The Job Readiness Program

18: The number of days I could take on vacation right now if I were to use all my sick, personal and comp time.

For the past several weeks I've been in contact with Stacy Keys, an employment specialist at the Greene County Adult Probation Courthouse. She has also been working on the Job Readiness Program, which is geared toward assisting probationers overcome barriers to employment.

The class occurs three times a week for three weeks, and she wanted a Benefit Bank employee to appear as a "guest speaker" for the first day of the program. So yesterday I loaded my car with my laptop, Quick Check cards, and several marketing flyers and drove out to Xenia.

There were five people in the program, and I went ahead and gave a brief presentation about what the Benefit Bank is and how it could help them. Everyone in attendance was interested in applying for health care. Unfortunately, they were all middle aged single men, and the Benefit Bank mostly helps the elderly, disabled, or families with children. While doing Quick Checks for everyone, I realized that they were mostly living with friends or relatives, and none had acquired a job yet. Everyone was at least eligible for food stamps and prescription assistance, so at least there was that. But I still felt kind of helpless because no one was eligible for health care. It was especially frustrating when someone told me that he thought he could be proved disabled, but he couldn't afford the hospital bills for the technology it would require to prove it. What do you do in that situation? Completely stuck.

It was frustrating, but I'm glad I was able to go. At least they're a little more aware of what they can apply for and what they're eligible for.