QUESTION
What is the 'employment broad based employment model' and its implications for local services?
1:45:55
·
3 min
The 'employment broad based employment model' covers a broader geographic area than the Jobs Plus program, intended for more efficient service delivery, but concerns arise over the accessibility of services in local communities.
- The model aims to provide employment services over a wider geographic area, differing from the more localized Jobs Plus program.
- Commissioner Molly Wasow Park states the necessity of this model given the budget constraints, with 90% spent on entitlements.
- Deputy Speaker Diana I. Ayala voices concerns about the negative impact on East Harlem and the South Bronx, stressing the importance of accessible services in these communities.
- Ayala opposes budget cuts removing essential resources and advocates for keeping services local to meet high community demands.
- The loss of Jobs Plus programs and a promised workforce development site in East Harlem highlights challenges in meeting community needs through the new model.
Diana I. Ayala
1:45:55
What what do you mean by employment broad based employment model?
Molly Wasow Park
1:45:59
We have a number of other contracts for employment services.
1:46:04
Most of them are oriented rather than at a specific you know, Nitrogen Development the way that Jobs Plus is there have a broader geographic range and we're really we're focusing on those because it does allow us to provide services more efficiently.
1:46:19
Again, not a decision that we wanted to reach, but given that 90% of our budget has of the budget is spent on entitlements are the areas that we had to look.
1:46:28
We're very, very limited.
Diana I. Ayala
1:46:30
So if I if I live in East Harlem or the South Bronx, where am I traveling to to obtain this level of service,
Molly Wasow Park
1:46:36
we can certainly circle back with a list of the closest sites.
Diana I. Ayala
1:46:40
I mean, I just I I'm I'm this is one that I, you know, plan to, like, make a big deal about because of the, you know, the the the need in my in my community.
1:46:51
I have a really good working relationship with both of these organizations and I know how hard they work in our communities to make sure that they're working with, you know, some of the the folks that are, you know, likelier to to get into trouble if they were not engaged in in workforce opportunities.
1:47:08
But it's it's, you know, It's an opportune it's often the case that the neediest of people, like, we have to travel, you know, outside of our communities to receive these services.
1:47:18
We were supposed to get a workforce development site at that was actually promised through the rezoning of East Harlem and were recently told that that was taken away, but that our constituents could go into Harlem workforce and utilize their their resources.
1:47:36
The idea of asking for that as part of a commitment was because there was a there was a need there was a a a huge demand for that that level of service to be provided locally within the community.
1:47:47
So to lose that and to now have to hear that both jobs plus programs will be, you know, leaving as well.
1:47:56
We'll be closing.
1:47:56
We're gonna lose that resource.
1:47:58
It's really quite frankly annoying and heartbreaking because I know how how difficult it is.
1:48:06
Like, I don't think that the city really understands.
1:48:09
Like, how much stress, you know, it is.
1:48:11
It seems like it seems very simplistic to grab a metro card and just get on a train or get on a bus and go you know, from from place to place.
1:48:19
But it's it's it becomes troublesome.
1:48:22
It's it's it's, you know, it's hard.
1:48:24
And these services should be in the communities that need them.
1:48:28
If you have a high you know, the same thing as you have a high rate of evictions, those eviction services, right, prevention eviction services should be in that community.
1:48:36
If there is a huge demand for food, you have, you know, a larger demand, a for applications for food, snack benefits in a specific community, then you should be purposely integrating yourself into that community.
1:48:49
So I I don't support those cuts, and I will not be supporting those cuts.
1:48:54
And I'm hoping to see full restoration because I know that you know, these these programs and services are essential to both the South Banks and East Harlem, and I cannot you know, just allow that to disappear.
1:49:11
So with that, thank you.
