Honoring systems change in workforce development
Deborah Vesy Systems Change Champion Award finalists recognized for inspiring advancement in workforce ecosystem
Published October 28, 2024
Article by Judy Stringer
Read the full article on Crain's Cleveland Business
Vesy, who retired in 2020 after leading the Deaconess Foundation for decades, is persistent, with the patience and the endurance to continue the work as long as it takes, said Belk, president and CEO. Vesy is also collaborative, having been deeply involved in multi-sector partnerships such as the Cuyahoga County Workforce Funders Group and Fund for Our Economic Future during her tenure. Vesy is visionary, able to pinpoint gaps and problems in the workforce ecosystem and help figure out how to tackle them, Belk added.
While those traits aren’t explicitly listed in the criteria for the Deborah Vesy Systems Change Champion Award — which honors Vesy’s legacy as a Northeast Ohio changemaker — they are at the heart of each nomination the foundation reviews.
Winner
Collaborate Cleveland
Imagine choosing between your health and earning a paycheck. It is an impossible decision and one too many Ohioans are forced to weigh daily, said Abby Westbrook, executive director of Collaborate Cleveland. About 76% of Ohio workers, or 4.4 million people, don’t have paid leave through their employers, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families.
“Without access to paid family and medical leave, workers must decide between caregiving for themselves or a loved one, their job security and financial stability,” Westbrook said.
After 18 months of advocacy led by Collaborate Cleveland, the City of Cleveland passed legislation in 2023 to offer 12 weeks of paid parental leave to municipal employees — a move that spurred similar policies for Cuyahoga County workers and Cleveland Metropolitan School District teachers.
Westbrook estimates Collaborate Cleveland efforts have extended paid leave to approximately 15,000 individuals.
“Right now, paid leave benefits are distributed in a very inequitable way. Higher wage earners tend to have greater access while workers with lower wages usually do not; therefore, those who need it most are currently left out,” she said. “Paid family leave can serve as a cornerstone of a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable workforce development strategy, especially for women, workers of color, and workers in lower wage jobs.”
Finalists
The Centers
When The Centers was ready to increase capacity of tax preparation clinics in two of Cleveland’s most disadvantaged communities, the nonprofit community support organization recruited from within. Earlier this year, nine of its El Barrio Workforce Readiness clients completed tax preparation training, and three went on to earn stipends working at the clinics.
Tatiana Dwyer, vice president of marketing and communications, said the newly trained preparers were integral in expanding the clinics’ reach by more than 200% in one year, from 129 to 392. Estimating that the taxes prepared were for households averaging 2.5 individuals, The Centers believes as many as 1,000 individuals benefitted from the free service.
The impact extends beyond tax assistance.
“By increasing access to reputable tax preparation services in these neighborhoods, the program helps disincentivize the use of predatory tax schemes that charge excessive fees and interest rates and make it harder for vulnerable Clevelanders to achieve financial security,” Dwyer said. “It also gives low-wage clients a really nice potential side gig.”
Dwyer said The Centers plans to boost tax preparation training track ahead of the 2025 season and expand access through language assistance and additional clinic locations. The organization also plans to analyze other areas of need that could benefit from a similar peer-to-peer service model.
Towards Employment
Systemic inequalities can lead to personal challenges that affect productivity. Yet, employers often find it difficult to offer the necessary resources to help workers overcome these obstacles. To bridge that gap, Towards Employment teamed up with three forward-thinking businesses to embed “success coaches” at worksites.
Towards Employment President and CEO Jill Rizika explained the first 90 days is an especially vulnerable period for entry-level workers trying to navigate new job demands with personal responsibilities. The onsite coaches meet regularly with new hires to identify any potential barriers and connect them with resources to support them through any difficulties. The resources and support success coaches provide are made available to any employee in the company.
To date, 270 workers have received 1,109 coaching sessions, more than 100 referrals to community partners and $8,100 worth of direct supportive services, such as bus tickets, housing and legal services. The return on employer investment is improved retention, according to Staci Wampler, chief business solutions officer.
“Estimates peg the cost of turnover for an entry-level job at somewhere between 30% to 50% of the employee’s salary, so being able to keep people in their jobs, especially at the 90- and 180-day mark, is huge savings for businesses,” she said.
Youth Opportunities Unlimited
Craig Dorn, president and CEO of Youth Opportunities Unlimited, considers the organization’s new Career Academies initiative a triple win. For more than 40 years, YOU has matched Cleveland-area youth with summer employment. Its mission took a leap by providing over 300 teens in 2024 the unique opportunity to gain valuable work experience and personal exposure to in-demand careers. The Summer Youth Employment Program also expands the talent pool for in-demand fields.
“Research shows there’s value in a summer job, whether you’re scooping ice cream, working at a recreation center or any job one can think of. We felt we could get a three-for-one value by having that paid summer experience be a deep dive into some careers that maybe aren’t as well known,” Dorn said. “So, the work experience is also career exploration.”
The 12 Career Academies include information technology, manufacturing and health care and a handful of other industries seeking talent.
The academies pair hands-on learning with classroom-style instruction, soft skills training, opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials, employer site visits and knowledgeable guest speakers. The Career Academies offer a paid work experience, merging the value of a paid summer job with the value of a professional internship, Dorn said.
Cleveland-Cuyahoga Workforce Development Board
As of July 1, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Workforce Development Board completed its transition from a jointly-staffed government entity into a nonprofit organization. The conversion — which represents two years of sustained work and decades of discussion before that — significantly strengthens the board’s ability to respond to local workforce challenges, according to Michelle Rose, CEO.
The nonprofit status gives the board more flexibility to spend the approximately $20 million it receives in annual federal formula funding, Rose said. It also allows CCWDB to raise philanthropic or private funds, which was too cumbersome and often not possible under the former structure.
The organization will be able to respond more quickly, more effectively and more collaboratively to issues that arise in the local job market, she said. The new entity also will be able help more job seekers and more businesses in the process. CCWDB currently serves 10,000 people a year, a number that is expected in time to double or triple under the nonprofit structure.