MFS and Charter One Partner for Young Fathers Success
Eleven young dads have been equipped with tools to help them start establishing a sound financial future and become better dads as part of the Spring 2010 session of Young Fathers Job Success, a program provided by Metropolitan Family Services in partnership with the Charter One Foundation.
For young fathers who are undereducated, especially those who have been incarcerated in the past, getting their lives back on track can be extremely challenging. Young Fathers Job Success is designed to give these dads the tools they need to turn their lives around by helping them prepare for and find jobs; get access to legal assistance, health care and counseling services; identify what issues may be holding them back and how to overcome them; and to become better dads by learning new fathering skills.
During the spring series, which took place April 26 – 30, Human Resources staff from Charter One worked with the dads, providing resume writing assistance and job interview training. Since “getting banked” is an important part of establishing a financial base, the participants also got the opportunity to tour a Charter One branch in Metropolitan’s Southeast Chicago community and open accounts.
All of the program’s 11 participants finished and graduated from the one-week program with polished resumes, extensive interview practice, appointments for physicals at the local health clinic, newly opened bank accounts at Charter One bank, and follow up appointments for intensive job searches.
“Our goal is to help as many young dads as possible get the tools and information they need to secure good jobs, develop a strong financial base for themselves and their families, and learn how to be the best dads they can be,” says Quincy Roseborough, Case Manager, who coordinates the Young Fathers’ program. “We at Metropolitan Family Services are excited to offer this program with Charter One, and we look forward to doing so again this fall.”
Metropolitan’s Southeast Chicago Center will continue to work with the program graduates, helping them to secure interviews and find employment. The graduates also will become part of the Young Fathers’ “alumni group” of past graduates. Alumni members get to participate in monthly Fathers Network meetings, where they meet to share employment experiences, talk about successful experiences relating with their children and/or children’s mother, and other topics; join bi-monthly father/child activities; benefit from intensive job placement and ongoing mock interview follow-up; and access case management services that cover legal, financial and relationship issues.
Since 2002, the Young Fathers program has sustained an average job placement rate of 62 percent.
About Metropolitan Family Services
Metropolitan Family Services, one of Chicago’s first and largest human services organizations, strengthens more than 50,000 low-income individuals and families throughout Chicago and the suburbs each year.