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with a new way of doing business. Two years later, after much research, cooperation, and hard work, the innovative FASTFORWARD program was born. While the program, that started in May 2003, is in its infancy, the anticipation and excitement is evident between staff and participants.

According to Walt Credle, “Visually, and in its content, FASTFORWARD sends a distinct message to our customers about expectations and opportunities in the world of work. We create an experience that is as close as we can get to having a job. Here, customers practice a new set of skills and behaviors, and before they begin working they start dealing with the issues that get in the way of keeping a job. If this works, it could make a real difference in people’s lives.”

The FASTFORWARD curriculum addresses these obstacles through beginning, intermediate, and advanced learning seminars and activities. The program helps adults obtain personal management skills such as setting goals and managing time, money, and information. It also discusses healthy living, career preparation, and preparing children for a successful future.

HOW IS THIS PLAN DIFFERENT?

In the past, welfare to work instruction was limited to a job readiness seminar and did not focus on pre employment issues. No focus was placed on planning and goal setting. Half of the participants did not own an alarm clock, and the idea of using a calendar was foreign to them. Participants were often dealing with family or health issues with little to no support.

FASTFORWARD addresses these issues by offering essential instruction in these core areas. Classes address planning, goal setting and organizing, improved health, better parenting, enhanced employability, and realistic opportunities for home and car ownership.

THE INSTRUCTION

Participants are taught in the FASTFORWARD center. Just a step into this part of the Hampton Social Services Department speaks volumes. Bright walls and colorful displays that emphasize the messages of the program invite participants into the center. In addition, there are unique work spaces for seminars, job searching, and counseling. Overall, the center has an inviting feel.

Participants receive a professional workbook and learning materials, planning and appointment calendars, alarm clocks and portable files. Facilitators and coaches have their own guides that ensure the consistency of the program.

Teaching Personal
Management Skills

With these materials participants are given tasks that include goal setting, managing time, managing money, and managing information. They are encouraged to establish daily and weekly routines and use appointment calendars. They create a budget, learn how to improve their credit and open bank accounts. During this process they are put in groups to help them gain important interactive group skills that will carry over into the workplace.

The advanced program, once established, will focus on investing, long term planning, mentoring others, healthy risk taking, and car and home ownership.

Managing Health

Health issues contribute to missed time from the workplace. Therefore, the participants complete a personal health assessment. They learn about common diseases and how to have a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise. Substance abuse and family violence problems are also addressed in this segment of the program. Medical and dental checkups are encouraged for the participants and their children.

Preparing Children for
a Bright Future

Setting a good example for the children of the program participants is important. This section of the program helps the participants deal with possible parenting issues they might be facing. Such topics discussed are screening and intervention for developmental delays in young children, completing parenting classes, participate in Mother Read/Father Read language development for parents and children, and dealing with children’s school attendance and performance problems through parent, teacher, and worker partnerships.

Preparing for a Career

The final piece of the puzzle comes together in the preparing for a career section of the program. This is the last section because developers of the program realized that lifestyle, health, and home life should be in order before the employment issue is addressed. In this part of the program, participants establish goals for employment, complete a master application and resume, learn and practice interviewing skills, learn how to keep a job, carry out a job search, obtain a job and begin working, and begin a career and education planning.