2015
Ms. Yali Lincroft
Program Officer
The Walter S. Johnson Foundation
505 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
RE: Commitment2Career Program
Dear Ms. Yali Lincroft,
Sacramento EMQ FamiliesFirst is thrilled to present this proposal for your review. We look forward to
partnering with you to provide a job readiness program to current Sacramento EMQ FamiliesFirst foster
youth participants between the ages of 17 and 21. Aged-out foster youth have an extremely high rate of
poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, and high school dropout rates. The objective of the
Commitment2Career Program is to help prepare our participants to be effective job candidates and
jobholders. They will participate in hands on activities that will bring awareness to their skills and interests,
available training and schooling, resume/cover letter creation, interview preparation, and money
management.
Over the last year we have distributed our Needs Assessment Questionnaire to the current foster youth
participants at Sacramento EMQ FamiliesFirst. The results of this Needs Assessment Questionnaire have
informed us that our participants greatly need help preparing for entry into the workforce and desire
supportive mentors and educated staff to guide them through the process. The Commitment2Career Program
provides one-on-one peer mentoring and tutoring, one-on-one career counseling, and interactive job
readiness workshops.
EMQ FamiliesFirst has an excellent reputation of providing comprehensive, thoughtful programs to
struggling youth and families. We are now seeking to run a job readiness program that addresses the unmet
career development needs of our foster youth participants. Our proposal requests $156,015 in funding to
obtain the software and hardware necessary to successfully run our job readiness program for one year from
July 2016 to June 2017. More specifically part of the funding will go towards paying 2 part-time Peer
Mentors and 2 full-time Career Counselors, as well as purchasing equipment needed to use for the interactive
workshops.
We appreciate The Walter S. Johnson Foundation expressing a desire to positively impact foster youth
through our Commitment2Career Program. Please contact us at 916-388-6400 if we can provide you with
any other materials or if you have any questions regarding our proposal.
Thank you for your consideration,
Molly Scher, Denise Perez-Flores, Karen Jarquin, Sara House, and Rachel Radekin
Sacramento EMQ FamilesFirst Board of Directors
9343 Tech Center Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826
1
SIMMARY
EMQ FamiliesFirst is a nonprofit organization that provides ongoing services to foster children
and families. We are one of the largest mental health services in California that provides
comprehensive, community-based services and supports to children and teens with serious
emotional and/or behavioral disturbances. Foster youth in the United States face many obstacles
in their transition into adulthood and age out of the foster care system. One of those challenges is
continuing their education or career and obtaining a job. There is a need to address the
discrepancies among the foster youth population and the national sample’s achievement in
education and job readiness.
We will be providing 25 foster youth between the ages of 17-21 in the greater Sacramento area
with 4 career related workshops, including career exploration, education and training, job
readiness, and money management. Participants will also have access to drop-in peer mentoring
and tutoring and one-on-one career counseling to help guide them through their career
development process. Sleep Train, Inc. has been a major contributor to EMQ FamiliesFirst in the
past and has offered to donate money to the Commitment2Career Program to provide each youth
with a Target gift card for attending each workshop and completing a post program follow up
evaluation. We are asking for grant funding to run our program for one year.
We are committed to running a quality program and have therefore designed ongoing evaluations
to take place before, during, and after the program. We are expecting to see at least a 25%
growth in knowledge during the program and a 50% growth in knowledge overall, upon the
completion of the Commitment2Career Program. After completing the program, 75% of
participants will report academic and/ or job achievements within one year of the program.
The overall cost to fund the Commitment2Career Program will be $193,529. An amount of
$35,014 has already been committed and secured from EMQ FamiliesFirst and an amount of
$2,500 has also been committed and secured from Sleep Train, Inc. This proposal requests $156,
015 to help fund all other expenses not covered by the match funds.
APPLICANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION
“EMQ FamiliesFirst offers an unparalleled level of caring and experience to those who need it
most. We achieve economies of scale and so can offer a wider array of cost-effective programs
for children and families around the state.”
-Walter Grubbs, Board of Governors
Our mission is to do whatever it takes to help children, strengthen families, build community,
and advocate for systems change to ensure that families strive. We believe the most effective
form of care comes from using the community’s strengths in order to define and individualize
our services. EMQ FamiliesFirst is a statewide nonprofit that helps children and families. The
agency is one of the largest and most comprehensive mental health treatment programs in
California. EMQ FamiliesFirst takes a state-of-the-art approach to children and adolescents with
complex behavioral health challenges and helps them recover from trauma such as abuse, severe
2
neglect, addiction, and poverty. Our results for youth are on average 10 percentage points higher
than state or national averages on metrics such as living at home, staying in school, and
remaining out of trouble. With our proposal of the Commitment2Career Program, we are
determined to take our services to the next step and prepare foster youth before they age out of
care by implementing a program that includes career counseling services, peer mentoring, and
interactive workshops on career development and job readiness skills.
Since 1867, EMQ FamiliesFirst has grown from a single building in San Jose providing a shelter
for local homeless youth to a statewide agency offering a range of community-based programs to
children in crisis and their families. The name EMQ (Eastfield Ming Quong) represents the
merging of two children and family services agencies; Eastfield Home of Benevolence and Ming
Projector Screen ($70), 1 Large Whiteboard ($150) 1,395 1,395
(5) Laptop computers and software at $800 x 4 staff 3,200 3,200
Subtotal Equipment Expense 4,595 4,595
Other Expense
(6) Youth incentives: $20 Target gift cards x 5 (4
workshops+1 post-program follow-up survey) x 25 youth 2,500 2,500
Subtotal Other Expense 2,500 2,500
TOTAL All Direct Expense 156,015 19,920 175,935
INDIRECT EXPENSE: calculated at 10% of qualifying
direct expense 17,594 17,594
TOTAL ALL EXPENSES 156,015 37,514 193,529
BUDGET JUSTIFICATION
Direct Expenses
Personnel Expense
12
(1) Career Counselors: 2 FTE at $50,000 each, 11 months in year 1 = $100,000. Supervised by
EMQ FamiliesFirst Foster Youth Coordinator (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). Will
facilitate workshops, supervise Peer Mentors, and provide career counseling services by
appointment to all participants. Will also conduct initial evaluation assessments, track
progress, and document necessary data for success projections. One month allowed for
recruitment and hiring. One month allowed for training.
(2) Peer Mentors: 2 PTE at $17,000 each, 11 months in year 1 = $34,000. Supervised by
Commitment2Career Program Career Counselors. Will assist with workshop facilitation as
needed and provide mentoring and academic support to all youth on a drop-in basis. Will
make referrals to Career Counselors when necessary. One month allowed for recruitment and
hiring. One month allowed for training.
(3) Fringe Benefits: $34,840. EMQ FamiliesFirst agency will cover 50% of all employees
benefit expense associated with the Commitment2Career Program and seek to have the
remaining 50% covered by the requested grant funds. Benefits are calculated at 26% of
salary and include FICA 7.65%; unemployment insurance 2.9%; workers’ compensation 1%;
health insurance 12%; life and disability insurance 1%; and dental benefit 1.45%.
Non-Personnel Expense
Equipment
(4) Office Equipment: $1,395. EMQ FamiliesFirst Sacramento agency will provide a 1,700
square foot office/meeting space equipped with 2 staff desks for the career counselors, 10
desktop computers with desks and chairs for youth to use for career preparation during
workshops and drop-in visits. EMQ FamiliesFirst Sacramento will also cover expenses
associated with printing, copying, faxing, and scanning equipment/services,
internet/telephone servicing and all necessary office supplies as well as provide youth
activity materials and supplemental food/drinks for workshop/activity sessions and
emergency food closet. The requested grant funds will cover office desk chairs (2 @ $187.50
= $375) for Peer Mentors, office desks (2 @ $225 = $450) for Peer Mentors, portable
projector (1 @ $350) for workshops, portable projector screen (1 @ $70) for workshops, and
large whiteboard (1 @ $150) for workshops.
(5) Laptop Computers and Software: $3,200 (4 @ $800). Laptops are required for the 2
Career Counselors and 2 Peer Mentors who will use them for documentation, case
management, career related research, and to assist youth with career preparation. Software
will be included in the overall cost of each laptop.
Other Expense
(6) Target Gift Cards: $2,500 (125 gift cards @ $20). Youth participants with attendance and
completion of each of the 4 proposed workshops over the course of the program will receive
1 gift card per workshop. Youth will also receive 1 $20 gift card for completing a post-
program follow-up survey. Funds secured on April 1, 2015 from Sleep Train, Inc., a
community donor.
Indirect Expense
13
$17,935. Indirect expense will include general liability insurance, building maintenance, clerical
services and book keeping, technology updates, and training manual materials. This expense to
be covered by EMQ FamiliesFirst.
$175,935 Total direct expense
x 10%
$17,594 Indirect expense
APPENDIX
Career Readiness & Money Management Knowledge Questionnaire
Please place an X or a check mark in corresponding boxes to indicate that you are either: Not Very
Knowledgeable, Somewhat Knowledgeable, Knowledgeable, or Highly Knowledgeable about each question
asked.
Career Exploration
How knowledgeable do you feel you
are about:
Not Very
Knowledgeable
(1)
Somewhat
Knowledgeable
(2)
Knowledgeable
(3)
Highly
Knowledgeable
(4)
The Career Planning Process?
California Career Zone career
development website and how it can
help you with career development?
Personality traits assessment as
interpreted by the John Holland Code
and how this can help you with career
development?
Interest profile assessment and how
this can help you with career
development?
The various types of job families and
how you can research them to identify
those you are most interested in?
How to identify wages, common
college majors, and preparation
required for occupations that you are
interested in?
Careers I am interested in?
How to enter a career I am interested
in?
What careers best match my interests?
What careers best match my
personality traits?
Education & Training
How knowledgeable do you feel you
are about:
Not Very
Knowledgeable
(1)
Somewhat
Knowledgeable
(2)
Knowledgeable
(3)
Highly
Knowledgeable
(4)
What a 4 year public college or
university is and the estimated costs
associated with attendance?
What a 4 year private college or
university is and the estimated costs
associated with attendance?
What a community college is and the
estimated costs associated with
attendance?
What a career/vocational/technical
school is and the estimated costs
associated with attendance?
Alternatives to attending college and
or a career/vocational/technical
program such as California
Conservation Corps, AmeriCorps, Job
Corps, or U.S. Armed Forces?
The benefits of volunteering and how
to find opportunities?
The benefits of internships and how to
find opportunities?
The type of education and or training
I need for at least two of the
occupations I am interested in
pursuing?
How to obtain the education and or
training I need for at least two of the
occupations I am interested in
pursuing?
Alternatives to attending college and
or a training program and how to
attain these goals?
Job Readiness
How knowledgeable do you feel you
are about:
Not Very
Knowledgeable
(1)
Somewhat
Knowledgeable
(2)
Knowledgeable
(3)
Highly
Knowledgeable
(4)
The components of job readiness?
What a resume is and how to write
one?
What information to include on a
resume?
The different ways to format a
resume?
The interview process?
How to prepare for an interview?
The different types of interviews?
What a cover letter is and how to
write one?
What an accomplishment statement is
and how to write one?
What transferrable skills are and how
to identify those that you possess?
Money Management
How knowledgeable do you feel you
are about:
Not Very
Knowledgeable
(1)
Somewhat
Knowledgeable
(2)
Knowledgeable
(3)
Highly
Knowledgeable
(4)
What a budget is?
How to create a budget?
What financial credit is and its
purpose for using it?
How to effectively manage money?
The different ways to help stay out of
debt?
What it means to "live within your
means" and how you can accomplish
this?
What "cost of living" is and how to
budget based on this and your
projected income?
The various salary levels of at least
two of your occupational interests and
how education and or training and
experience contribute to the various
levels?
Living expenses associated with "cost
of living" and how to manage these
expenses based on your projected
income from at least two of your
occupational interests?
Commitment2Career Program
Workshop #1 Curriculum: “Career Exploration”
Objectives
After completing this workshop the participant will be able to: ● Understand the career planning process and identify their current position in that process
● Begin to identify personal background information helpful for their career planning process
● Understand the connection between personality and work environments based on Dr. John Holland’s
theory
● Identify their Holland code, occupational interest areas, and how to research occupational information
After completing this workshop the participant will:: ● Know the difference between and estimated costs of colleges, universities, and career/vocational/technical
programs/schools
● Have knowledge of alternative options to traditional education such as California Conservation Corps, Job
Corps, AmeriCorps, U.S. Armed Forces, Volunteering, and Internships
● Be able to identify the education and or training needed to enter at least 2 of their occupations of interest
After completing this workshop the participant will be able to: ● Understand how to write a resume that has both appropriate content and formatting for the positions they are
applying to
● Identify the transferable skills that they have from classes, jobs, and volunteer work that they can use in future
positions
● Understand how to write a cover letter that has both appropriate content and formatting for the positions they
are applying to
Materials/Equipment Needed
Printed paper copies of the “Resume and Cover Letter Starter Kits”, “Transferable Skills Inventory”, and “Career
Note: All of the worksheets and the video in this workshop are courtesy of the UC Davis Internship and Career Center
Website.
Lesson Plan
1. Introduce components of “job readiness” including preparing a resume, a cover letter, and interview responses. Have participants discuss their level of comfort/discomfort with these topics. 2. Show participants 5 minute video entitled “Write a Winning Resume” http://icc.ucdavis.edu/services/workshops.htm to introduce them to resume content and format. 3. Have participants fill out the “Transferable Skills Inventory” worksheet to help them identify their past accomplishments and the skills they used to complete each accomplishment. This will help them to come up with skills/experiences to talk about in their resumes cover letters, and interviews. 4. Have participants fill out the “Resume Start Kit” worksheet. This focuses on resume content and helps the participants to break down the different parts of a resume. 5. Give participants resume samples from the “Career Resource Manual” to help them with the formatting stage and then have them develop a complete resume draft using the sample as a guide. 6. Have each participant meet with one of the two Career Counselors to briefly review their resume drafts. 7. Talk with participants about importance of including a cover letter with their resumes. 8. Have participants fill out the “Cover Letter Start Kit” worksheet. This focuses on cover letter content and helps the participants to break down the different sections of a cover letter. 9. Give participants cover letter samples from the “Career Resource Manual” to help them with the formatting stage and then have them develop a complete cover letter draft using the sample as a guide. 10. Have each participant meet with one of the two Career Counselors to briefly review their cover letter drafts. 11. Use remaining workshop time for questions and for participants to make appointments to meet with Career Counselors to further discuss their resumes, cover letters, and interview preparation.
Evaluation
Participants will be given a post evaluation to assess for level of knowledge after completing all workshops.