Senior Community Service Employment Program

cans Act.                  and SERVICE TO MINORITIES

Targeted recruitment efforts must be incorporated into program operations to increase minority enrollments if identified as a concern based on data contained in the quarterly progress report. Additional recruitment efforts in minority communities could include advertising in minority newspapers, canvassing local venues to promote the program by displaying brochures or posting fliers, speaking to minority groups and organizations, and communicating with faith-based organizations that are frequented by minority members of the community.

To address underservice and disparities in outcomes, Senior Service America developed its Analysis of Sub-grantee Service to Minorities in PY17. This report provides, at the sub-grantee level, the breakdown of service to minorities by race and ethnicity. Specifically, it reports (1) the number served during a specific time period, (2) the Census Bureau’s estimate of SCSEP-eligible people by subgroup, (3) the SCSEP percent served by subgroup, (4) the numerical difference between the SCSEP-eligible percent and those served by subgroup, and (5) subgroups who are notably underserved. This report provides an easy-to-understand and data-rich analysis of where the sub-grantee needs to focus. Further, it facilitates more focused dialogue and recommended actions between Senior Service America and sub-grantee staff. Staff and sub-grantee reaction to the report has been positive and they indicate that it is making a difference. As one staff said, ensuring service to minorities “has become a much bigger focus for me this year over the prior year. With the newly developed reports, it has allowed me to provide more detailed and informed assistance to sub-grantees individually and in group meetings.”   This tool enables grantee staff to provide its sub-grantees more support and targeted enrollment technical assistance.  

Some of the interventions that have resulted in increased service to minorities that are being replicated include: use of multi-lingual participant staff (e.g., Spanish), enlisting and partnering with host agencies that serve underserved subgroups and referral programs among current participants who are part of an underserved subgroup. One sub-grantee asked its minority participants to refer family members and friends who might qualify for SCSEP.  Similar interventions are being implemented to promote employment among minority SCSEP participants. Specifically, we are promoting job development and job fairs that focus on minority-owned businesses and inviting minority business persons to speak at SCSEP workshops.