Community: San Lorenzo Valley
Host Agency: Valley Resource Center
Community Profile: Approximately 28,000 reside in this geographically isolated community. There is economic diversity with pockets of significant poverty. Due to mudslides, fires and earthquakes, The Valley has experienced eight nationally declared disasters in the past 12 years.
The Valley Resource Center convened bi- monthly meetings with ICCS providing technical assistance that included attending all meetings explaining the Collaborative Pursuit Process, providing information on welfare legislation impact and mapping the planning process for the community's "BIG" meeting with policy makers. Approximately 8- 25 community representatives participated in a dozen meetings. Participants included current and previous welfare clients, children's commission, healthy start, business owners, child care council, YMCA, family advocates, volunteer center, teachers, human resource commission, churches, unions and women's club. The Valley Press newspaper reported frequently on the progress of the group, which called itself, "San Lorenzo Valley Community Investment Plan".
The Valley's "Big Meeting" was a culmination of the earlier planning meetings and included policy makers, county department heads, public and non-profit agencies, and community representatives. Objectives of this meeting was to raise awareness of the issues of welfare reform, how they affect all of the San Lorenzo Valley, and discuss what individuals and agencies can do to address issues. Several low-income residents, of their own initiative, presented a well-orchestrated production depicting a day in the life of a welfare recipient. Many in the audience were deeply moved, as they had no previous knowledge or concept of the daily frustration that a person on welfare experiences. The skit opened the door for dialogue between all that were present.
The planning group presented issues and their action plans using large visuals created by ICCS. Key issues for the San Lorenzo Valley include transportation, childcare, housing, jobs and training, and higher education:
1) Jobs and training actions include development of job support center, educate businesses on tax and other incentives for hiring welfare recipients, training opportunities from Cal Works, and computer assisted training located at VRC.
2) Housing actions were to support rehabilitation efforts through a multi-agency plan, a family loan program, and finance classes.
3) Childcare approaches include a forum for childcare providers and establish a liaison with Cabrillo College and Child Development Resource Center.
4) Transportation action was to support SLV residents negotiating with the Transit Authority for additional bus service. As a result the isolated area of Lompico received significant new bus runs.
5) The education group's work led to increased courses from Cabrillo College and a "fast track" commitment by the Human Resources Agency to locate a CalWorks eligibility staff person at the VRC.
A direct result of this project has been the mobilization and empowerment of community members at-large. One mother who had been clean and sober for 18 months has benefited greatly. Before the inception of the project, she was withdrawn and removed from the community. Once the project was under way, she agreed to attend one of the meetings. She became excited about what was happening there, and began to participate in small ways. Eventually, she became the transcriber of the meeting minutes. This responsibility brought her in contact with VRC Information and Referral, which landed her a job. She is now working and supporting herself and her family. Another woman who presented in the "day in the life" skit was hired by the Valley Resource Center. Another participant, who felt disenfranchised and isolated from her community, is now reaching out to others and is volunteering with the Women's Crisis Support.
Residents of the San Lorenzo Valley have come to realize they do have a voice and (the) have collaborative and leader skills to bring about change within their community. Residents are taking a proactive approach with the business community to encourage them to become more involved in training and hiring low-income community members. Besides addressing welfare reform issues, an open line of communications has become a top priority in the Valley. As an indirect result of this project, the Valley Resource Center program of services has also grown considerably. ICCS is planning to include the San Lorenzo in the proposed Community Leaders program.
Achievements:
A group of dedicated community members made up of business people, service providers, welfare recipients and interested citizens worked together for six months to define the strengths of our community and the barriers it faces in responding to the issues arising out of welfare reform. Commitment from policy makers and county representatives to work with the community to address barriers to success. Developed a plan of action to work from with identified challenges.
Challenges:
Jobs and Job Training - lack of living wage jobs, access to education and job training opportunities and assessment to match skills to jobs, need for partnerships with local business to address employer issues (i.e. incentives) Housing - need education on accessing Section 8 housing, people living in substandard housing, need to access funds for renovation without raising rents, building new affordable housing in San Lorenzo Valley Transportation - accessing information about transportation sharing, shortening the commute (jobs and child care closer to home), costs, modes of transportation (public, car pools, bikes, etc.) Child Care - availability, types and quality of care, affordability and accessibility are all concerns, need to educate providers about issues affecting CalWORKS families, transportation greatly impacts accessibility Education - need greater access to higher education at a local level, lack of Fast Track program in San Lorenzo Valley, lack of educational alternatives
On-going Challenges/Next Steps:
Develop a community Job Support Center to address local concerns (will include businesses and county agencies in planning) Follow up with the County on establishing a family loan program Follow up with rehabilitation task force to upgrade existing homes Establish a network/forum for child care providers Coordinate training for licensed providers Establish Cabrillo College Fast Track liaison CDRC activity based in Valley San Lorenzo Valley will create a mailing of leaders and interested residents to meet with transit agencies to develop a comprehensive transit plan, support attempts for additional funding and promoter ride share campaign in SLV Coordinate ECE training Expand orientation and assessment to San Lorenzo Valley Continue to encourage Cabrillo's commitment to faculty and courses in Valley