From Surviving to Thriving
 
 

Powering the Move from Surviving to Thriving

We connect employers committed to inclusive community development to job seekers most shut out from opportunity and access.

 
 
 
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We Don’t Just Open Doors — We Build Bridges and Knock Down Walls

Project LEAP is a workforce development initiative of the We The People Community Health Coalition hosted at Damien Ministries, in Washington, DC that links employers committed to inclusive community development to job seekers who are often those most shut out from opportunity and access.

Project LEAP serves anyone within community who has been shut out from accessing education, workforce and career opportunities because of their status as a returning citizen, limited work experience or those who have experienced workplace discrmination due to their sexual orientation, gender identify or expression, race, gender, ethnicity or any other bias.

 
 

The Problem Project LEAP Seeks to Solve

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For many young adults and other job seekers who have not had a great deal of sustained formal employment, presenting documentation of their skills and abilities to potential employers is a major barrier to even being able to submit an employment application.

Because not having enough formal work experience prevents many job seekers from gaining employment and they need employment to gain experience, many young adults and other job seekers find themselves in an ongoing cycle of unemployment and underemployment. 

The Project LEAP Solution

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Volunteerism and Apprenticeship as Pathways to Employment: Volunteer and apprenticeship opportunities can facilitate access to formal work experiences, skill development and training for unemployed and underemployed job seekers.

Volunteerism as a Pathway to Employment, a 2014 Corporation for National and Community Service report shows volunteerism is directly linked with the increased likelihood of employment.

  • Volunteers have a 27 percent higher likelihood of finding a job after being out of work than non-volunteers. 

  • Volunteers without a high school diploma have a 51 percent higher likelihood of finding employment.

  • Volunteers living in rural areas have a 55 percent higher likelihood of finding employment.

 
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How We Leap

 
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Project LEAP partners with local community based organizations, like Damien Ministries, already serving our focused populations through case-management, health and wellness services, food access, housing support and more.

Organizations like Damien Ministries serve as an access point for volunteer and apprenticeship workforce development opportunities in their local area.

The CBO’s have the clients.

Project LEAP brings job coaches and employer partners.

Jobs First Coaching

  • Clients will participate in three months of job coaching with an Employment Coach.

  • Clients have access to sponsored workforce development and job skills training including nationally recognized professional certifications through our employer and pre-employment training partnerships.

 
 

The Program

In addition to job coaching and access to sponsored training clients receive:

  • Training on leadership, problem solving and customer/client engagement.

  • One year of mentoring and professional coaching.

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“
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.

~ James Baldwin 

 
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SUPPORT OUR LEAP

 
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BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION: WAYS TO SUPPORT

  • Sponsor a LEAP Fellow with a $2,500 investment in their Leadership Institute, coaching, training a career readiness. 

  • Join our network as a coach, mentor or trainer.

  • Become and employer partner through our Workforce Council.

  • Sponsor an industry exposure event for community.

EMPLOYER PARTNER RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Identify available positions within their company.

  • Specify pre-qualification requirements, training requirements, on-boarding and training timeline and projected compensation for each position.

  • Agree to interview Project LEAP certified and pre-qualified applicants.

  • If applicant is employed, support applicant in participating in Project LEAP career mentoring and coaching.

  • Recruit existing employees to receive training as peer coaches and provide pro bono coaching to Project LEAP graduates. 

  • Sponsor Project LEAP Fellows

  • Sponsor or host a Project LEAP Industry Exposure Event