Newsletter March, 2021 Where to Turn?
In Employment Services at Catholic Charities, the pandemic has forced a radical shift in how we provide services. Prior to the pandemic, virtually all of our services were done face-to-face. We met folks one-on-one and conducted in-person workshops with anywhere from four to 20 people per week. We also conducted resumé reviews and creation, both of which involved in-person meetings.
When COVID hit us last year, we had to change our game. As face-to-face visits were at first drastically reduced and then eliminated altogether, we had to develop new ways of communicating.
It posed quite a problem for us, however, as the need for employment had not been eliminated, but had become even more urgent due to pandemic-related job losses, reduced hours, and the like. To meet the ever-changing and growing need, we decided to try using videos to get our message out. In August 2020, our Employment Services took a shot in the dark and began our “Where to Turn” live video series.
We titled this series “Where to Turn” to reflect the anxiety and loss of direction many folks were experiencing. Every week since then, we have produced original content focusing on employment services, financial literacy, job search tips, etc. We’ve discussed topics as mundane as “Credit Scores 101” and as exotic as “Interviewing in the Time of Covid.” (Pro tip: Always dress for an emergency while at home and on camera – you never know what will happen!)
We have been topical at times and have covered each subject through the lens of someone who is looking for help through the pandemic. As we are hopefully coming through the worst of the pandemic, we will be able to return to our face-to-face, bread-and-butter work. However, we still aim to have an online presence, as we have found some of our folks prefer it and it can supplement the education needed by our face-to-face clients.
We have been on Facebook Live and YouTube, so check us out at the Catholic Charities website. You can also look forward to these videos being posted on our newly designed website, where other helpful information resides.
We believe work has value beyond monetary recompense to support and nourish our souls – it also provides a sense of belonging, well-being, and emphasizes the importance of human dignity. We look forward to continuing the work!
For more information, contact Brent at bmorris@ccharities.com or (816) 659-8232.
- By Brent Morris