Several years ago, I had the privilege of being invited to a special graduation celebration for a half-dozen adults who had successfully completed the Moving Ahead Program offered by the St. Francis House in Boston, Massachusetts.
“MAP”, as it’s known, is a 14-week job- and life-skills training program for individuals who have experienced serious disruption in their personal life: homelessness, addiction, mental illness, incarceration.
MAP offers essential tools, training, and support to those who are accepted into the program:
- Transitional housing
- One-on-one job coaching support
- Internship opportunities
- Weekly stipend and public transportation pass
- Clothing and image consultation program
- Individualized counseling, referrals, and legal support
- Lifetime access to St. Francis House services through its Alumni Program
MAP “Life Skills” instructors teach:
- Resume writing
- Online job searching, filing applications electronically
- Preparing for interviews
- Setting goals
- Developing positive interpersonal relationships
- Dealing with trauma and negative emotions
The MAP program works!
- A total of 97 students were served in 2018, with a graduation rate of 70%
- 82% of graduates were employed at time of graduation
- Average hourly wage of employed graduates was 42% more than the Massachusetts minimum wage
The MAP program has been recognized!
- Selected by HUD to serve as a “best practices” model for other HUD-funded programs considering replicating MAP
- MAP-Topeka (Kansas) and MAP-St. Louis (Missouri) both launched
But for me, the MAP success I’ll never forget was what I experienced at the graduation ceremony:
- the JOY and GRATITUDE of the graduates!
For more on the Moving Ahead Program at St. Francis House, Boston, see https://stfrancishouse.org/programs/moving-ahead-program/
Work Matters 