FOR WORKFORCE PROFESSIONALS
Ascend is proud to work with California Workforce agencies and professionals. Ascend provides training, curriculum and employer engagement resources for workforce professionals.
Ascend is an approved trainer under California Workforce Association’s California Training Initiative: https://calworkforce.org/CTI/ascend-program-inc/
HAT provides the Ascend trainings, curriculum and employer engagement resources through CTI and also directly. Ascend has no preference on whether the agency chooses to contract directly with Ascend or through the CTI process.
TRAINING AND CURRICULUM
Please see our “Training and Curriculum” tab on this website for information regarding training and curriculum that Ascend provides for workforce professionals.
EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES
Christine and Toni, co-founders and co-directors of Ascend, began noticing that they were able to aid their students in obtaining employment by educating employers. This education consisted of information on the root causes of crime, how easy it is to be caught up in the criminal system with almost no way out, information on the law of constructive possession, the benefits of considering rehabilitated formerly incarcerated clients for employment, the existence of unintentional bias and discrimination against people with criminal records and the need to avoid the same.
Ascend was eventually awarded an Accelerator 6.0 grant, in part, to test out the hypothesis that employers would respond favorable to education about these topics through Employer Engagement Events.
Ascend hosted events where employers were invited to eat, drink, network with successful Ascend students and hear presentations on these topics. It turned out that employers do, in fact, respond very well to receiving this information in this way.
HAT began drafting video and presentation material on employer engagement that can be presented through Ascend. Now, workforce professionals can use Ascend in their employer engagement endeavors in two ways:
- Employer Engagement Video
- Employer Engagement Events
Ascend can put on an Employer Engagement Event at your workforce agency’s next employer gathering. Ascend provides food, drink, materials and presenters.
If your agency is hosting an event and needs presentation materials, Ascend’s employer engagement presentation can be purchased on video.
The video presentation can be played at events where employers may be gathered such as job fairs, chamber of commerce meetings, workforce events etc., and aims to educate employers on the root causes of crime, how easy it is to be caught up in the criminal system with almost no way out, information on the law of constructive possession, the benefits of considering rehabilitated formerly incarcerated clients for employment, the existence of unintentional bias and discrimination against people with criminal records and the need to avoid the same.
The video package comes with the video, materials and license to use both.
WORKFORCE EMPOWERMENT PRODUCTS
Workforce professionals provide funding, positive policy changes and boots on the ground support for clients who are coming out of incarceration. In recognition of the power of your profession to reduce recidivism, increase public safety, heal lives and give people brighter futures, we present our Empowerment Line of products just for workforce professionals.
We know how hard this work can be and we want to cheer you on, support your work and encourage you as you encourage others. Enjoy some workforce swag! After all, YOU put the FORCE in Workforce!
To Purchase the Curriculum
For information related to the curriculum, including purchasing, contact:
