PODER

As a result of the educational and economic disparities in our community, poverty is the most pressing challenge facing Latino immigrant adults. The Heartland Alliance Social Impact Research Center conducted a comprehensive analysis of data on Chicago Community Areas from the American Community Survey. 62% of individuals in PODER's service area live in households classified as low income or lower. Our students struggle to meet emotional and material needs in an environment perceived as foreign and harsh.

Because of this reality, PODER's holistic immigrant integration programs strive to increase the Chicago Latino immigrant population's levels of self-sufficiency in the U.S. Through our comprehensive and tuition-free English literacy and job training programs, we advance the educational status, financial well-being, and civic interactions of hundreds of adult Latino immigrants each year. By connecting with the Latino immigrant population in a safe educational setting, PODER serves as a guide for individuals looking to be self-sufficient and integrated in their new homes. The impact of achieving this goal is far-reaching, as we teach invaluable skills that not only improve our students' quality of life, but also affect change in families and the community. As a result, PODER makes our community more cohesive, diverse, and economically vibrant for everyone.

PODER deliver services through three core programs: Integrated English, Oprima-1, and Plaza Comunitaria (Adult Basic Education). Integrated English (IE) program is a dynamic, 6-level adult literacy program, where English is contextualized with job-readiness, 21st century technology, and civic engagement skills. What makes this program unique is our experiential approach where students obtain hands-on experience on a range of targeted topics, from workplace computer navigation and career exploration to multicultural communication skill development and community services overviews. Students graduate from IE with marketable job skills, improved civic knowledge, and confidence using technology, which empowers them to secure quality employment and become active participants in U.S. society. This is PODER's most popular program, serving over 225 individuals each year. To support our students, PODER offers 1:1 sessions with a career counselor, access to wrap-around services provided by partner social service agency organizations, and regular workshop opportunities to take a deeper dive into areas where students have expressed a need for additional support.

Our second program, Oprima-1, a social enterprise that provides on-the-job training to prepare unemployed, Spanish-speaking adults for a career in customer service through experiential education and a transitional job. Oprima-1 employees (called advocates) are hired after enrolling in IE and completing an intensive Customer Service training course. Advocates work a daily shift in the Oprima-1 call center, where they are compensated at $13.50/hour after their IE class to provide Spanish (and ultimately English) customer service telephone support for PODER's third-party clients. Through this transitional job, PODER employs advocates while they concurrently develop English, 21st century technology, and job skills. Within eighteen months on average, 93% of Oprima-1 graduates are placed in full-time employment with corporate partners. To date, 100% of previously unemployed Oprima-1 participants have been placed in full-time employment, at an average wage of $15.50, and have remained on the job for 180 days and counting.

In the City of Chicago, new residents arrive from Spanish-speaking countries in search of a better life. Successful integration however, for those unable to speak English or unfamiliar with the job market or U.S. history, culture, and customs, is elusive. The result is often underemployment despite marketable work experience or significant country of origin education. The economic implications, beyond the mental health strain and human-capital loss felt by the individual and their family, extend to local employers and our city as a whole when available positions remain open.

As an immigrant integration center, PODER prepares Spanish-speaking adults to seize opportunities through comprehensive and tuition-free English (ESL), civic education and industry-specific, job training and p

Since opening our doors in 1997, PODER has assisted over 11,500 Spanish-speaking adult immigrants in creating successful and fulfilling lives in Chicago. We have a proven track record of successfully providing high-quality and targeted adult education services to the Latino immigrant community. PODER intimately knows and understands the needs, hopes, and fears of the Latino immigrant population in Chicago. Our core staff have had, on average, a minimum of 10 years of experience working with this specific community. Often, immigrants are intimidated by the size of larger educational institutions, so what PODER offers is a unique addition to the adult education landscape on Chicago's southwest side. We are able to help immigrants overcome some of the social isolation and fears associated with living in a new country, ultimately better preparing them for either post-secondary educational success in a larger academic institution (such as a community college) or securing quality employment.

From a fiscal standpoint, PODER has a well-diversified portfolio of public and private grants, individual donor support, and a modest revenue stream from our social enterprise subsidiary, Oprima-1, we are prepared to not only sustain our programs, but also grow. Our budget has increased over 31% over the past two fiscal years. Approximately 86% of PODER's organizational budget is allocated to direct services for the Latino immigrant community. The remaining 14% is allocated to administrative costs.

To provide a snapshot of what PODER has accomplished so far, our impact numbers paint a compelling story. In 2021, PODER empowered 1,095 Latino immigrants through direct immigrant integration services. These programs holistically addressed the integration barriers immigrants on the southwest side face, including English language acquisition, civic engagement, job skills, financial literacy, digital literacy, emotional intelligence, and life skills. 73% of students enrolled in our Integrated English (IE) program gained a literacy level after one academic trimester. 330 individuals participated in 10 civic engagement activities. 97% of students met with our Career Counselor to set academic and professional goals. 433 students improved their employability skills through participation in job development courses and workshops.

On PODER's horizon is expanding our virtual/remote delivery as well as the number of locations on the southwest side to provide increased access to our immigrant integration programs. Our satellite site model has proven effective at reaching a larger percentage of our target population. We are also deepening our impact by investing in a new business vertical for Oprima-1, PODER's social enterprise subsidiary. This new opportunity is called Oprima-1 for Insurance, as it will assist Spanish-speaking individuals in becoming licensed, bilingual insurance agents in Chicago. Given the rapidly growing Latino population, there is a demonstrated need within the insurance sales market for bilingual representatives, making this a unique workforce development opportunity to help move limited English proficient adults out of poverty and onto a path towards self-sufficiency.