Los Angeles Southwest College (LASC) provided excellent accommodations for the March 12, 2007 meeting of the P.O.W.E.R. Collaborative Network (PCN). The PCN especially wishes to thank Dean Phyllis Norwood, Shirley Lockridge, Tiffany Hooker, Lillian Johnson and Blanca Barajas for extending their resources to host this well organized job development meeting.
Jack E. Daniels, III, Ph.D., LASC President, welcomed PCN members to the campus. He shared the faculty and staff’s pride with the educational campus as they continue to provide learning experiences and services in the community.
LASC is in the midst of an aggressive construction program with three new buildings that will house child development programing, student services and enhanced lecture classrooms. Additionally, the existing buildings, entrances and grounds will be remodeled and enhanced, which could not have happened without the community’s support of the A and AA facilities bonds. Construction is scheduled for completion August 2008.
Dr. Daniels indicated that the construction includes a wireless communication campus. He thanked the PCN for its longterm partnership with community building and allowing LASC to provide the tools for the March 2007 meeting.
Dean Phyllis Norwood LASC also provided an offical welcome to the PCN members with a computerized video tour detailing the future look of the campus. A portion of the work managed by Ms. Norwood includes the benefits of reducing tax expenditures for welfare and increasing tax income from employment of former welfare recipients. A program that enables people to become independent and instills in them the confidence and skills they need in the job market. LASC is committed to GAIN / CalWORKs and affirms the principle that individuals have opportunities to develop their full potential, enhance their self-esteem and sense of identity while open access to all remains available.
It is important to note that LASC is working to support better education methods as African and Latino American males are finding large difficulties with passing the California High School Exit Exam. Ms. Norwood can be reached at (323) 241-5478, or by email: norwoopk@lasc.edu
Gregory Scheib, City of Los Angeles – Business Services Group described two job programs offered by the City of Los Angeles centered on hiring youth 18 – 24 years of age. The HIRE LA’s Youth 2007 Summer Employment Initiative offers job training and long-term employment opportunities for providing 5,000 jobs to youth and young adults throughout the City of Los Angeles. Centered on educating youth and young adults in the City of Los Angeles, the HIRE LA’s Youth program will provide participants with opportunities to excel in both the classroom and the workplace.
Of the 5,000 jobs set to be available through this program, some are dedicated to students from the Los Angeles Unified School District. While working, the student participants will receive vocational training, learn civic engagement, earn “Work Readiness” certifications and receive tutoring in the subjects of math and reading; subjects that are the primary focus of the California High School Exit Exam.
The LA Public Works Summer Employment Program works with young people between the ages of 16-21 and will focus on outreach efforts to expand recycling and environmental protection throughout the City of Los Angeles. The individuals participating in this program will either attend community events or canvas local communities informing residents about various programs offered by the Department of Public Works.
LA City Works Program is geared towards ensuring that young adults become a priority hire in civil service industry, will provide adults 18 years of age and above with vocational training and employment in administration positions. The participants will have the opportunity to transition to civil service entry-level employment status. Mr. Scheib can be reached at (213) 744-7216, or by email: gscheib@cdd.lacity.org
Connie Brown, and Mark Gerber, both with Prepaid Legal, shared some important information on identity theft. Ms. Brown is dedicated to helping individuals and businesses comply with the large ways where people and employees become victims of identity theft She indicated that identify theft is the country’s number one crime, and that 37% of all consumer will be affect by identity theft. There are basically five types of identity theft. Drivers License, Social Security, Medical, Character/Character, and Financial.
To reach Ms. Brown for detailed presentations or more information contact her at (310) 714-1408 or (888) 770-3210, email: cbrown45@prepaidlegal.com
The next PCN meeting is set for Monday, April 9, 2007, hosted by our PCN partner Los Angeles Unified School District, Glenn Hammond Curtis Middle School, 1254 E. Helmick Street, Carson, CA 90746. Highlights include The “We Build” Program – Michael Richardson. Small Business Lori Sanchez, The Building and Grounds Worker Program – Robert Hamm and Phyllis Lott, The Food Services Program – List Elizabeth.
PCN Meeting Attendees for March 2007
Arelettia Jones, Los Angeles Opportunities Industrialization Center (LAOIC)
Bonnie Barraza, Mexican American Opportunity Foundation
Calvin Cooper, Boys Republic – School for Boys
Cecile Harris Walters, City of Long Beach Workforce Development Bureau
Connie Brown, Prepaid Legal & Identity Theft
Damiana Paras, DPSS GAIN Region I
Darlene Neilsen, Harbor Occupational Center/LAUSD
Dean Jones, Southland Partnership, Inc.
Devona Gardner, United States Pretrial Services
Ellen Franks, Ability First at the Long Beach Career Transition Center
Frank Garcia, Century Community Training
Gary Wright, Los Angeles County Office of Education
Gaton Herrera, DPSS GAIN Region VI
Irene Rodriguez, Personal Involvement Center
Jacqueline Jones, West Angeles Community Development Corporation
Jack Daniels, III, Los Angeles Southwest College
James Jones, Gangsters for Christ
Jeanellie Labrada, VA Industries – PM&R VA Rehabilitation
Jennifer Frank, Mentors International
Jeremy Rosen (seeking employment opportunity)
Jesse Luna, DPSS
Jim Threatt, Business Enterprises Development
Joanie Knight, Forte Tax Academy
Jonathan Jones, Los Angeles Urban League
Joseph Alvarado, Los Angeles County Community Development Commission
Joy Tsuhako, Social Security Administration
Ken Tyler, DPSS
LaVerne Daniels, State of CA Employment Development Department
LaVonté Jackson, Goodwill Serving the People of Southern L.A. County
Lynette Johnson, Los Angeles Community Development
Maria Trejo, DPSS GAIN Region VI
Mark Gerber, Prepaid Legal – Identity Theft
Merwin Gerard, Los Angeles County DPSS, GROW Program
Michael Bennett, Los Angeles Urban League – Youth Center
Michael Richardson, Los Angeles Unified School District -- ‘We Build’
Mindy Owes, RAFT, Inc.
Naomi Sot, Los Angeles CAUSA Youth Build
Phyllis Lott, Los Angeles Unified School District
Phyllis Norwood, Los Angeles Southwest College
Rosaicela Becerra, Los Angeles County DPSS GAIN Region VI
Sheila Wiley, Jobing.com
Shirley Lockridge, Los Angeles Southwest College
Sondra Lender, Chrysalis
Susan Tenner, Abram Freidman Occupational Center
Tiffany Hooker, Los Angeles Southwest College
Tyrone Horn, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
Vernell Taylor, Union Bank of California
Victor Bozeman, Chrysalis Business Center
Yvonne D’Ambra, South Bay Workforce Investment Board
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PCN started in January 2001, focused on job coordination for community residents, assisting them with public & private sector work placement. The PCN members are community builders serving to identify, nurture, & mobilize local assets by enhanced networking to rejuvenate economies, strengthen business investments, & ultimately build up civil society. The PCN meets monthly sharing job recruitment, funding, training, workforce projects, & other related topics at various member locations.