Alternative Staffing and STRIVE Linkage

About this grant

The STRIVE employment training and placement program, operated since 1984 by East Harlem Employment Service (EHES), provides low-income clients with an array of attitudinal training services, job matching and post-placement supports. As the temporary employment sector continues to increase, STRIVE clients are increasingly finding jobs through temporary agencies. To address the need for high-quality temporary employment services for their low-income clients, the Chicago STRIVE affiliate recently entered a joint venture with a nonprofit temporary employment agency.Funding will enable EHES to replicate the Chicago STRIVE alternative staffing partnerships at three of their highest-performing national affiliates – in Baltimore, New York City and San Diego. The goal of the project is to provide an additional method of job placement for disadvantaged job seekers. Activities will include analyzing the alternative staffing model as an opportunity for STRIVE programs; conducting labor market research and analysis of the temporary employment industry; assessing the capacity of STRIVE affiliates to implement an alternative staffing service; and increasing the capacity of the EHES national office to support alternative staffing partnerships.Since its inception, STRIVE has been replicated by community-based organizations in 20 cities throughout the U.S. and more than 25,000 individuals have been placed in jobs.