As one of the Senior Community Service Employment Program’s (SCSEP)
thirteen national sponsoring agencies, Easter Seals, Inc. wanted to
develop a program that would engage participants and enable them to
provide direct feedback on every aspect of the program. During the
second year of funding, Easter Seals created the Participant Advisory
Council (PAC) tool to increase the effectiveness of participants’
involvement in the program.
By enabling PACs to create their own structure and rules of operation,
Easter Seals hopes to empower participants and build upon those skills
that will be useful in future jobs.
Each PAC consists of project participant members who elect a chairperson,
assistant chairperson, and secretary.
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Ria Moore Benedict, Chief, Division of Older Worker Programs (left),
participates in the information exchange with PAC representatives,
from left to right: Earnestine Taylor, Kent Koopman, Lenora
McWhorter, and Victoria “Ann” Jones.
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The elected officers receive
support from the program manager, director, job developer and PAC members.
The group is provided with a suggested mission statement, and a set of
program goals and by-laws. Once the PAC is established, they create their
own structure and rules of operation.
There are currently 11 sites participating in the PAC service delivery
model. The Goodwill Easter Seals Gulf Coast affiliate located in Mobile,
AL is one of the early adopters.
“The PAC is a form of leadership training”, said Debbie Edmonds, a program
manager from Mobile, AL. “Participants develop new skills and gain
confidence in their own abilities that can be applied toward seeking
a job.”
When participants provide feedback regarding their training, it allows
Easter Seals to explain the purpose of their training so that they will
understand the process better. Because of the PAC, trainers can listen
and address participants concerns, while at the same time provide input
that will affect their future.
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PAC Representatives: Earnestine Taylor, Dorothy Jackson, Kent
Koopman, Lenora McWhorter, and Ann Jones
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The suggestions provided through the PAC also create a stronger program,
and one that is directly targeted to the needs of older workers.
For example, a participant in Mobile provided feedback that the
training he was receiving at the host agency was at times not
appropriately targeted to his experience. As a result, program
managers have begun developing a manual entitled, “How to Work with
Seniors,” in order to provide guidance on working with this population.
One representative from each PAC (eleven attendees) gathered in
Washington, DC in June to discuss current local program operations,
become familiar with the history, rules and regulations of SCSEP, and
to gain ideas, knowledge and experience to energize their local PACs.
Ria Moore Benedict, Chief of the Division of Older Worker Programs
attended and participated in the information exchange with the PAC
representatives. Sessions at the meeting focused on four main topics:
Marketing and recruitment of participants, workforce development,
appropriate training options for seniors, and adapting to change.
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PAC Representatives, from left to right: Carol Logan, Ray
Scroggins, Joyce Highsmith, Edna Donaldson, Mario Fiore, Ida King
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The meeting served to empower and engage participants. In fact, after the
meeting one attendee said, “Now I understand why it’s important to get a
job; I’m going to go home and find myself a job, then find jobs for other
participants.”
In the future, Easter Seals aims to collect best practices and provide
them to the PACs to help guide the process and further enhance
collaboration and input on programs. For more information, please
contact Carol A. Salter, National Director SCSEP, Easter Seals,
Inc., 700 13th Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20005, or
email to csalter@easterseals.com
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