East Bay charity offers paid job training to people in need

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Feb. 27, 2024) — The Workforce Development Program at St. Vincent de Paul is a paid job training program aimed at helping the unemployed re-enter the workforce and find stable employment. In today’s job market, it’s important for job applicants to understand workplace expectations and have the soft skills to be a contributing employee.

The 24-week program teaches participants skills and techniques to find a job and be successful in the workplace, offering training in resume development, interviewing, and organizational and stress management skills in a supportive & compassionate environment.

The Workforce Development Program at St. Vincent de Paul aims to help those in need overcome barriers that are preventing them from finding a good job.

Participants are asked to attend the two-part orientation sessions. Sessions are in:

• Pleasant Hill: Christ the King Church, 199 Brandon Rd., Room C, 2/29/24 & 3/5/24 from 10 am – 1 pm
• Pittsburg: St. Vincent de Paul, 2210 Gladstone Dr., 3/4/24 & 3/9/24 from 2 pm – 5 pm
• Brentwood: St. Vincent de Paul, 8890 Brentwood Blvd., 3/10/24 & 3/14/24 from 10 am – 1 pm

Applicants are required to attend both a Part 1 and Part 2 session, at the location most convenient for them. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. To learn more and download an application, visit svdp-cc.org. To RSVP for a session call (925) 439-5060 or email info@svdp-cc.org

Tearing down barriers

The Workforce Development Program aims to help tear down the barriers that stand in the way of employment for individuals who have struggled to obtain and maintain employment. Participants work with mentors and take weekly classes to develop workplace and soft skills. A new class of participants is selected every three months.

Participants gain paid, part-time, (22.5 hours per week), work experience in a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store or SVdP’s trucking and transportation department. Additional training is provided in retail operations including cash register operations, inventory display and optimization, and warehouse operations.

The strength of St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County is the ability of its volunteers to comprehensively help neighbors in need. Remi Martin first came to SVdP to join the Workforce Development Program, and found herself connected to a community that wanted to help her.

“I was in a really bad situation. I had no job, I had no money, I couldn’t pay my bills,” Remi said. “I had no insurance either. I had four holes in my teeth that the free dental clinic at SVdP helped me with. I can now chew on the right side of my mouth – I hadn’t been able to do that for the last two years.”

Remi worked for a manufacturing company in the Bay Area, but experienced a hostile workplace and felt compelled to leave. After her unemployment was cut off, she found herself not only unable to pay her rent, but with her hot water cut off. “Working at SVdP helped me,” Remi said. “When I came here I had so much anger and didn’t talk to people, but people at SVdP are so nice and I was able to open up to people in a way I really hadn’t before. There was a lot of emotional help.”

Remi said she loved the WFD program at SVdP, and upon graduation, landed a good job at over $25/hour. “I loved working at SVdP. I learned new skills,” Remi said. “Most of all I really liked helping people. Like when homeless people came into the SVdP Thrift Store and we were able to get them a new set of clothes. It feels good to help others.”

About St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County

St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County has provided safety-net services in the county for over 59 years, serving 100,000 people annually and distributing over $1.4 million in direct financial assistance and over $4.5 million of in-kind aid. More than 700 SVdP volunteers and a small staff lead operations in Contra Costa including the SVdP Family Resource Center in Pittsburg, 28 branches, and 3 Thrift Stores.

One of the largest charitable organizations in the world, St. Vincent de Paul is an international, nonprofit, Catholic lay organization of more than 900,000 men and women who voluntarily join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to the needy and suffering in 155 countries on five continents.