ACC is the Sacramento County office for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), a federally-funded program specifically targeting older adults who seek employment assistance and job training.
Operating under the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), SCSEP assists program participants who receive on-the-job training and career development at host agencies, which include other nonprofits and government offices. SCSEP Program Manager Dave Lin said, “We have had a very steady interest in SCSEP,” he said. “We usually have about 100 people on our waiting list at any given time.”
While there are currently over 50 host agencies that work with SCSEP participants, Lin states that there are unique challenges that affect older adults finding successful employment. Among these barriers is the lack of transportation. For many seniors, simply getting to a job site or interview is a hurdle that can hinder finding work.
According to a 2009 report released by the National Coalition for the Homeless, 25 percent of homeless people cite lack of transportation as a major barrier to finding employment. A similar 2015 AARP study determined that even in metropolitan cities with populations of 250,000 to 1 million people, 61 percent of seniors have poor access to reliable transportation.
ACC Program Director David Lin conducts quarterly training for SCSEP participants.
SCSEP hopes that providing bus passes for program participants will help them get to their respective host agencies or interviews, and reduce the stress that often comes with job hunting. Lin also hopes that the program will continue to help older adults develop valuable work skills. “What I would like to see is an increase in the number of participants we are able to serve,” he said.
How to help: A $50 donation would provide one monthly bus pass to a SCSEP participant and help him or her get to a job training site or interview. To donate, please make checks payable to ACC Senior Services and write “SCSEP donation” on the check memo or mailing envelope. You can mail your donation to ACC or donate online at www.accsv.org, where you can also find more information about the SCSEP program.
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