Community Living Campaign

Cultivating connections to help seniors and people with disabilities age and thrive at home.

Cultivating connections to help seniors and people with disabilities age and thrive at home.

Employment and SF ReServe Program

Robin Evans, Good Neighbor

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Robin was introduced to the Community Living Campaign by a mutual friend and CLC staff member. Passion for the mission keeps her involved.

The Beginning of Senior Beat
Through SF ReServe, Marie Jobling hired three beginning reporters to write part-time for CLC and neighborhood newspapers. The focus: items of interest to seniors. However, the dearth of newspapers and their monthly publication schedule limited their ‘beat’: thus sfseniorbeat.com was born.

First, Robin spent months just creating the website. Then followed the ongoing challenge of making the most of it, all the while nurturing the writing abilities of her eager but novice staff.

The Legacy Continues
Robin edits sfseniorbeat.com, the online newsletter that showcases the diversity, backgrounds, experiences, challenges, efforts and accomplishments of the City’s older adults.

Robin explains, “There is no one else who regularly and consistently publishes the kind of stories we have focused on. Our goal is to increase the diversity of our content and include more of the City’s neighborhoods.” She adds, “For now, we will concentrate on feature stories about older adults. We hope this will go some way toward broadening views of aging.”

Victor Lam, Computers & Access

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Victor Lam didn’t expect that he would work with computers. A shy, self-taught computer geek, Victor just wanted a job. But one day walking through his neighborhood, he noticed Excelsior Works! (a neighborhood job placement program) and decided to “check it out.” There he met Wanda Liu, a CLC staff person working part-time at the center. Wanda, never one to let a resource go untapped, asked Victor if he’d be interested in helping out in her computer classes.

When Wanda realized the extent of Victor’s skills, she suggested he apply for the ReServe office position at Excelsior Works! Of course, he was hired.

More Than Just a Computer Geek
Victor’s job description has expanded since those early days. While he still assists Wanda with computer classes at the Excelsior Senior Center, Victor also supports the job placement effort at Excelsior Works!, “I help with resumes, cover letters, completing online job applications, and looking for jobs online.”

With a big smile he added, “we just placed four stock associates at Banana Republic.”

Job placement is not the only service the Center offers, nor the extent of Victor’s involvement. Victor helps seniors’ complete applications for housing and uses his language skills to translate documents from English to Chinese.

There’s also record keeping. Victor tracks clients and expenses on Google sheets, and is the go-to guy for troubleshooting computer glitches.

“It’s important to me to be able to help others,” he said. “It gives me pleasure, and I like the constant thanks. Friends say I’m happier now too, I laugh at their jokes.”

Speaking Out to Our Supervisors for Better Employment Opportunities

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Urgency came through in the voices of those who spoke at the May 9  Board of Supervisors hearing on employment.  Seniors and adults with disabilities both spoke of the economic need in this increasingly expensive City.  But more than that, they shared how they were seeking respect,  purpose, and the ability to contribute their lifetime of experience to improve their communities.

Rebecca Shotwell, pictured left, shared that finding a job “saved her life.”  A graphic artist in the days before Photoshop, Rebecca retired two years before the 2008 financial crisis. Two years ago, after she and her husband had almost depleted their savings, Rebecca started looking for a job, “but who was going to hire an old lady?” Through CLC’s SF ReServe program. Rebecca began working at Aquatic Park Senior Center. They were so thrilled with her skills and contribution, that when a position opened up, they hired her directly.

Increasing Focus on Senior and Disability Employment Challenges

Supervisor Norman Yee, who called for the hearing following CLC’s recent Work Matters! event, recruited Supervisor Sheehy, Rohan, Fewer and Kim as co-sponsors.  

A presentation by SF City Departments introduced the set the stage for the testimony that followed, with data, program overviews and recommendations – linked here.

The hearing was broadcast on SFGov TV – if you missed, you can view the Employment Hearing there (the Employment Opportunities for Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities section starts at 1:23).  Thanks to everyone who came and who spoke.  We are hopeful that this will lead to more scrutiny and more funding to address this pressing issue.  

Stay tuned!!

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Our ‘Work Matters!’ Event Helps Connect Seniors and People with Disabilities to Jobs

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Over 100 people gathered at the Unitarian Conference Center on March 22 to increase the pathways to meaningful employment for seniors and people with disabilities of all ages. 

This second Work Matters! gathering comes as CLC’s SF Reserve marks its first year of successfully placing people in part-time and project-based work at non-profit organizations in San Francisco.  

Working Together was the Order of the Day 

The event included those looking for work as well as those engaged with SF ReServe, plus a large number of seniors employed by the Felton Institute’s Senior Community Services Employment Program. Shireen McSpadden, Executive Director of the Department of Aging and Adult Services, kicked off the day with a commitment of her support for efforts to put more seniors and adults with disabilities to work, followed by Jarlene Choy, Aide to Supervisor Norman Yee, who announced he will hold a Board of Supervisor’s hearing on the issue very soon.  

San Francisco Senior Center Director and Reservist talked about how ReServe has made a difference in both of their lives.  ReServist Judy Goddess shared her journey, which include 14 hours of retirement followed by 5 years of caregiving, and now the exciting opportunity to launch the Senior Beat Reporters though SF ReServe. 

Telling Our Stories 

Diane Krantz led a spirited conversation at tables at those present shared their experiences and ideas for the future, with report-outs to all present.  After a delicious lunch prepared by CLC staff and the employment program Bakeworks, a panel offered diverse and energizing perspectives on the journey to meaningful work and engagement. Panelists included Jonathan Lyens, President of the FDR Democratic Club, Cathy Spensley from the Felton Institute, Michael Pappas, Executive Director of the Interfaith Council, and Hope Levy, Geronologist and trainer.  

Resources for Everyone 

The event also included organizations info resources. The occasion provided the opportunity to put together a couple of documents we can share on-line – an overview of the issue called Help Us Improve the Employment Picture  and a detailed list Resources..   

For more information about SF ReServe and other efforts to improve employment options for seniors and adults with Disabilties, contact Alicia Crawford at alicia@sfcommununityliving.org.

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Senior Beat Hits the Streets to Amplify the Voices of Older Adults

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picture of senior beat team

Senior Beat team: Reporters Judy Goddess, Mary Hunt and Jan Robbins, and Editor Robin Evans. (Photo by Kate Kuckro)

We’re proud to announce The Senior Beat, a new effort to amplify the voices of San Francisco’s older adults. We’ll report on news of interest to seniors, but just as importantly, what they have to offer the rest of the city’s residents: their experiences, their opinions, their stories, and their contributions to their communities and the life of this world-famous city.

The Senior Beat is an initiative of the Community Living Campaign’s  SF ReServe program, which matches seniors and people with disabilities with part-time, paid opportunities at local nonprofits and public agencies.

Senior Beat launch

In this debut, Senior Beat reporterJudy Goddess describes the latest sporting trend among older adults – the city is trying to keep up. Jan Robbins writes about the Sunset District’s neighborhood-friendly “blue house,” and offers a comprehensive look at end of life discussions and decisions. With so many new options, what’s a body to do?  Mary Hunt has written about building community resilience in Miraloma Park, and how a West Portal clubhouse serves seniors as well as youth.

These stories can be found on the Community Living Campaign’s website. Some also appear in various neighborhood newspapers. Robbins writes for the Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon; Goddess for the Ingleside-Excelsior Light and the San Francisco BayView; and Hunt for the West Portal Monthly.

The Senior Beat is a fledgling step toward creating a society where people of all ages see, hear and benefit from one another.

Just what’s a senior?

One-fifth of the nearly 900,000 people who live in San Francisco are 60 or older. One definition of senior is “holding a high and authoritative position.” That’s not just CEOs and mayors, but all the people who have given the city and its neighborhoods their unique character. These are the people who have lived its culture shifts and felt its growing pains.

Many were around in the ‘60s when Flower Power upended neighborhoods and the nation, and in the ‘70s when New Age ideas challenged traditional spirituality. They have survived war and recessions and witnessed the birth and growth of the digital age. They are still learning, still exploring and sometimes innovating – filling gaps in their communities and society. They have stories to tell, wisdom to impart, ideas worth considering.

Click on the Senior Beat link at the top right of the Community LIving Campaign’s home page, or go directly to the  Senior Beat page, which is where you can search for stories or authors. And follow our Facebook page to get new stories right in your mailbox.

Please share this with anyone you know who would be interested, from family and friends and seniors to organizations that work with seniors or adults with disabilities. And if you have a website that offers links to other resources, please consider including The Senior Beat: sfcommunityliving.org/category/senior-beat-reporters. 

If you have story ideas, you can contact :
Judy at jgoddess-seniorbeat@sfcommunityliving.org;
Jan at jrobbins-seniorbeat@sfcommunityliving.org;
Mary  at mhunt-seniorbeat@sfcommunityliving.org.

Our Top Priority for San Francisco’s Next Budget: Expand Job Opportunities for Seniors and People with Disabilities

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As the next budget process for San Francisco ramps up, the Community Living Campaign (CLC) is working hard to ensure the budget includes funding for the programs and services for seniors and people with disabilities need to be able to live and thrive in their homes and communities.

Rebecca’s Marketing Specialist role enables her to make ends meet while contributing her organizing and artistic talents to Aquatic Park Senior Center.

“Thanks to ReServe, I now have a rewarding job at Excelsior Works where I can use my multilingual and computer skills to connect clients to local jobs, says Victor.

ReServists Gwen and Shan Shan are using their community connections to help Felton Institute with outreach in Visitacion Valley

Thanks to the ReServe program, the SF LGBT Center was able to bring on Steven to oversee their computer lab. He’s become an incredible resource. “I look forward to coming to work,” said Steven. “It gives me a purpose.”

As a member of the Long Term Care Coordinating Council, CLC helps shape budget recommendations that the Council presents to the Mayor. This year the Council’s recommendations are focused on: housing subsidies for seniors and people with disabilities; legal services to prevent eviction; and research assessing the needs of older people living with HIV/AIDS.

The Community Living Campaign strongly supports the Council’s recommendations. But we are also working to lift up something that is critically-needed in San Francisco: better employment opportunities for seniors and people with disabilities.

Every day, we talk to people who are barely surviving in pricey San Francisco, and are eager to find part-time work and meaningfully contribute to our bustling City. And these are highly-qualified, talented, and reliable workers with rich job experience!

We know this because we’ve been helping to get a new model off-the-ground supported by the Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) and the Walter and Elise Haas Fund. SF ReServe places older adults and people with disabilities in part-time and project-based work at nonprofits in San Francisco. We just finished the pilot phase, and now have nearly 30 ReServists on-the-job.

But there are many more skilled and motivated folks eagerly waiting in the wings, hoping for employment. In fact, in total the number of people reached by all programs that offer paid work to older adults in San Francisco is only about 400 to 500!

The City can and must do more to help older people find work. Many older adults and those with disabilities need and want to work in order to make ends meet. 61% of older adults in San Francisco lack basic economic security, and most have fixed incomes that don’t keep pace with inflation. 
The cost of living in San Francisco is well above Federal poverty guidelines. According to the City’s Department of Aging and Adult Services, “In total, an estimated 57% of single senior households and 39% of two-person senior households have inadequate income to meet a basic standard of living” (DAAS, 2016). Older residents with limited English capacity are even worse off.

San Francisco adults with disabilities of all ages also struggle to find work and make enough to meet their basic needs. In San Francisco, “the unemployment rate for the disabled adult population in the labor force is approximately 16%” (DAAS, 2016) – five times the unemployment rate for non-disabled persons. A total of 58% of SF younger adults with disabilities have incomes under 300% of the federal poverty level.

Ageism and ableism are real, and it will take programs like SF ReServe for people to overcome barriers to employment. Leading up to the Mayor’s mid-May budget announcement, CLC will be doing as much as possible to raise the issue of employment, including attending DAAS meetings and talking with the Mayor and every Supervisor.

We hope you’ll join us at the February 13 DAAS Commission meeting at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall, Room 416 to speak up and show your support.  

 

Our First ‘Work Matters!’ Forum Lifts Up Employment for Seniors and People with Disabilities

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CLC hosted a Work Matters! Forum on May 24 to highlight the need for additional job and service opportunities for San Francisco seniors and people with disabilities. 

One of the best parts of the day was “The positive energy of all the speakers!  They conveyed what they truly believe in and respect seniors as equal partners.”

About 70 people met with local organizations, listened to speakers and panelists, offered suggestions and insights on challenges to finding jobs, and got hands-on-help with signing up for paid and volunteer opportunities. 

Many participants were enthusiastic about the chance to meet with other people and organizations dedicated to increasing work opportunities. Several described the long process of finding ways to contribute, with one noting, “The fact that you address this…is fantastic for me. I have been struggling with this issue for over 15 years and feeling alone in my struggle!” As another attendee described, the best part was “Seeing so many other people in the audience who are looking for meaningful work and not letting ‘agesim’ defeat them.”

Thanks to all the organizations that participated: Community Technology Network, Dept. of Aging and Adult Services, Disability Rights California, Encore.org, Experience Corps, Felton Institute/Family Service Agency. San Francisco Public Library, Self-Help for the Elderly. SF Connected, Toolworks, and Videographers in Production. 

SF ReServe’s new program Director, Alicia Crawford, helps individuals interested in signing up for the SF ReServe Program navigate there way through the online process.

As part of the forum, we officially launched our new initiative, SF ReServe, to match part time jobs at community organizations with talented seniors and people with disabilities. The program is the San Francisco affiliate of ReServe, a national nonprofit that has successfully matched many hundreds of seniors with community organizations since it began in New York 12 years ago.

SF ReServe has received funding from the San Francisco Department of Aging and Adult Services, and has begun matching local ReServists with community organizations. Six are already placed and working, and more are ready to be matched. We are actively seeking additional organizational partners and ReServists. To apply or to find more information, visit www.sfreserve.org.  

 
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Jobs for San Francisco Seniors – We Need a Hand, Not a Handout

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It turns out Freud was right: “work and love” are essential for human happiness. Older adults do not age out of those most human of needs, or the need for cash. While San Francisco cannot requisition a love potion, we can do quite a lot for the work side of the equation.
Most seniors, today over 65,000, by 2040 about 1/3 of the City, do not have enough income to meet basic needs. The highest percentages of individuals living below the poverty level in San Francisco are older adults.

But wait! Frail elders and some seniors do require support, but many older San Franciscans can and want to work. They just can’t find jobs.
Persistent ageism within key local industries – tech, hospitality, construction – is one of the daunting barriers. Other barriers: limited programs to increase senior employment, and no coordination, visibility and evaluation for minimal work-generating initiatives that do exist. Some programs are in place – the Senior Community Service Employment Program, Foster Grandparents, and Senior Companion Program. However, these reach only a fraction of senior seekers. Training, like the dedicated efforts of Jewish Vocation Services, exists but begs the larger issue of jobs open to seniors.

SF’s recent workforce development initiatives won’t help seniors put food on the table, keep lights on or provide a modicum of comfort. The Mayor’s 17-Point Jobs Plan, the Office of Economic/Work Development’s sector-based Access Point Strategy, and SF’s Draft Consolidated Plan don’t address unique barriers to seniors’ economic security. In the void, ageism reinforces stereotypes of older adults.

Other cities are taking bold steps to address these perils, spawning new programs responding to older adults’ eagerness for part-time, social-purpose work. NYC helped launch ReServe, offering seniors part-time, project-based social sector work. “ReServists” receive stipends for a variety of assignments – helping their peers manage chronic disease, serving as “success mentors” to motivate at-risk middle school students or moderating phone chats for housebound adults. These workers are willing to accept small (but potentially life sustaining) paychecks in exchange for assignments involving passion and purpose.

Programs like ReServe, which now operates in seven localities, often rely on city sponsorship and support to get off the ground, but they build in fee income to ensure they can be self-sustaining over time. Not only do these programs provide vital income to seniors, they also generate profound collateral benefits because older workers enrich an intergenerational workforce, boost organizational capacity and help solve social problems.

This City must do more to raise awareness of older adults’ capacity for work and to promote older adult job creation. Our elected leaders need to approve a Final Consolidated Plan that includes measurable steps and funding to help older adults find work. Additionally our elected leaders should lend support and momentum to a City-wide Senior Workforce Empowerment Campaign (SWEC). This campaign would help significant numbers of seniors find work by: raising awareness of the need, planning for specific job creation strategies (especially those that are self-sustaining, like ReServe), and then mobilizing computer trainers, coordinators and community connectors. SWEC can become that meeting point where government, nonprofits, community agencies, business, philanthropies – and seniors – all come together, act in unison, and leverage now-scattershot efforts for a true movement.

If this world-class city is going to truly promote economic sustainability, it needs to acknowledge the unique barriers facing older adults, recognize win-win rewards of mobilizing an older adult workforce, and become a catalyst for new, sustainable and measurable senior job creation.

San Francisco should be an incubator for new models of a 21st Century workforce that spans, and benefits, the entire, authentic working-age spectrum. San Francisco seniors want a hand, not a hand-out, plus new opportunities to earn needed income, contribute and connect – time tested ingredients for human happiness.
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Editor Contacts:

Marie Jobling, Executive Director, Community Living Campaign (CLC)
415-821-1003, ex. 1; marie@sfcommunityliving.org
1360 Mission Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94103

Jill Center, CLC Board Vice President
415-242-1254; jillcenter@sbcglobal.net