PODER
english works
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
For many Latino immigrants, a limited mastery of English, a lack of formal education, and a shortage of marketable skills make surviving and integrating into the U.S. an arduous task. Limited English Proficiency (LEP) adults on in Chicago and NE Illinois represent the subset of Latino immigrants PODER serves. LEPs earn 25-40% less than English proficient adults, face higher rates of unemployment, and are more likely to live below the federal poverty line than their English-proficient counterparts. Ultimately, the literacy and educational skill gaps faced by the Latino LEP community perpetuate a cycle of poverty and exclusion, creating long-term economic and societal repercussions on the individual, familial, and community level. PODER, as an immigrant integration center, prepares Spanish-speaking adults to seize opportunities in Chicagoland through comprehensive and tuition-free English (ESL), civic education and job training programs.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Immigrant Integration
PODER provides critical societal and workforce integration services with both immediate and long-term impact for families, communities, and employers throughout the City of Chicago. Our unique program design responds to our area residents' challenges through a progression from a six-level integrated English language literacy (IE) to career exploration and customer service certification to industry-specific job training and finally to job placement and career. With 12 bank partners and 3 insurance firms represented by 10 local agencies, our Latinos in Finance (LIF) and Bilingual Insurance Licensing (BIL) trainees receive guaranteed interviews and have had an 84 percent placement rate with wage gains of 34 percent. These numbers have an immediate economic impact on the individual but also encourage upward mobility of future generations.
PODER helps connect community members to resources offered by our community partners to address critical needs like housing, food, and legal services.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
UnidosUS Affiliate of the Year 2018
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients passing job skill competency exams or assessments after completing course
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People of Latin American descent
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of educators who have opportunities to attend programs offered by professional organizations
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
100%
Number of financial literacy courses conducted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, People of Latin American descent, Immigrants and migrants
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Thanks to the generous support of Chase Bank
Number of students receiving personal instruction and feedback about their performance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
1:1 meetings with career counselor to set academic and professional goals
Number of participants who gain employment
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Secured employment or improved quality of current employment
Number of adults who received literacy services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of adults who advance a full literacy level
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
69%
Number of adult learners enrolled
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of students who participate in civic engagement activities
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
20 activities offered including community awareness fundraisers (walks, 5ks), park clean-ups, public official letter writing campaigns, etc
Average hourly wage of clients who became employed after job skills training
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of job skills training courses/workshops conducted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups, Adults
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of computer literacy/skills/technology courses conducted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of accreditations/certificates given out to programs that educate/train/re-train displaced workers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of clients satisfied with employment training services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Immigrant Integration
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
92% of those surveyed
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
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.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
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
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
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.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
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.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
PODER
Board of directorsas of 05/31/2023
Ms. Jennifer Guzman
Self Employed
Term: 2017 - 2023
Mr Manuel Jimenez
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/02/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.