1999 – 2000 Comprehensive Community Assessment

 

SELF-SUFFICIENCY SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING

Friday, October 22, 1999

 

SUMMARY OF GROUP DECISIONS

 

 

Issue to be studied: “Self-Sufficiency”

 

Definition of terms:    

 

Self-sufficiency was tentatively defined as a relative term of economic self-sufficiency – defined differently by all individuals.

 

Contributing Causes (implied from discussion):

 

Ø      Lack of life skills

Ø      Lack of jobs which pay a living wage

Ø      Inadequate skills and education for high paying jobs

Ø      High cost of housing

 

Community/People Outcomes:

 

Ø      Affordable housing (not more than 30% of household income)

Ø      More home ownership

Ø      Increase wages and benefits (more livable wages)

Ø      Affordable/accessible post secondary education

Ø      Increase/improve work skills and life skills

 

Focus Groups:

 

Ø      Employed Human Service clients (2 groups)

Ø      Employed non-Human Service clients (general public) (2groups)

Ø      Unemployed Human Service clients (2 groups)

Ø      Unemployed non-Human Service clients (general public) (2 groups)

 

Information to be solicited from participants:

 

Ø      Definition of “self sufficiency”? How does it relate to income and living costs?

Ø      Obstacles to self-sufficiency?

Ø      Fears related to losing self-sufficiency?

Ø      Obstacles related to obtaining needed education or training?

Ø      Awareness of available “self-sufficiency” services

Ø      Needed services or assistance to become/maintain self-sufficiency

Ø      Perceived life skills deficiencies

 

Participant Selection Method:

 

Ø      Work with private and public agencies to identify employed and unemployed clients

Ø      Work with local research firm to randomly select employed and unemployed general public participants

 

Committee Participants:

 

Dr. Rex Ragsdale (Deaconess Hospital)

Lark Buckman (Division of Family & Children)

Nancy Sweazey (Fidelity Federal Bancorp)

Len Winiger (American General)

Steve Cruse (St. Marys)

Lynn Imes (Outreach Ministries)

Liz Walker (Permanent Fed Bank)

Connie Ralph (Goodwill)

Joyse Cosby (American Red Cross)

Leanne Hudson (New Directions)

Sister Veronica Pohl (St. Vincent de Paul Society)

Garvin Senn (Legal Aid)

Gary Lee (Mulberry Center)

Bill Bennett (Labor Rep)

Luzaba Hayes (ECHO)

Franka Siscel (Career Choices)

Steve Culley (Legal Services)

Mary Durkin (Leadership Evansville)

Judith Early (Goodwill Family Ctr.)

Ken Krasavage (Catholic Diocese)

Tami Grismore (Family Resource Center)

Casey Fitzgerald (Family Resource Center)

Dennis Avery (USI)

Valarie Calhoun (EHA)

Wayne Bochert (Catholic Charities)

Jerry Yezbick (Workforce Investment)

Lori Carroll Bryant (CAPE)

Karen Ragland (YMCA)

 

 

Self Sufficiency Focus Group Target Demographics

 

 

 

 

1-2) Employed Human Service Clients		Women	Men	Women	Men
	Pop. Est. %[1]	Est. %[2]	Est. %	Target	Target
White	86.0%	60.0%	40.0%	7	5
Black	14.0%	60.0%	40.0%	1	1
3-4) Employed Non-Human Service Clients		Women	Men	Women	Men
	Pop. Est. %[3]	Est. %[4]	Est. %	Target	Target
White	93.0%	46.0%	54.0%	6	7
Black	7.0%	46.0%	54.0%	-	1
5-6) Unemployed Human Service Clients		Women	Men	Women	Men
	Pop. Est. %[5]	Est. %[6]	Est. %	Target	Target
White	82.5%	60.0%	40.0%	7	4
Black	17.5%	60.0%	40.0%	2	1
7-8) Unemployed Non-Human Service Clients		Women	Men	Women	Men
	Pop. Est. %[7]	Est. %[8]	Est. %	Target	Target
White	86.0%	47.0%	53.0%	6	6
Black	14.0%	47.0%	53.0%	1	1