Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas

In 2019, only 19.3% of persons with a disability were employed in the United States. For persons without a disability, the employment participation rate is 66.3%. Additionally, the unemployment rate for persons with a disability is more than twice that of persons without a disability.

From AbilityOne.gov: "Providing employment opportunities to more than 45,000 people who are blind or have significant disabilities, including approximately 3,000 veterans, the AbilityOne Program is among the nation’s largest providers of jobs for people who are blind or have significant disabilities. The AbilityOne Program uses the purchasing power of the federal government to buy products and services from participating, community-based nonprofit agencies nationwide, dedicated to training and employing individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities. Through the AbilityOne Program, people who are blind or have significant disabilities enjoy full participation in their community and can market their AbilityOne-learned skills into other public and private sector jobs."

Goodwill manages two AbilityOne contracts, through which we provide janitorial services at the Richard Bolling Federal Building in downtown Kansas City, Missouri and Fort Leavenworth in Leavenworth, Kansas. The contracts provide living wage employment, benefits, wraparound services, ongoing case management, and high quality of life for individuals with significant disabilities.

Annually, nearly 20,000 individuals are released from incarceration in Missouri, and between 2000 and 4000 settle in Kansas City. These individuals face significant barriers in their reentry: securing housing, addressing health and mental health issues, and re-establishing a support network; they need the same things as everyone else, but they aren’t given much time or support in finding those things.

Within three years of release, data shows over two thirds of prior offenders recidivate, and within five years, over three fourths are rearrested. Employment is one of the most important factors in preventing recidivism, since jobs allow people to support themselves and their loved ones, pursue life goals, and participate in their communities. The faster a justice-involved individual can find employment, the faster they gain economic stability. The Missouri Department of Corrections reports that 69% of offenders who’ve never had full-time employment return to prison within two years, compared to only 23% who have full-time employment. However, data from the Prison Policy Initiative finds that the unemployment rate among formerly incarcerated people is 27%.

In partnership with the Missouri Department of Corrections, Goodwill provides support to individuals with legal history in earning and keeping employment. Participants apply for and earn jobs within Goodwill's donated goods retail operations. Simultaneously, workers are provided services to support their careers long term - whether advancement within Goodwill or earning and retaining community employment. Those services include creating an individual career development plan, digital skills training, financial literacy support, benefits support, funding for transportation, funding for clothing and devices, and funding for vocational training. The goal is for justice-involved individuals to secure employment, advance their careers, and not recidivate.

82% of job openings require basic digital skills. Engaging devices and the Internet is a vital part of participating in the workforce and society. However, 32 million Americans (16% of the working age population) have no digital skills at all, and over half of Americans have some basic digital skills, but struggle with comprehensive digital literacy. The digital divide also disproportionately impacts individuals who are older, black, and Hispanic. 35% of Hispanic individuals, and 22% of African American individuals, have no digital skills.

Goodwill offers digital skills assessments and training in order to combat the digital divide. Goodwill offers training in the following areas: basic computing skills, Internet basics, using email, Window, Mac OS, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and web browsing. These training courses occur in-person and virtually. Individuals can engage in one, several, or all of the digital literacy courses we offer based on their needs. Goodwill partners with Northstar to conduct pre- and post-assessments in all of the above areas to help individuals determine where they need to grow their skills, and to provide a certificate when skills have been developed.

The 4th Industrial Revolution is here, and it is changing work. A 2019 McKinsey and Company study found that 54 million jobs in the United States may be eliminated by 2030 due to automation. Already, 60% of jobs have at least some tasks that may be automated with currently available technology. COVID-19 has sped up that timeline by changing consumer trends and forcing employers to make modifications to encourage social distancing and working from home. On top of that, our community’s most vulnerable citizens will be disproportionately impacted. Individuals with limited education, limited work history, different abilities, criminal backgrounds, etc. are more likely to hold entry level, repetitive jobs - these tasks are the most automatable.

The fastest growing need for upskilling is for workers without a 4-year degree. In the Kansas City area, only 28% of African Americans and 25% of Hispanics have at least an Associate’s degree. There are 850,353 adults 25 years old and over who have less than a 4-year degree, and our region has persistently struggled to close this gap. These individuals must be able to access upskilling opportunities for the jobs of the future before they become unemployed, and even unemployable.

The Goodwill Artemis Institute is launching in 2021. This adult workforce training program will focus on preparing vulnerable workers and individuals with disadvantages for the jobs of the future. We will work hand-in-hand with employers and other training providers to create stackable certifications in booming fields including robotics, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, virtual/augmented reality, and the Internet of Things. The program will incorporate best practices for adult education, and care for the whole person with wraparound services. Participants will be paired with a Community Resource Specialist to support them in creating a career plan, overcoming barriers, and earning and retaining employment. We also plan to build in real world learning opportunities provided by real employers, to promote skill building.

BRIDGE TO TECHNOLOGY (2021):
Most middle-skill careers require proficiency in high school-level math, reading, and writing skills. Yet, 1 in 6 adults in the US scores below a basic reading level , and 1 in 3 adults in the US scores below a basic math level. Socioeconomic factors have a strong impact on literacy skills in the United States, and Black and Latino communities see a disproportionate rate of poor reading and numeracy skills. Many credential and degree-providing programs exist in our region, but interested individuals are locked out because they cannot pass pre-assessments, perpetuating gaps in employment and wage growth. 8 in 10 bridge programs turn away at least 10% of applicants for not meeting requirements, and 27% turn away at least half of applicants.

The Goodwill Artemis Institute will close these opportunity gaps with a Bridge to Technology course. This short, flexible course will quickly upskill individuals who have an aptitude for and an interest in tech careers, but who were unable to pass training entrance exams. We will offer training in numeracy, literacy, digital skills, and 21st Century skills. Additionally, we will provide modules describing the 4th Industrial Revolution, and the new industries and job opportunities it is creating. Community Resource Specialists will walk alongside participants to provide wraparound services and career exploration. Graduates will be referred back to other training providers to continue their stackable training toward a living wage tech career.