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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br />Regular Meeting -September 4, 2009 <br />an accounting of the sale from Teachers <br />Credit Union. <br />(3) Update on Project Impact Performance <br />Mr. SU111111erS noted that the CO11n111SS1011 UPDATE ON PROJECT IMPACT PERFORMANCE <br />provided a grant to Project Impact to launch <br />a job readiness training initiative to serve the <br />needs of businesses in the Airport Economic <br />Development Area (AEDA) and Urban <br />Enterprise Zone (UEZ), and to recruit and <br />train potential employees from the increasing <br />population of ex-offenders returning to the <br />conmlunity in need of employment as well as <br />other hard core unemployed. <br />The methodology of the initiative is to <br />provide life skills and job readiness training, <br />identify the employment needs of businesses <br />located within the AEDA and UEZ, an•ange <br />for the employees to receive technical job <br />skills training, and provide job coaches to <br />mentor and support employees after hiring. <br />Project hnpact was clear about the <br />participation criteria. The program was <br />meant for hard to employ people. Applicants <br />were given an orientation, stressing the level <br />of commitment necessary and then attended a <br />five-day boot camp to weed out those not <br />serious about making changes to their lives <br />and behavior. Even after those qualifiers, <br />there were nearly twice as many participants <br />as Mr. Summers and Mr. Blake had <br />anticipated. Eighty-two participants have <br />taken training; sixty-three have graduated <br />fi•om the program; fifty-three participants had <br />felonies; twenty-three live within the AEDA <br />or UEZ; sixteen participants are working <br />(some of those while still training); and six <br />companies fi•onl the UE or AEDA are <br />employing the participants or graduates. <br />7 <br />