At Catholic Community Services (CCS), community partnerships expand and strengthen our work to serve our neighbors. We are excited to share that CCS programs were recently featured in the Seattle Office of Housing Community Report. This report highlights the critical role that collaboration between nonprofit and government organizations plays in meeting our community’s greatest needs.
The report featured two CCS programs, Aspiring Social Service Employee Training (ASSET) and the Case Management Certification Program, a partnership between Highline College and CCS. Workforce development programs at CCS support those who have experienced barriers to employment and education opportunities, including homelessness, poverty, and structural racism. The goal of these programs is to use students’ lived experiences to help build skills and confidence to create and advance careers and find long-term stability.
These workforce development programs are supported through the Seattle Office of Housing and are key to the city’s strategy to address the affordable housing crisis. In the community report, CCS workforce development program participants shared how their experiences had changed their lives and helped them create fulfilling careers in the social services.
“The program not only helps you find a job but ensures you’re prepared for it by giving you the skills you need to succeed,” says Robert, a graduate of the CCS ASSET program.
TR, a student in the Case Management Certification Program, says, “I love how this program provides opportunities for marginalized communities. It’s a chance to help change the world in ways we want to see it changed.”
Related: “A Doorway to a Better Life:” Achieving Success Through the ASSET Program