The SLU Transformative Workforce Academy, which hosts the Second Chance Job Fair for formerly incarcerated people, is looking for volunteer job coaches! This would be a 9-week, approximately 1 hour per week commitment.
SLU hosted its first virtual job fair over the summer, but many jobseekers had difficulties with the follow up process due to digital literacy challenges with email communication and online applications. Therefore, before the next fair they want to connect each jobseeker with a volunteer job coach who can support them through the preparation and follow up process for the fair. Details are below. Email Lisa Cohn at lisa.cohn@slu.edu to sign up or find out more, and please feel free to spread the word to anyone who might be interested!
Volunteer Job Coach Role Description: The next virtual job fair will be on Tuesday, October 27, but the job coach commitment will be an average of one hour per week for the three weeks prior to the fair and the six weeks after the fair (nine weeks total). Each volunteer will be assigned to one jobseeker, though volunteers are welcome to sign up to coach multiple jobseekers if they wish to serve for a greater number of hours per week. Contact will be largely virtual, though the partnership will likely benefit from a couple of masked, socially distant, in-person sessions if both parties are comfortable.
Pre-fair job coaching tasks include:
- Getting to know jobseeker and developing an understanding of their employment goals
- Assisting jobseeker in setting up an email account
- Ensuring jobseeker has a working phone number with voicemail capacity
- Reviewing or assisting in the creation of the jobseeker’s resume
- Assisting jobseeker with their virtual job fair video
Post-fair job coaching tasks include:
- Ensuring jobseeker follows up with all interested employers
- Keeping track of jobseeker’s status in each company’s hiring process
- Assisting jobseeker with the completion of any necessary online applications
- Assisting jobseeker with employer email communication
- Preparing jobseeker for interviews
- Assisting jobseeker in determining which job opportunities will best meet their needs
- Providing regular updates to the TWA Program Manager
Volunteers are asked to attend one of two available Zoom trainings before they are assigned to a jobseeker:
- Tuesday, 9/29, from 5:30 – 7:00
- Wednesday, 9/30, from 5:30 – 7:00
If you are interested, let Lisa know which volunteer training session you plan to attend and how many jobseekers you would like to work with.
Contact:
Lisa Cohn
Program Manager, Saint Louis University – Transformative Workforce Academy
314-977-5498 | lisa.cohn@slu.edu | second-chance-slu.web.app/