~ Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin - Job Training Program A

2016 Public Law 102-477 Annual Report

The Community Resource Center provides program services under the funding of Public Law

102-477 (WIA and NEW) the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program and

State of Wisconsin Income Maintenance (Food Share and Medical) The Public Law l 02-477

funds consist of WIOA Section 166 Comprehensive Services Program WIOA Section 166

Supplemental Youth Services and Native Employment Works (NEW) Program Our Tribal

TANF program is not included under our 477 program funding The funding cycle is based on a

July 1 to June 30 year

The Mission Statement is to provide high quality job training employment labor market

information and income maintenance services

Our Vision is to promote pathways to economic independence for our members and families

The Community Resource Program will administer effective programs that include the following

goals

1 To reduce the overall costs of public assistance by promoting work as a means of

family suppo1t

2 To promote individual employability of 477TANF recipients through close

collaboration and coordination between the 477 Program Tribal TANF Education

Departments and all our partnerships that provide services to the community

3 To reduce generational dependency on public assistance through the development

and awareness ofwork ethics and their value to individual families their children and

the community

4 To decrease specific barriers to employment such as drug and alcohol dependence by

establishing drug testing as one of the necessary eligibility requirements for

477TANF benefits

5 Promote self-esteem independence and selfsufficiency

The Menominee Indian ReservationCounty is located in Northeastern Wisconsin on 365 square miles and consists of the communities of Keshena South Branch Middle Village Neopit and Zoar

- s__------cJ---cJ

Demographics

In 2015 there were an estimated 4573 people residing 111 Menominee County

(httpfactfindercensusgov) an increase of 51 people since the 2014 estimated census Of this

population approximately 875 identify themselves as Native American The trend continues

with more Tribal members moving home to the reservation when experiencing hard times off of

the reservation Uob loss decreased wages etc) Available housing remains a concern and many

homes are multi-family dwellings There are approximately 609 other relatives and 292 nonshy

relatives living in the family dwellings (AmericanFactFindercom) The Menominee County

annual median household income was $3774000 compared to the State of Wisconsin s rate of

$5273800 These figures depict that approximately 41 of the households are living at or

below the median household income and 226 living below the federa l poverty level

Employment

The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin is the main employer within the county prov iding

employment for 1569 workers (an increase of 83 employees from 2015) which includes

Menominee Tribal Enterprise-Logging and Saw Mill (199) Menominee Indian Tribe of

Wisconsin Tribal programs which includes the Tribal School (866) and Menominee Casino

Resort (504) The Menominee School District rated second employing ISO followed by College

of Menominee Nation with 154 and Menominee County Employees totaling 90 positions The

Save-a-Lot grocery store has 18 employees and the local Family Dollar and a Subway have an

additional 15 employees This total of 1996 positions has increased over the past year by 60

positions

The Menominee Indian ReservationCounty is located in Northeastern Wisconsin on 365 square miles and consists of the communities of Keshena South Branch Middle Village Neopit and Zoar

- s__------cJ---cJ

Demographics

In 2015 there were an estimated 4573 people residing 111 Menominee County

(httpfactfindercensusgov) an increase of 51 people since the 2014 estimated census Of this

population approximately 875 identify themselves as Native American The trend continues

with more Tribal members moving home to the reservation when experiencing hard times off of

the reservation Uob loss decreased wages etc) Available housing remains a concern and many

homes are multi-family dwellings There are approximately 609 other relatives and 292 nonshy

relatives living in the family dwellings (AmericanFactFindercom) The Menominee County

annual median household income was $3774000 compared to the State of Wisconsin s rate of

$5273800 These figures depict that approximately 41 of the households are living at or

below the median household income and 226 living below the federa l poverty level

Employment

The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin is the main employer within the county prov iding

employment for 1569 workers (an increase of 83 employees from 2015) which includes

Menominee Tribal Enterprise-Logging and Saw Mill (199) Menominee Indian Tribe of

Wisconsin Tribal programs which includes the Tribal School (866) and Menominee Casino

Resort (504) The Menominee School District rated second employing ISO followed by College

of Menominee Nation with 154 and Menominee County Employees totaling 90 positions The

Save-a-Lot grocery store has 18 employees and the local Family Dollar and a Subway have an

additional 15 employees This total of 1996 positions has increased over the past year by 60

positions

Menominee County Civilian Labor Force Data

Labor Force

2012

1705

2013

1766

2014

1540

2015 2016 9mo

average

1589 1578 Employed 1428 1443 1338 1432 1441 Unemployed 276 319 202 157 137

Unemployment Rate 1786 167 131 99 867

All Menominee Tribal programs continue to operating m a cost containment mode When

Directors have retired this past year Administration has reviewed these programs and have joined

a few like programs to reduce Administrative costs to run the program to free up funding for

services to the community

Of the 1996 people employed by the previous mentioned entities 1418 of these employees are

residents of Menominee County 1n the same respect 578 people travel to Menominee County

from other counties to work in Menominee County (AmericanFactFindercom)

Labor Force Population

Of the 2597 eligible people to be in the workforce 16-64 yrs of age according to American Fact

Finder currently 14 18 are employed in the labor force while 275 are unemployed This leaves a

total of 904 people not in the workforce currently The unemployment rate for this population is

162

Source WI DWD Local Area Unemployment Statistics WI Labor Force Estimates not seasonally adjusted

As budget cuts and cost containment continue for Tribal Departments the number of available

work placement sites has been affected as well We continue to be creative in working with

Tribal departments to obtain as many placements as possible that will hopefulJy lead to part or

full time employment for our clients

Unemplovment

Menominee County continues to have one the highest unemployment rates within the state of

Wisconsin Statistics from 2016 (Jan through September available) show an average

I

unemployment rate for the year of 867 compared to the rate of 1047 for 2015 and 1526

for 2014 We continue to see this rate improve from year to year which is a welcome sight but

we still have much work to do

2016 Civilian Labor Force Estimates for past nine months

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept - -

Labor Force 1554 1540 1545 1563 1550 1628 1618 1626 1574

Employed 1419 1403 1404 1404 1430 1479 1473 1486 1470

Unemployed 135 137 141 159 120 149 145 140 104 -

Unemployment Rate 87 89 91 102 77 92 9 86 66

Source Department of Workforce Development

Programs and Services

Through the flex ibility of PL-102-477 our program has been able to provide a variety of

opportunities and activities to our client base During the fiscal year we served 171 pruticipants

with job trainingeducationemployment services 16 ofwhich were a lso receiving cash assistance

through our Tribal TANF program Out of th is 171 79 have tenninated services and 92 continue

as active clients

Veterans are given preference for services to our program As a part of our application process

our form asks the client to provide self-declaration of being a veteran or a spouse of a veteran to

prioritize these applicants This past fiscal year a total of 5 veterans received assistance through

our program Returning veterans are referred to their Veteran Service Officer Mental Health

AODA andor Vocational Rehabil itation to assist with any service related issues they may be

experiencing

Education Rates

Ofour community members over the age of25 years (2563 according to

AmericanfactFindercom)

bull 1069 hold a High School Diploma or equivalency diploma- 417

bull 597 have some college training but no a degree - 233

bull 246 have obtained an Associates degree - 96

bull 276 hold a Bachelors degree - l 08

bull 146 have a Graduate or Professional degree - 57

That leaves an estimated 229 individuals without a high school diploma - about 88 The

number of graduates and advanced degrees has increased since last year

Education is always a goal when working with clients furthering their education can open up so

many more opportunities to them This past year we had 34 adult clients and 3 youth clients with

an EducationalTraining goal and had 2 adults and I youth that obtained their goal and 2 other

adults that completed another education outcome during the fiscal year This number only takes

into account those clients who are no longer a pa1i of the 477 program many more continue to

work towards their goal as an active client

We are fortunate to have the College of Menominee Nation on our reservation and readily

available to our clientele To familiarize clients with the college their first visit is usually to

complete their T ABE test during application The Community Technology Center that now

houses the Skills Lab Job Center of Wisconsin and the GED testing lab are utilized often by our

clients and the community Many return to utilize the Skill Builder Lab to brush up on needed

skill sets to improve their TABE scores Clients also utilize other area technical schools and

specialty programs

This past fiscal year we had clients complete the following goals one client completed their

CDL certification through Fox Valley Technical College one client received his Welding

Technical Education diploma from the College of Menominee Nation one female client obtained

her Office Technician diploma from the College of Menominee Nation and one client enrolled

and completed a weekend Dental Assistant Class tliat was completed in ten weeks These clients

were supported with a variety of supportive services for transportation tuition and specialty

clothing needs as well as a cash incentive for completion

Work Experience Contracts On-The-Job Training Emergency Hires and referrals

This past fiscal year we had 66 adult and 3 youth clients with an Employment Objective listed in

their plan Through the use of our Interdepartmental Agreement Form this past fiscal year we

were able to assist 12 clients with a Work Experience contract and 3 clients completed an Onshy

The-Job Training contract for experience The additional JPTA funding received this past fiscal

year allowed us to provide longer contracts for some of the clients that would benefit from more

experience and to provide some contracts that were just for experience and not for hire A total of

34 clients did not meet their employment goal this fiscal year of these many were working on

barriers to employment Those employed showed an earnings gain of $682 This past year we

have worked closely with many departments including Menominee Transit Menominee Tribal

Clinic Historic Preservation Menominee Casino Resort Menominee Early Childhood Services

Johnson OMalley Program Wolf River Development and Conservation

One female client completed her 8 week contract with the Menominee Casino Reso11 to gain

work experience and was able to use her income to pay off a $591 traffic fine Her placement

was extended and she went on to secure a flex position with the Casino in housekeeping This

work experience was her first job experience ever

Two male clients attended a Job Fair at the Shawano Job Center and received an interview with

two separate companies One became employed at a cheese factory and the other gentleman

received a temp-to-hire position as a welder The later was assisted with a welding helmet

gloves and gas cards

One female client completed a 4 week contract with Wolf River Development Company and was

hired full time at $1382hr as an Administrative Assistant She had over 22 years experience as

a Budget Specialist but her job was eliminated due to budget cuts

One female client completed an 8 week contract with Menominee Tribal Daycare and was hired

part time at $905hr Jn October 2016 she was transfeITed to a full time Head Cook position

earning $1124hr

One female client participated in the summer youth program for 3 years when she was in high

school which was her only work experience (six weeks each summer) She completed a Work

Experience placement with the Historic Preservation Department and used her income to pay a

$887 traffic fine She secured a flex Room Attendant position at North Star Casino and used her

earnings to pay for a State IDP and completed her Driver Safety classes which were a

requirement for her to regain her license She passed her written exam and driving test and

obtained a valid instructional permit Our program assisted her by utilizing CampJ Drivers

Education for behind the wheel instruction and use of his car for her skills exam She was

promoted to full time employment with insurance benefits in August and has maintained her

employment for one year

Work Experience contracts for our clients have assisted them to overcome their barriers and

become ready for employment The Job Counselors work with area departments to secure job

placements for hire utilizing our Interdepartmental Contract Most of these jobs are entry level

positions within the Tribe where clients will work a set number of hours between 20 and 40 and

be paid a comparable wage during their training period While our program pays at the rate of

minimum wage for these contracts the departments are encouraged to supplement the wage to

bring the client up to the given rate for the position they are ft II ing This past year 12 of the 9

positions were supplemented by the employers

Many of our clients have little or no employment history and these placements give them the

needed verifiable work history needed for job application requirements Job Counselors work

closely with the clients to monitor the clients growth in the position and assist with needed

changes to assure the job is a good fit for the client At the end of the contract the employer has

the option to hire the client into a regular part time or full time position

Our staff is always looking for new opportunities for our clients to become trained and employed

Our unemployment rate although it has improved remains to be one of the highest in the state

The need for additional full time employment opportunities for our clients is great Part time and

on-call wages are not sufficient to allow for a livable wage Childcare and transportation are also

a challenge our clients face when seeking employment at area gaming facilities

Tribal Pardons

Past legal issues can serve as a hindrance when applying for employment Our program has one

staff that is knowledgeable in the Tribal Pardon process which allows for past aged convictions to

be pardoned so they are able to obtain employment Clients have to complete a paper process

showing the improvements they have made in their lives and this gets presented to the

Menominee Tribal Legislature for determination This past year our employee successfully

assisted 8 community members to overcome this barrier Our program assists with the fees

charged to complete this process By taking care of this barrier they are one step closer to being

self-sufficient

Continued Training and Outreach Efforts

While assisting clients to develop as individuals it is also important for staff to continue to

develop Our program continues to be trained and informed about the effects of trauma on our

clients and how we can better work with them to assure we are not re-traumatizing individuals

This will be a work in progress as we continue to review policy and procedures and adapt to the

need The Director Assistant Director and the newly hired Job Counselor attended the annual PL

I 02-477 conference in Reno NV It is important for staff to attend these opportunities to refresh

and learn new ideas to utilize while working with clients to reach their potential

The Community Resource Center comprised of PL 102-477 Tribal TANF and Income

Maintenance program provided assistance andor personnel for the following community

eventsactivities during this fiscal year Culture Camp (two sessions) Coats for Kids Sturgeon

Feast Sobriety Pow Wow Round House Positive Indian Parenting Youth Olympics Night Out

Against Crime Coat and Blanket Giveaway and the Johnson OMalley Senior Banquet

Members of our staff participate in the following committeesactivities Community Engagement

Committee Community Coordinated Response Team Labor and Education Committee

Environmental Protection Committee Fostering Futures Advisory Council Trauma Informed

Care and Night out against Crime

Pathways to Success Training Calendar

Located in our facility is a 16 workstation computer lab that also functions as a meeting room

This room is utilized daily by 477 clients TANF clients and the community to attend the

Pathways to Success Training Calendar events Each month a schedule of events is planned and

posted within the community and shared with clients These trainings range from educational

informative to cultural crafting This year we collaborated with the following programs to

provide training Menominee Tribal Clinic (health and wellness) UW-Extension (food

preparation and cooking classes) and Menominee Job Center (interviewing resumes cover

letters soft skills and dressing for success) While the morning is reserved for the scheduled

training calendar the computer lab is open every afternoon from noon to four thity for clients to

use for job search activities and resume creation

We have staff members trained to complete the following on-site trainings throughout the

program year Native Wellness Life Skills Empowerment FatherhoodMotherhood is Sacred

Building Native Communities Discovery Dating Positive Indian Parenting and Healthy

Relationships We also offer workshops to enhance cultural activities including beading and

regalia making

Transportation

Lack of transportation is very prevalent on the reservation as well as eligible participants without

a driver s license Throughout the year we have assisted 6 individuals with obtaining their

instructional permit their regular drivers license or reinstatement of their license The local

transportation department is also utilized to assist clients in getting to appointments completing

job search and attending school The bus routes are frequent to allow for most day time

transportation needs Extended hours were added to the schedule this year to assist with evening

and weekend transportation needs An additional agreement is still in place with North Central

Technical College in Antigo (about 45 minutes from the reservation) to provide transportation for

those wanting to attend schooling that is offered through this technical school and not the College

of Menominee Nation We have begun to issue tickets as well as a bus pass to those people

working later in the evening as the regular bus route is done and they have to request a special

ride This has allowed flexibility to the clients and assures they have safe transportation later in

the day

We renewed our contract with the Transit Department as well to provide bus passes to our clients

These can be used for job search work activities appointments and other activities needed to

work toward their self-sufficiency This has been a cost saving measure for us as we pay a

blanket rate for unlimited services

The local Department of Motor Vehicle office open here on the reservation at the Transp011ation

building makes it more accessible for clients to receive their temporary license complete testing

and their behind the wheel drivers testing Being a familiar location helps to put the clients at

ease knowing that they will be driving in familiar tenitory as wel I

Our department also has contracted with a local driving instructor to provide instructional

refresher trainings as well as driving experience to our clients as a supportive service He is

contracted to meet with the clients for a set number of times and assist them in gaining the skills

necessary to pass their driving tests His vehicle is also available for testing day for those that do

not have a reliable vehicle

GEDHSEDHigh School Graduation

Obtaining a GED or High School diploma is the first stepping stone to becoming gainfully

employed Clients are fortunate to have a few options when faced with pursuing their diploma

The Tribe Education Depat1ment offers GED services which include study time one-on-one

assistance and testing The local Menominee lndian School District has established a program to

allow individuals regardless of age to obtain a regular high school diploma instead of a GED

Throughout the program year 4 clients worked toward their GED or high school diploma with all

4 successfully completing Obtaining this goal has allowed them to then set new educational and

employment goals for them to strive for

Supportive Services

An annual review was completed of the Supportive Services guideline listing and adjustments

made where seen fit Services assisted with vary but the main requests are bus passes gas cards

car repairs and tire replacement tuition fees for workshops car insurance and interview or work

clothingfootwear A portion of the extra JPTA funding received this year was added to the

Supportive Service line item to allow us to expand on these services Traditionally we do not

have ample money to fit the needs of the clients This extra funding allowed us to assist with

needed car insurance for employment as well as car repairs - two of the more costly expenses

requested Wisconsin State law states that all vehicles on the road must have at least liability

insurance this can be a challenge for clients living on a limited budget

The sliding fee scale continues to apply to a limited number of the Supportive Service requests

such as AODA Assessment Group Dynamics drivers license reinstatement tribal pardons car

repairs and tires The scale takes in to consideration if they client has income and makes them

responsible for a small portion of the cost This was put in place to stretch supportive service

funding as well as to teach responsibility and cost sharing to the client

This past year we provided a variety of suppo11ive services to clients The highest used request is

for gas cards to assist the clients in getting to appointments job search and work There is an

annual limit per person on these to encourage self-dependence The second most requested item

is for assistance with interviewwork clothing and shoeswork boots Many clients just starting

out in the workforce do not have the money to spend on these items and we want to assure they

are able to look professional for their interviews and first days at work Other items assisted with

include birth certificates glassescontacts gaming licensing fees relocation fees educational

expenses vehicle registration and drivers license fees

Obstacles to Achieving Employment

We continue to struggle in finding adequate job search andor work placement activities for

individuals that are returning to the community after being incarcerated The barriers put in place

by their past limits the places that they are able to work within the Tribe We are looking to

outside sources more in neighboring communities to find the right kind of placement for them but

these are still difficult to obtain

Youth Services

The Community Resource Center secured job placements for 79 youth to participate in a 6 week

Youth Work Experience Program Another (45) youth were referred to the Johnson OMalley

(JOM) program with (45) gaining summer employment this program approached Tribal

Legislation for funding for an additional 20 youth One Youth Supervisor was hired on a

temporary basis to provide supervision to the youth and assist the Recruitment and Training

Coordinator The youth ranged in age from 14-24 and they were placed within local departments

The program is designed to give youth an opportunity to pa11icipate in actual work and

educational environments to experience and gain knowledge for involvement in the future labor

force The youth participated at their work sites for (16) hours with another 4 hours of

Educational training for a total of 20 hours each week We worked in collaboration with Human

Resources Youth Development and Outreach Tribal Clinic Wellness and the Menominee Job

Center to provide these weekly trainings at the Menominee Indian High School to focus on job

skill activities

One additional event was the screening of the documentary Paper Tigers The video fol lows a

year in the life of an alternative native high school that has radically changed its approach to

disciplining its students becoming a promising model to break the cycles of poverty violence

and disease that affect families A member of the Fostering Futures Advisory Committee held an

initial discussion with the youth about ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and TIC (Trauma

Informed Care) The research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) along with another institute has demonstrated an association of ACESs with health and

social problems as an adult where many have co-occutTing experiences She shared that many

Menominee children have experienced several ACEs in their lives Trauma Informed Care is an

intervention and organizational approach that focuses on how trauma may affect an individuals

life and his or her response to behavioral health services from prevention through treatment

Trauma refers to extreme stress that overwhelms a persons ability to cope The Menominee

Tribe has been training agencies and departments throughout the community to create awareness

and to have a clearer understanding of trauma and how it affects the day to day actions of people

we encounter There was some good conversation with the youth afterwards and they were open

to share how they felt in their own settings and areas that they could see improvements being

made School counselors were on hand to assist in discussing this sensitive topic

This year a new Youth Work Readiness Tool was utilized to show improvement andor need

for improvement with the youths working skills This tool is designed to assist supervisors in

providing better direction to the youth and for the youth to identify and understand work

expectations Skills learned at the work site are measured preferably in week (2) and ( 4) of the

program with the supervisor meeting with the youth to develop mutual goals or steps for

performance improvement By strengthening employer-youth communication youth learn and

develop more productive work employability skills character and self-responsibility We

received some good results with utilization of this tool it serves as a good talking point with

supervisors and youth employees

At the end of our 6 week summer program at the request of the Menominee Tribal Clinic (2)

youth worked for an additional three week period and one youth worked an additional three

weeks with the Emergency Management Program They entered Work Experience contracts to

continue with their employment based on their positive work ethic The positions were funded

through the each individual department

Applications for the program including a resume were accepted over a three week period and then

graded on a point scale considering low income type of family (1 or 2 parentguardianyouth

parent) etc Placements were picked according to highest to lowest score A group orientation

was held to go over rules and expectations as well as goal setting for the youth

Some of the community events that the youth assist with are Breakfast with Santa Summer

Youth Olympics Toys for Tots and the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

34 clients did not meet their employment goal this fiscal year of these many were working on

barriers to employment Those employed showed an earnings gain of $682 This past year we

have worked closely with many departments including Menominee Transit Menominee Tribal

Clinic Historic Preservation Menominee Casino Resort Menominee Early Childhood Services

Johnson OMalley Program Wolf River Development and Conservation

One female client completed her 8 week contract with the Menominee Casino Reso11 to gain

work experience and was able to use her income to pay off a $591 traffic fine Her placement

was extended and she went on to secure a flex position with the Casino in housekeeping This

work experience was her first job experience ever

Two male clients attended a Job Fair at the Shawano Job Center and received an interview with

two separate companies One became employed at a cheese factory and the other gentleman

received a temp-to-hire position as a welder The later was assisted with a welding helmet

gloves and gas cards

One female client completed a 4 week contract with Wolf River Development Company and was

hired full time at $1382hr as an Administrative Assistant She had over 22 years experience as

a Budget Specialist but her job was eliminated due to budget cuts

One female client completed an 8 week contract with Menominee Tribal Daycare and was hired

part time at $905hr Jn October 2016 she was transfeITed to a full time Head Cook position

earning $1124hr

One female client participated in the summer youth program for 3 years when she was in high

school which was her only work experience (six weeks each summer) She completed a Work

Experience placement with the Historic Preservation Department and used her income to pay a

$887 traffic fine She secured a flex Room Attendant position at North Star Casino and used her

earnings to pay for a State IDP and completed her Driver Safety classes which were a

requirement for her to regain her license She passed her written exam and driving test and

obtained a valid instructional permit Our program assisted her by utilizing CampJ Drivers

Education for behind the wheel instruction and use of his car for her skills exam She was

promoted to full time employment with insurance benefits in August and has maintained her

employment for one year

Work Experience contracts for our clients have assisted them to overcome their barriers and

become ready for employment The Job Counselors work with area departments to secure job

placements for hire utilizing our Interdepartmental Contract Most of these jobs are entry level

positions within the Tribe where clients will work a set number of hours between 20 and 40 and

be paid a comparable wage during their training period While our program pays at the rate of

minimum wage for these contracts the departments are encouraged to supplement the wage to

bring the client up to the given rate for the position they are ft II ing This past year 12 of the 9

positions were supplemented by the employers

Many of our clients have little or no employment history and these placements give them the

needed verifiable work history needed for job application requirements Job Counselors work

closely with the clients to monitor the clients growth in the position and assist with needed

changes to assure the job is a good fit for the client At the end of the contract the employer has

the option to hire the client into a regular part time or full time position

Our staff is always looking for new opportunities for our clients to become trained and employed

Our unemployment rate although it has improved remains to be one of the highest in the state

The need for additional full time employment opportunities for our clients is great Part time and

on-call wages are not sufficient to allow for a livable wage Childcare and transportation are also

a challenge our clients face when seeking employment at area gaming facilities

Tribal Pardons

Past legal issues can serve as a hindrance when applying for employment Our program has one

staff that is knowledgeable in the Tribal Pardon process which allows for past aged convictions to

be pardoned so they are able to obtain employment Clients have to complete a paper process

showing the improvements they have made in their lives and this gets presented to the

Menominee Tribal Legislature for determination This past year our employee successfully

assisted 8 community members to overcome this barrier Our program assists with the fees

charged to complete this process By taking care of this barrier they are one step closer to being

self-sufficient

Continued Training and Outreach Efforts

While assisting clients to develop as individuals it is also important for staff to continue to

develop Our program continues to be trained and informed about the effects of trauma on our

clients and how we can better work with them to assure we are not re-traumatizing individuals

This will be a work in progress as we continue to review policy and procedures and adapt to the

need The Director Assistant Director and the newly hired Job Counselor attended the annual PL

I 02-477 conference in Reno NV It is important for staff to attend these opportunities to refresh

and learn new ideas to utilize while working with clients to reach their potential

The Community Resource Center comprised of PL 102-477 Tribal TANF and Income

Maintenance program provided assistance andor personnel for the following community

eventsactivities during this fiscal year Culture Camp (two sessions) Coats for Kids Sturgeon

Feast Sobriety Pow Wow Round House Positive Indian Parenting Youth Olympics Night Out

Against Crime Coat and Blanket Giveaway and the Johnson OMalley Senior Banquet

Members of our staff participate in the following committeesactivities Community Engagement

Committee Community Coordinated Response Team Labor and Education Committee

Environmental Protection Committee Fostering Futures Advisory Council Trauma Informed

Care and Night out against Crime

Pathways to Success Training Calendar

Located in our facility is a 16 workstation computer lab that also functions as a meeting room

This room is utilized daily by 477 clients TANF clients and the community to attend the

Pathways to Success Training Calendar events Each month a schedule of events is planned and

posted within the community and shared with clients These trainings range from educational

informative to cultural crafting This year we collaborated with the following programs to

provide training Menominee Tribal Clinic (health and wellness) UW-Extension (food

preparation and cooking classes) and Menominee Job Center (interviewing resumes cover

letters soft skills and dressing for success) While the morning is reserved for the scheduled

training calendar the computer lab is open every afternoon from noon to four thity for clients to

use for job search activities and resume creation

We have staff members trained to complete the following on-site trainings throughout the

program year Native Wellness Life Skills Empowerment FatherhoodMotherhood is Sacred

Building Native Communities Discovery Dating Positive Indian Parenting and Healthy

Relationships We also offer workshops to enhance cultural activities including beading and

regalia making

Transportation

Lack of transportation is very prevalent on the reservation as well as eligible participants without

a driver s license Throughout the year we have assisted 6 individuals with obtaining their

instructional permit their regular drivers license or reinstatement of their license The local

transportation department is also utilized to assist clients in getting to appointments completing

job search and attending school The bus routes are frequent to allow for most day time

transportation needs Extended hours were added to the schedule this year to assist with evening

and weekend transportation needs An additional agreement is still in place with North Central

Technical College in Antigo (about 45 minutes from the reservation) to provide transportation for

those wanting to attend schooling that is offered through this technical school and not the College

of Menominee Nation We have begun to issue tickets as well as a bus pass to those people

working later in the evening as the regular bus route is done and they have to request a special

ride This has allowed flexibility to the clients and assures they have safe transportation later in

the day

We renewed our contract with the Transit Department as well to provide bus passes to our clients

These can be used for job search work activities appointments and other activities needed to

work toward their self-sufficiency This has been a cost saving measure for us as we pay a

blanket rate for unlimited services

The local Department of Motor Vehicle office open here on the reservation at the Transp011ation

building makes it more accessible for clients to receive their temporary license complete testing

and their behind the wheel drivers testing Being a familiar location helps to put the clients at

ease knowing that they will be driving in familiar tenitory as wel I

Our department also has contracted with a local driving instructor to provide instructional

refresher trainings as well as driving experience to our clients as a supportive service He is

contracted to meet with the clients for a set number of times and assist them in gaining the skills

necessary to pass their driving tests His vehicle is also available for testing day for those that do

not have a reliable vehicle

GEDHSEDHigh School Graduation

Obtaining a GED or High School diploma is the first stepping stone to becoming gainfully

employed Clients are fortunate to have a few options when faced with pursuing their diploma

The Tribe Education Depat1ment offers GED services which include study time one-on-one

assistance and testing The local Menominee lndian School District has established a program to

allow individuals regardless of age to obtain a regular high school diploma instead of a GED

Throughout the program year 4 clients worked toward their GED or high school diploma with all

4 successfully completing Obtaining this goal has allowed them to then set new educational and

employment goals for them to strive for

Supportive Services

An annual review was completed of the Supportive Services guideline listing and adjustments

made where seen fit Services assisted with vary but the main requests are bus passes gas cards

car repairs and tire replacement tuition fees for workshops car insurance and interview or work

clothingfootwear A portion of the extra JPTA funding received this year was added to the

Supportive Service line item to allow us to expand on these services Traditionally we do not

have ample money to fit the needs of the clients This extra funding allowed us to assist with

needed car insurance for employment as well as car repairs - two of the more costly expenses

requested Wisconsin State law states that all vehicles on the road must have at least liability

insurance this can be a challenge for clients living on a limited budget

The sliding fee scale continues to apply to a limited number of the Supportive Service requests

such as AODA Assessment Group Dynamics drivers license reinstatement tribal pardons car

repairs and tires The scale takes in to consideration if they client has income and makes them

responsible for a small portion of the cost This was put in place to stretch supportive service

funding as well as to teach responsibility and cost sharing to the client

This past year we provided a variety of suppo11ive services to clients The highest used request is

for gas cards to assist the clients in getting to appointments job search and work There is an

annual limit per person on these to encourage self-dependence The second most requested item

is for assistance with interviewwork clothing and shoeswork boots Many clients just starting

out in the workforce do not have the money to spend on these items and we want to assure they

are able to look professional for their interviews and first days at work Other items assisted with

include birth certificates glassescontacts gaming licensing fees relocation fees educational

expenses vehicle registration and drivers license fees

Obstacles to Achieving Employment

We continue to struggle in finding adequate job search andor work placement activities for

individuals that are returning to the community after being incarcerated The barriers put in place

by their past limits the places that they are able to work within the Tribe We are looking to

outside sources more in neighboring communities to find the right kind of placement for them but

these are still difficult to obtain

Youth Services

The Community Resource Center secured job placements for 79 youth to participate in a 6 week

Youth Work Experience Program Another (45) youth were referred to the Johnson OMalley

(JOM) program with (45) gaining summer employment this program approached Tribal

Legislation for funding for an additional 20 youth One Youth Supervisor was hired on a

temporary basis to provide supervision to the youth and assist the Recruitment and Training

Coordinator The youth ranged in age from 14-24 and they were placed within local departments

The program is designed to give youth an opportunity to pa11icipate in actual work and

educational environments to experience and gain knowledge for involvement in the future labor

force The youth participated at their work sites for (16) hours with another 4 hours of

Educational training for a total of 20 hours each week We worked in collaboration with Human

Resources Youth Development and Outreach Tribal Clinic Wellness and the Menominee Job

Center to provide these weekly trainings at the Menominee Indian High School to focus on job

skill activities

One additional event was the screening of the documentary Paper Tigers The video fol lows a

year in the life of an alternative native high school that has radically changed its approach to

disciplining its students becoming a promising model to break the cycles of poverty violence

and disease that affect families A member of the Fostering Futures Advisory Committee held an

initial discussion with the youth about ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and TIC (Trauma

Informed Care) The research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) along with another institute has demonstrated an association of ACESs with health and

social problems as an adult where many have co-occutTing experiences She shared that many

Menominee children have experienced several ACEs in their lives Trauma Informed Care is an

intervention and organizational approach that focuses on how trauma may affect an individuals

life and his or her response to behavioral health services from prevention through treatment

Trauma refers to extreme stress that overwhelms a persons ability to cope The Menominee

Tribe has been training agencies and departments throughout the community to create awareness

and to have a clearer understanding of trauma and how it affects the day to day actions of people

we encounter There was some good conversation with the youth afterwards and they were open

to share how they felt in their own settings and areas that they could see improvements being

made School counselors were on hand to assist in discussing this sensitive topic

This year a new Youth Work Readiness Tool was utilized to show improvement andor need

for improvement with the youths working skills This tool is designed to assist supervisors in

providing better direction to the youth and for the youth to identify and understand work

expectations Skills learned at the work site are measured preferably in week (2) and ( 4) of the

program with the supervisor meeting with the youth to develop mutual goals or steps for

performance improvement By strengthening employer-youth communication youth learn and

develop more productive work employability skills character and self-responsibility We

received some good results with utilization of this tool it serves as a good talking point with

supervisors and youth employees

At the end of our 6 week summer program at the request of the Menominee Tribal Clinic (2)

youth worked for an additional three week period and one youth worked an additional three

weeks with the Emergency Management Program They entered Work Experience contracts to

continue with their employment based on their positive work ethic The positions were funded

through the each individual department

Applications for the program including a resume were accepted over a three week period and then

graded on a point scale considering low income type of family (1 or 2 parentguardianyouth

parent) etc Placements were picked according to highest to lowest score A group orientation

was held to go over rules and expectations as well as goal setting for the youth

Some of the community events that the youth assist with are Breakfast with Santa Summer

Youth Olympics Toys for Tots and the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

Work Experience contracts for our clients have assisted them to overcome their barriers and

become ready for employment The Job Counselors work with area departments to secure job

placements for hire utilizing our Interdepartmental Contract Most of these jobs are entry level

positions within the Tribe where clients will work a set number of hours between 20 and 40 and

be paid a comparable wage during their training period While our program pays at the rate of

minimum wage for these contracts the departments are encouraged to supplement the wage to

bring the client up to the given rate for the position they are ft II ing This past year 12 of the 9

positions were supplemented by the employers

Many of our clients have little or no employment history and these placements give them the

needed verifiable work history needed for job application requirements Job Counselors work

closely with the clients to monitor the clients growth in the position and assist with needed

changes to assure the job is a good fit for the client At the end of the contract the employer has

the option to hire the client into a regular part time or full time position

Our staff is always looking for new opportunities for our clients to become trained and employed

Our unemployment rate although it has improved remains to be one of the highest in the state

The need for additional full time employment opportunities for our clients is great Part time and

on-call wages are not sufficient to allow for a livable wage Childcare and transportation are also

a challenge our clients face when seeking employment at area gaming facilities

Tribal Pardons

Past legal issues can serve as a hindrance when applying for employment Our program has one

staff that is knowledgeable in the Tribal Pardon process which allows for past aged convictions to

be pardoned so they are able to obtain employment Clients have to complete a paper process

showing the improvements they have made in their lives and this gets presented to the

Menominee Tribal Legislature for determination This past year our employee successfully

assisted 8 community members to overcome this barrier Our program assists with the fees

charged to complete this process By taking care of this barrier they are one step closer to being

self-sufficient

Continued Training and Outreach Efforts

While assisting clients to develop as individuals it is also important for staff to continue to

develop Our program continues to be trained and informed about the effects of trauma on our

clients and how we can better work with them to assure we are not re-traumatizing individuals

This will be a work in progress as we continue to review policy and procedures and adapt to the

need The Director Assistant Director and the newly hired Job Counselor attended the annual PL

I 02-477 conference in Reno NV It is important for staff to attend these opportunities to refresh

and learn new ideas to utilize while working with clients to reach their potential

The Community Resource Center comprised of PL 102-477 Tribal TANF and Income

Maintenance program provided assistance andor personnel for the following community

eventsactivities during this fiscal year Culture Camp (two sessions) Coats for Kids Sturgeon

Feast Sobriety Pow Wow Round House Positive Indian Parenting Youth Olympics Night Out

Against Crime Coat and Blanket Giveaway and the Johnson OMalley Senior Banquet

Members of our staff participate in the following committeesactivities Community Engagement

Committee Community Coordinated Response Team Labor and Education Committee

Environmental Protection Committee Fostering Futures Advisory Council Trauma Informed

Care and Night out against Crime

Pathways to Success Training Calendar

Located in our facility is a 16 workstation computer lab that also functions as a meeting room

This room is utilized daily by 477 clients TANF clients and the community to attend the

Pathways to Success Training Calendar events Each month a schedule of events is planned and

posted within the community and shared with clients These trainings range from educational

informative to cultural crafting This year we collaborated with the following programs to

provide training Menominee Tribal Clinic (health and wellness) UW-Extension (food

preparation and cooking classes) and Menominee Job Center (interviewing resumes cover

letters soft skills and dressing for success) While the morning is reserved for the scheduled

training calendar the computer lab is open every afternoon from noon to four thity for clients to

use for job search activities and resume creation

We have staff members trained to complete the following on-site trainings throughout the

program year Native Wellness Life Skills Empowerment FatherhoodMotherhood is Sacred

Building Native Communities Discovery Dating Positive Indian Parenting and Healthy

Relationships We also offer workshops to enhance cultural activities including beading and

regalia making

Transportation

Lack of transportation is very prevalent on the reservation as well as eligible participants without

a driver s license Throughout the year we have assisted 6 individuals with obtaining their

instructional permit their regular drivers license or reinstatement of their license The local

transportation department is also utilized to assist clients in getting to appointments completing

job search and attending school The bus routes are frequent to allow for most day time

transportation needs Extended hours were added to the schedule this year to assist with evening

and weekend transportation needs An additional agreement is still in place with North Central

Technical College in Antigo (about 45 minutes from the reservation) to provide transportation for

those wanting to attend schooling that is offered through this technical school and not the College

of Menominee Nation We have begun to issue tickets as well as a bus pass to those people

working later in the evening as the regular bus route is done and they have to request a special

ride This has allowed flexibility to the clients and assures they have safe transportation later in

the day

We renewed our contract with the Transit Department as well to provide bus passes to our clients

These can be used for job search work activities appointments and other activities needed to

work toward their self-sufficiency This has been a cost saving measure for us as we pay a

blanket rate for unlimited services

The local Department of Motor Vehicle office open here on the reservation at the Transp011ation

building makes it more accessible for clients to receive their temporary license complete testing

and their behind the wheel drivers testing Being a familiar location helps to put the clients at

ease knowing that they will be driving in familiar tenitory as wel I

Our department also has contracted with a local driving instructor to provide instructional

refresher trainings as well as driving experience to our clients as a supportive service He is

contracted to meet with the clients for a set number of times and assist them in gaining the skills

necessary to pass their driving tests His vehicle is also available for testing day for those that do

not have a reliable vehicle

GEDHSEDHigh School Graduation

Obtaining a GED or High School diploma is the first stepping stone to becoming gainfully

employed Clients are fortunate to have a few options when faced with pursuing their diploma

The Tribe Education Depat1ment offers GED services which include study time one-on-one

assistance and testing The local Menominee lndian School District has established a program to

allow individuals regardless of age to obtain a regular high school diploma instead of a GED

Throughout the program year 4 clients worked toward their GED or high school diploma with all

4 successfully completing Obtaining this goal has allowed them to then set new educational and

employment goals for them to strive for

Supportive Services

An annual review was completed of the Supportive Services guideline listing and adjustments

made where seen fit Services assisted with vary but the main requests are bus passes gas cards

car repairs and tire replacement tuition fees for workshops car insurance and interview or work

clothingfootwear A portion of the extra JPTA funding received this year was added to the

Supportive Service line item to allow us to expand on these services Traditionally we do not

have ample money to fit the needs of the clients This extra funding allowed us to assist with

needed car insurance for employment as well as car repairs - two of the more costly expenses

requested Wisconsin State law states that all vehicles on the road must have at least liability

insurance this can be a challenge for clients living on a limited budget

The sliding fee scale continues to apply to a limited number of the Supportive Service requests

such as AODA Assessment Group Dynamics drivers license reinstatement tribal pardons car

repairs and tires The scale takes in to consideration if they client has income and makes them

responsible for a small portion of the cost This was put in place to stretch supportive service

funding as well as to teach responsibility and cost sharing to the client

This past year we provided a variety of suppo11ive services to clients The highest used request is

for gas cards to assist the clients in getting to appointments job search and work There is an

annual limit per person on these to encourage self-dependence The second most requested item

is for assistance with interviewwork clothing and shoeswork boots Many clients just starting

out in the workforce do not have the money to spend on these items and we want to assure they

are able to look professional for their interviews and first days at work Other items assisted with

include birth certificates glassescontacts gaming licensing fees relocation fees educational

expenses vehicle registration and drivers license fees

Obstacles to Achieving Employment

We continue to struggle in finding adequate job search andor work placement activities for

individuals that are returning to the community after being incarcerated The barriers put in place

by their past limits the places that they are able to work within the Tribe We are looking to

outside sources more in neighboring communities to find the right kind of placement for them but

these are still difficult to obtain

Youth Services

The Community Resource Center secured job placements for 79 youth to participate in a 6 week

Youth Work Experience Program Another (45) youth were referred to the Johnson OMalley

(JOM) program with (45) gaining summer employment this program approached Tribal

Legislation for funding for an additional 20 youth One Youth Supervisor was hired on a

temporary basis to provide supervision to the youth and assist the Recruitment and Training

Coordinator The youth ranged in age from 14-24 and they were placed within local departments

The program is designed to give youth an opportunity to pa11icipate in actual work and

educational environments to experience and gain knowledge for involvement in the future labor

force The youth participated at their work sites for (16) hours with another 4 hours of

Educational training for a total of 20 hours each week We worked in collaboration with Human

Resources Youth Development and Outreach Tribal Clinic Wellness and the Menominee Job

Center to provide these weekly trainings at the Menominee Indian High School to focus on job

skill activities

One additional event was the screening of the documentary Paper Tigers The video fol lows a

year in the life of an alternative native high school that has radically changed its approach to

disciplining its students becoming a promising model to break the cycles of poverty violence

and disease that affect families A member of the Fostering Futures Advisory Committee held an

initial discussion with the youth about ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and TIC (Trauma

Informed Care) The research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) along with another institute has demonstrated an association of ACESs with health and

social problems as an adult where many have co-occutTing experiences She shared that many

Menominee children have experienced several ACEs in their lives Trauma Informed Care is an

intervention and organizational approach that focuses on how trauma may affect an individuals

life and his or her response to behavioral health services from prevention through treatment

Trauma refers to extreme stress that overwhelms a persons ability to cope The Menominee

Tribe has been training agencies and departments throughout the community to create awareness

and to have a clearer understanding of trauma and how it affects the day to day actions of people

we encounter There was some good conversation with the youth afterwards and they were open

to share how they felt in their own settings and areas that they could see improvements being

made School counselors were on hand to assist in discussing this sensitive topic

This year a new Youth Work Readiness Tool was utilized to show improvement andor need

for improvement with the youths working skills This tool is designed to assist supervisors in

providing better direction to the youth and for the youth to identify and understand work

expectations Skills learned at the work site are measured preferably in week (2) and ( 4) of the

program with the supervisor meeting with the youth to develop mutual goals or steps for

performance improvement By strengthening employer-youth communication youth learn and

develop more productive work employability skills character and self-responsibility We

received some good results with utilization of this tool it serves as a good talking point with

supervisors and youth employees

At the end of our 6 week summer program at the request of the Menominee Tribal Clinic (2)

youth worked for an additional three week period and one youth worked an additional three

weeks with the Emergency Management Program They entered Work Experience contracts to

continue with their employment based on their positive work ethic The positions were funded

through the each individual department

Applications for the program including a resume were accepted over a three week period and then

graded on a point scale considering low income type of family (1 or 2 parentguardianyouth

parent) etc Placements were picked according to highest to lowest score A group orientation

was held to go over rules and expectations as well as goal setting for the youth

Some of the community events that the youth assist with are Breakfast with Santa Summer

Youth Olympics Toys for Tots and the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

clients and how we can better work with them to assure we are not re-traumatizing individuals

This will be a work in progress as we continue to review policy and procedures and adapt to the

need The Director Assistant Director and the newly hired Job Counselor attended the annual PL

I 02-477 conference in Reno NV It is important for staff to attend these opportunities to refresh

and learn new ideas to utilize while working with clients to reach their potential

The Community Resource Center comprised of PL 102-477 Tribal TANF and Income

Maintenance program provided assistance andor personnel for the following community

eventsactivities during this fiscal year Culture Camp (two sessions) Coats for Kids Sturgeon

Feast Sobriety Pow Wow Round House Positive Indian Parenting Youth Olympics Night Out

Against Crime Coat and Blanket Giveaway and the Johnson OMalley Senior Banquet

Members of our staff participate in the following committeesactivities Community Engagement

Committee Community Coordinated Response Team Labor and Education Committee

Environmental Protection Committee Fostering Futures Advisory Council Trauma Informed

Care and Night out against Crime

Pathways to Success Training Calendar

Located in our facility is a 16 workstation computer lab that also functions as a meeting room

This room is utilized daily by 477 clients TANF clients and the community to attend the

Pathways to Success Training Calendar events Each month a schedule of events is planned and

posted within the community and shared with clients These trainings range from educational

informative to cultural crafting This year we collaborated with the following programs to

provide training Menominee Tribal Clinic (health and wellness) UW-Extension (food

preparation and cooking classes) and Menominee Job Center (interviewing resumes cover

letters soft skills and dressing for success) While the morning is reserved for the scheduled

training calendar the computer lab is open every afternoon from noon to four thity for clients to

use for job search activities and resume creation

We have staff members trained to complete the following on-site trainings throughout the

program year Native Wellness Life Skills Empowerment FatherhoodMotherhood is Sacred

Building Native Communities Discovery Dating Positive Indian Parenting and Healthy

Relationships We also offer workshops to enhance cultural activities including beading and

regalia making

Transportation

Lack of transportation is very prevalent on the reservation as well as eligible participants without

a driver s license Throughout the year we have assisted 6 individuals with obtaining their

instructional permit their regular drivers license or reinstatement of their license The local

transportation department is also utilized to assist clients in getting to appointments completing

job search and attending school The bus routes are frequent to allow for most day time

transportation needs Extended hours were added to the schedule this year to assist with evening

and weekend transportation needs An additional agreement is still in place with North Central

Technical College in Antigo (about 45 minutes from the reservation) to provide transportation for

those wanting to attend schooling that is offered through this technical school and not the College

of Menominee Nation We have begun to issue tickets as well as a bus pass to those people

working later in the evening as the regular bus route is done and they have to request a special

ride This has allowed flexibility to the clients and assures they have safe transportation later in

the day

We renewed our contract with the Transit Department as well to provide bus passes to our clients

These can be used for job search work activities appointments and other activities needed to

work toward their self-sufficiency This has been a cost saving measure for us as we pay a

blanket rate for unlimited services

The local Department of Motor Vehicle office open here on the reservation at the Transp011ation

building makes it more accessible for clients to receive their temporary license complete testing

and their behind the wheel drivers testing Being a familiar location helps to put the clients at

ease knowing that they will be driving in familiar tenitory as wel I

Our department also has contracted with a local driving instructor to provide instructional

refresher trainings as well as driving experience to our clients as a supportive service He is

contracted to meet with the clients for a set number of times and assist them in gaining the skills

necessary to pass their driving tests His vehicle is also available for testing day for those that do

not have a reliable vehicle

GEDHSEDHigh School Graduation

Obtaining a GED or High School diploma is the first stepping stone to becoming gainfully

employed Clients are fortunate to have a few options when faced with pursuing their diploma

The Tribe Education Depat1ment offers GED services which include study time one-on-one

assistance and testing The local Menominee lndian School District has established a program to

allow individuals regardless of age to obtain a regular high school diploma instead of a GED

Throughout the program year 4 clients worked toward their GED or high school diploma with all

4 successfully completing Obtaining this goal has allowed them to then set new educational and

employment goals for them to strive for

Supportive Services

An annual review was completed of the Supportive Services guideline listing and adjustments

made where seen fit Services assisted with vary but the main requests are bus passes gas cards

car repairs and tire replacement tuition fees for workshops car insurance and interview or work

clothingfootwear A portion of the extra JPTA funding received this year was added to the

Supportive Service line item to allow us to expand on these services Traditionally we do not

have ample money to fit the needs of the clients This extra funding allowed us to assist with

needed car insurance for employment as well as car repairs - two of the more costly expenses

requested Wisconsin State law states that all vehicles on the road must have at least liability

insurance this can be a challenge for clients living on a limited budget

The sliding fee scale continues to apply to a limited number of the Supportive Service requests

such as AODA Assessment Group Dynamics drivers license reinstatement tribal pardons car

repairs and tires The scale takes in to consideration if they client has income and makes them

responsible for a small portion of the cost This was put in place to stretch supportive service

funding as well as to teach responsibility and cost sharing to the client

This past year we provided a variety of suppo11ive services to clients The highest used request is

for gas cards to assist the clients in getting to appointments job search and work There is an

annual limit per person on these to encourage self-dependence The second most requested item

is for assistance with interviewwork clothing and shoeswork boots Many clients just starting

out in the workforce do not have the money to spend on these items and we want to assure they

are able to look professional for their interviews and first days at work Other items assisted with

include birth certificates glassescontacts gaming licensing fees relocation fees educational

expenses vehicle registration and drivers license fees

Obstacles to Achieving Employment

We continue to struggle in finding adequate job search andor work placement activities for

individuals that are returning to the community after being incarcerated The barriers put in place

by their past limits the places that they are able to work within the Tribe We are looking to

outside sources more in neighboring communities to find the right kind of placement for them but

these are still difficult to obtain

Youth Services

The Community Resource Center secured job placements for 79 youth to participate in a 6 week

Youth Work Experience Program Another (45) youth were referred to the Johnson OMalley

(JOM) program with (45) gaining summer employment this program approached Tribal

Legislation for funding for an additional 20 youth One Youth Supervisor was hired on a

temporary basis to provide supervision to the youth and assist the Recruitment and Training

Coordinator The youth ranged in age from 14-24 and they were placed within local departments

The program is designed to give youth an opportunity to pa11icipate in actual work and

educational environments to experience and gain knowledge for involvement in the future labor

force The youth participated at their work sites for (16) hours with another 4 hours of

Educational training for a total of 20 hours each week We worked in collaboration with Human

Resources Youth Development and Outreach Tribal Clinic Wellness and the Menominee Job

Center to provide these weekly trainings at the Menominee Indian High School to focus on job

skill activities

One additional event was the screening of the documentary Paper Tigers The video fol lows a

year in the life of an alternative native high school that has radically changed its approach to

disciplining its students becoming a promising model to break the cycles of poverty violence

and disease that affect families A member of the Fostering Futures Advisory Committee held an

initial discussion with the youth about ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and TIC (Trauma

Informed Care) The research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) along with another institute has demonstrated an association of ACESs with health and

social problems as an adult where many have co-occutTing experiences She shared that many

Menominee children have experienced several ACEs in their lives Trauma Informed Care is an

intervention and organizational approach that focuses on how trauma may affect an individuals

life and his or her response to behavioral health services from prevention through treatment

Trauma refers to extreme stress that overwhelms a persons ability to cope The Menominee

Tribe has been training agencies and departments throughout the community to create awareness

and to have a clearer understanding of trauma and how it affects the day to day actions of people

we encounter There was some good conversation with the youth afterwards and they were open

to share how they felt in their own settings and areas that they could see improvements being

made School counselors were on hand to assist in discussing this sensitive topic

This year a new Youth Work Readiness Tool was utilized to show improvement andor need

for improvement with the youths working skills This tool is designed to assist supervisors in

providing better direction to the youth and for the youth to identify and understand work

expectations Skills learned at the work site are measured preferably in week (2) and ( 4) of the

program with the supervisor meeting with the youth to develop mutual goals or steps for

performance improvement By strengthening employer-youth communication youth learn and

develop more productive work employability skills character and self-responsibility We

received some good results with utilization of this tool it serves as a good talking point with

supervisors and youth employees

At the end of our 6 week summer program at the request of the Menominee Tribal Clinic (2)

youth worked for an additional three week period and one youth worked an additional three

weeks with the Emergency Management Program They entered Work Experience contracts to

continue with their employment based on their positive work ethic The positions were funded

through the each individual department

Applications for the program including a resume were accepted over a three week period and then

graded on a point scale considering low income type of family (1 or 2 parentguardianyouth

parent) etc Placements were picked according to highest to lowest score A group orientation

was held to go over rules and expectations as well as goal setting for the youth

Some of the community events that the youth assist with are Breakfast with Santa Summer

Youth Olympics Toys for Tots and the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

Transportation

Lack of transportation is very prevalent on the reservation as well as eligible participants without

a driver s license Throughout the year we have assisted 6 individuals with obtaining their

instructional permit their regular drivers license or reinstatement of their license The local

transportation department is also utilized to assist clients in getting to appointments completing

job search and attending school The bus routes are frequent to allow for most day time

transportation needs Extended hours were added to the schedule this year to assist with evening

and weekend transportation needs An additional agreement is still in place with North Central

Technical College in Antigo (about 45 minutes from the reservation) to provide transportation for

those wanting to attend schooling that is offered through this technical school and not the College

of Menominee Nation We have begun to issue tickets as well as a bus pass to those people

working later in the evening as the regular bus route is done and they have to request a special

ride This has allowed flexibility to the clients and assures they have safe transportation later in

the day

We renewed our contract with the Transit Department as well to provide bus passes to our clients

These can be used for job search work activities appointments and other activities needed to

work toward their self-sufficiency This has been a cost saving measure for us as we pay a

blanket rate for unlimited services

The local Department of Motor Vehicle office open here on the reservation at the Transp011ation

building makes it more accessible for clients to receive their temporary license complete testing

and their behind the wheel drivers testing Being a familiar location helps to put the clients at

ease knowing that they will be driving in familiar tenitory as wel I

Our department also has contracted with a local driving instructor to provide instructional

refresher trainings as well as driving experience to our clients as a supportive service He is

contracted to meet with the clients for a set number of times and assist them in gaining the skills

necessary to pass their driving tests His vehicle is also available for testing day for those that do

not have a reliable vehicle

GEDHSEDHigh School Graduation

Obtaining a GED or High School diploma is the first stepping stone to becoming gainfully

employed Clients are fortunate to have a few options when faced with pursuing their diploma

The Tribe Education Depat1ment offers GED services which include study time one-on-one

assistance and testing The local Menominee lndian School District has established a program to

allow individuals regardless of age to obtain a regular high school diploma instead of a GED

Throughout the program year 4 clients worked toward their GED or high school diploma with all

4 successfully completing Obtaining this goal has allowed them to then set new educational and

employment goals for them to strive for

Supportive Services

An annual review was completed of the Supportive Services guideline listing and adjustments

made where seen fit Services assisted with vary but the main requests are bus passes gas cards

car repairs and tire replacement tuition fees for workshops car insurance and interview or work

clothingfootwear A portion of the extra JPTA funding received this year was added to the

Supportive Service line item to allow us to expand on these services Traditionally we do not

have ample money to fit the needs of the clients This extra funding allowed us to assist with

needed car insurance for employment as well as car repairs - two of the more costly expenses

requested Wisconsin State law states that all vehicles on the road must have at least liability

insurance this can be a challenge for clients living on a limited budget

The sliding fee scale continues to apply to a limited number of the Supportive Service requests

such as AODA Assessment Group Dynamics drivers license reinstatement tribal pardons car

repairs and tires The scale takes in to consideration if they client has income and makes them

responsible for a small portion of the cost This was put in place to stretch supportive service

funding as well as to teach responsibility and cost sharing to the client

This past year we provided a variety of suppo11ive services to clients The highest used request is

for gas cards to assist the clients in getting to appointments job search and work There is an

annual limit per person on these to encourage self-dependence The second most requested item

is for assistance with interviewwork clothing and shoeswork boots Many clients just starting

out in the workforce do not have the money to spend on these items and we want to assure they

are able to look professional for their interviews and first days at work Other items assisted with

include birth certificates glassescontacts gaming licensing fees relocation fees educational

expenses vehicle registration and drivers license fees

Obstacles to Achieving Employment

We continue to struggle in finding adequate job search andor work placement activities for

individuals that are returning to the community after being incarcerated The barriers put in place

by their past limits the places that they are able to work within the Tribe We are looking to

outside sources more in neighboring communities to find the right kind of placement for them but

these are still difficult to obtain

Youth Services

The Community Resource Center secured job placements for 79 youth to participate in a 6 week

Youth Work Experience Program Another (45) youth were referred to the Johnson OMalley

(JOM) program with (45) gaining summer employment this program approached Tribal

Legislation for funding for an additional 20 youth One Youth Supervisor was hired on a

temporary basis to provide supervision to the youth and assist the Recruitment and Training

Coordinator The youth ranged in age from 14-24 and they were placed within local departments

The program is designed to give youth an opportunity to pa11icipate in actual work and

educational environments to experience and gain knowledge for involvement in the future labor

force The youth participated at their work sites for (16) hours with another 4 hours of

Educational training for a total of 20 hours each week We worked in collaboration with Human

Resources Youth Development and Outreach Tribal Clinic Wellness and the Menominee Job

Center to provide these weekly trainings at the Menominee Indian High School to focus on job

skill activities

One additional event was the screening of the documentary Paper Tigers The video fol lows a

year in the life of an alternative native high school that has radically changed its approach to

disciplining its students becoming a promising model to break the cycles of poverty violence

and disease that affect families A member of the Fostering Futures Advisory Committee held an

initial discussion with the youth about ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and TIC (Trauma

Informed Care) The research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) along with another institute has demonstrated an association of ACESs with health and

social problems as an adult where many have co-occutTing experiences She shared that many

Menominee children have experienced several ACEs in their lives Trauma Informed Care is an

intervention and organizational approach that focuses on how trauma may affect an individuals

life and his or her response to behavioral health services from prevention through treatment

Trauma refers to extreme stress that overwhelms a persons ability to cope The Menominee

Tribe has been training agencies and departments throughout the community to create awareness

and to have a clearer understanding of trauma and how it affects the day to day actions of people

we encounter There was some good conversation with the youth afterwards and they were open

to share how they felt in their own settings and areas that they could see improvements being

made School counselors were on hand to assist in discussing this sensitive topic

This year a new Youth Work Readiness Tool was utilized to show improvement andor need

for improvement with the youths working skills This tool is designed to assist supervisors in

providing better direction to the youth and for the youth to identify and understand work

expectations Skills learned at the work site are measured preferably in week (2) and ( 4) of the

program with the supervisor meeting with the youth to develop mutual goals or steps for

performance improvement By strengthening employer-youth communication youth learn and

develop more productive work employability skills character and self-responsibility We

received some good results with utilization of this tool it serves as a good talking point with

supervisors and youth employees

At the end of our 6 week summer program at the request of the Menominee Tribal Clinic (2)

youth worked for an additional three week period and one youth worked an additional three

weeks with the Emergency Management Program They entered Work Experience contracts to

continue with their employment based on their positive work ethic The positions were funded

through the each individual department

Applications for the program including a resume were accepted over a three week period and then

graded on a point scale considering low income type of family (1 or 2 parentguardianyouth

parent) etc Placements were picked according to highest to lowest score A group orientation

was held to go over rules and expectations as well as goal setting for the youth

Some of the community events that the youth assist with are Breakfast with Santa Summer

Youth Olympics Toys for Tots and the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

The Tribe Education Depat1ment offers GED services which include study time one-on-one

assistance and testing The local Menominee lndian School District has established a program to

allow individuals regardless of age to obtain a regular high school diploma instead of a GED

Throughout the program year 4 clients worked toward their GED or high school diploma with all

4 successfully completing Obtaining this goal has allowed them to then set new educational and

employment goals for them to strive for

Supportive Services

An annual review was completed of the Supportive Services guideline listing and adjustments

made where seen fit Services assisted with vary but the main requests are bus passes gas cards

car repairs and tire replacement tuition fees for workshops car insurance and interview or work

clothingfootwear A portion of the extra JPTA funding received this year was added to the

Supportive Service line item to allow us to expand on these services Traditionally we do not

have ample money to fit the needs of the clients This extra funding allowed us to assist with

needed car insurance for employment as well as car repairs - two of the more costly expenses

requested Wisconsin State law states that all vehicles on the road must have at least liability

insurance this can be a challenge for clients living on a limited budget

The sliding fee scale continues to apply to a limited number of the Supportive Service requests

such as AODA Assessment Group Dynamics drivers license reinstatement tribal pardons car

repairs and tires The scale takes in to consideration if they client has income and makes them

responsible for a small portion of the cost This was put in place to stretch supportive service

funding as well as to teach responsibility and cost sharing to the client

This past year we provided a variety of suppo11ive services to clients The highest used request is

for gas cards to assist the clients in getting to appointments job search and work There is an

annual limit per person on these to encourage self-dependence The second most requested item

is for assistance with interviewwork clothing and shoeswork boots Many clients just starting

out in the workforce do not have the money to spend on these items and we want to assure they

are able to look professional for their interviews and first days at work Other items assisted with

include birth certificates glassescontacts gaming licensing fees relocation fees educational

expenses vehicle registration and drivers license fees

Obstacles to Achieving Employment

We continue to struggle in finding adequate job search andor work placement activities for

individuals that are returning to the community after being incarcerated The barriers put in place

by their past limits the places that they are able to work within the Tribe We are looking to

outside sources more in neighboring communities to find the right kind of placement for them but

these are still difficult to obtain

Youth Services

The Community Resource Center secured job placements for 79 youth to participate in a 6 week

Youth Work Experience Program Another (45) youth were referred to the Johnson OMalley

(JOM) program with (45) gaining summer employment this program approached Tribal

Legislation for funding for an additional 20 youth One Youth Supervisor was hired on a

temporary basis to provide supervision to the youth and assist the Recruitment and Training

Coordinator The youth ranged in age from 14-24 and they were placed within local departments

The program is designed to give youth an opportunity to pa11icipate in actual work and

educational environments to experience and gain knowledge for involvement in the future labor

force The youth participated at their work sites for (16) hours with another 4 hours of

Educational training for a total of 20 hours each week We worked in collaboration with Human

Resources Youth Development and Outreach Tribal Clinic Wellness and the Menominee Job

Center to provide these weekly trainings at the Menominee Indian High School to focus on job

skill activities

One additional event was the screening of the documentary Paper Tigers The video fol lows a

year in the life of an alternative native high school that has radically changed its approach to

disciplining its students becoming a promising model to break the cycles of poverty violence

and disease that affect families A member of the Fostering Futures Advisory Committee held an

initial discussion with the youth about ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and TIC (Trauma

Informed Care) The research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) along with another institute has demonstrated an association of ACESs with health and

social problems as an adult where many have co-occutTing experiences She shared that many

Menominee children have experienced several ACEs in their lives Trauma Informed Care is an

intervention and organizational approach that focuses on how trauma may affect an individuals

life and his or her response to behavioral health services from prevention through treatment

Trauma refers to extreme stress that overwhelms a persons ability to cope The Menominee

Tribe has been training agencies and departments throughout the community to create awareness

and to have a clearer understanding of trauma and how it affects the day to day actions of people

we encounter There was some good conversation with the youth afterwards and they were open

to share how they felt in their own settings and areas that they could see improvements being

made School counselors were on hand to assist in discussing this sensitive topic

This year a new Youth Work Readiness Tool was utilized to show improvement andor need

for improvement with the youths working skills This tool is designed to assist supervisors in

providing better direction to the youth and for the youth to identify and understand work

expectations Skills learned at the work site are measured preferably in week (2) and ( 4) of the

program with the supervisor meeting with the youth to develop mutual goals or steps for

performance improvement By strengthening employer-youth communication youth learn and

develop more productive work employability skills character and self-responsibility We

received some good results with utilization of this tool it serves as a good talking point with

supervisors and youth employees

At the end of our 6 week summer program at the request of the Menominee Tribal Clinic (2)

youth worked for an additional three week period and one youth worked an additional three

weeks with the Emergency Management Program They entered Work Experience contracts to

continue with their employment based on their positive work ethic The positions were funded

through the each individual department

Applications for the program including a resume were accepted over a three week period and then

graded on a point scale considering low income type of family (1 or 2 parentguardianyouth

parent) etc Placements were picked according to highest to lowest score A group orientation

was held to go over rules and expectations as well as goal setting for the youth

Some of the community events that the youth assist with are Breakfast with Santa Summer

Youth Olympics Toys for Tots and the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

Obstacles to Achieving Employment

We continue to struggle in finding adequate job search andor work placement activities for

individuals that are returning to the community after being incarcerated The barriers put in place

by their past limits the places that they are able to work within the Tribe We are looking to

outside sources more in neighboring communities to find the right kind of placement for them but

these are still difficult to obtain

Youth Services

The Community Resource Center secured job placements for 79 youth to participate in a 6 week

Youth Work Experience Program Another (45) youth were referred to the Johnson OMalley

(JOM) program with (45) gaining summer employment this program approached Tribal

Legislation for funding for an additional 20 youth One Youth Supervisor was hired on a

temporary basis to provide supervision to the youth and assist the Recruitment and Training

Coordinator The youth ranged in age from 14-24 and they were placed within local departments

The program is designed to give youth an opportunity to pa11icipate in actual work and

educational environments to experience and gain knowledge for involvement in the future labor

force The youth participated at their work sites for (16) hours with another 4 hours of

Educational training for a total of 20 hours each week We worked in collaboration with Human

Resources Youth Development and Outreach Tribal Clinic Wellness and the Menominee Job

Center to provide these weekly trainings at the Menominee Indian High School to focus on job

skill activities

One additional event was the screening of the documentary Paper Tigers The video fol lows a

year in the life of an alternative native high school that has radically changed its approach to

disciplining its students becoming a promising model to break the cycles of poverty violence

and disease that affect families A member of the Fostering Futures Advisory Committee held an

initial discussion with the youth about ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and TIC (Trauma

Informed Care) The research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) along with another institute has demonstrated an association of ACESs with health and

social problems as an adult where many have co-occutTing experiences She shared that many

Menominee children have experienced several ACEs in their lives Trauma Informed Care is an

intervention and organizational approach that focuses on how trauma may affect an individuals

life and his or her response to behavioral health services from prevention through treatment

Trauma refers to extreme stress that overwhelms a persons ability to cope The Menominee

Tribe has been training agencies and departments throughout the community to create awareness

and to have a clearer understanding of trauma and how it affects the day to day actions of people

we encounter There was some good conversation with the youth afterwards and they were open

to share how they felt in their own settings and areas that they could see improvements being

made School counselors were on hand to assist in discussing this sensitive topic

This year a new Youth Work Readiness Tool was utilized to show improvement andor need

for improvement with the youths working skills This tool is designed to assist supervisors in

providing better direction to the youth and for the youth to identify and understand work

expectations Skills learned at the work site are measured preferably in week (2) and ( 4) of the

program with the supervisor meeting with the youth to develop mutual goals or steps for

performance improvement By strengthening employer-youth communication youth learn and

develop more productive work employability skills character and self-responsibility We

received some good results with utilization of this tool it serves as a good talking point with

supervisors and youth employees

At the end of our 6 week summer program at the request of the Menominee Tribal Clinic (2)

youth worked for an additional three week period and one youth worked an additional three

weeks with the Emergency Management Program They entered Work Experience contracts to

continue with their employment based on their positive work ethic The positions were funded

through the each individual department

Applications for the program including a resume were accepted over a three week period and then

graded on a point scale considering low income type of family (1 or 2 parentguardianyouth

parent) etc Placements were picked according to highest to lowest score A group orientation

was held to go over rules and expectations as well as goal setting for the youth

Some of the community events that the youth assist with are Breakfast with Santa Summer

Youth Olympics Toys for Tots and the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

Tribe has been training agencies and departments throughout the community to create awareness

and to have a clearer understanding of trauma and how it affects the day to day actions of people

we encounter There was some good conversation with the youth afterwards and they were open

to share how they felt in their own settings and areas that they could see improvements being

made School counselors were on hand to assist in discussing this sensitive topic

This year a new Youth Work Readiness Tool was utilized to show improvement andor need

for improvement with the youths working skills This tool is designed to assist supervisors in

providing better direction to the youth and for the youth to identify and understand work

expectations Skills learned at the work site are measured preferably in week (2) and ( 4) of the

program with the supervisor meeting with the youth to develop mutual goals or steps for

performance improvement By strengthening employer-youth communication youth learn and

develop more productive work employability skills character and self-responsibility We

received some good results with utilization of this tool it serves as a good talking point with

supervisors and youth employees

At the end of our 6 week summer program at the request of the Menominee Tribal Clinic (2)

youth worked for an additional three week period and one youth worked an additional three

weeks with the Emergency Management Program They entered Work Experience contracts to

continue with their employment based on their positive work ethic The positions were funded

through the each individual department

Applications for the program including a resume were accepted over a three week period and then

graded on a point scale considering low income type of family (1 or 2 parentguardianyouth

parent) etc Placements were picked according to highest to lowest score A group orientation

was held to go over rules and expectations as well as goal setting for the youth

Some of the community events that the youth assist with are Breakfast with Santa Summer

Youth Olympics Toys for Tots and the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament