City Grants $16,000 To Chamber Franklin Initiative

City Grants $16,000 To Chamber Franklin Initiative

Date of Record: June 5, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2006

For more information, contact:
Ron Walker, Director of Economic Development, City of Bloomington,349.3406
Maria K. Heslin, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349.3569

Bloomington, IN -- In a news conference today, Mayor Mark Kruzan announced that the City of Bloomington will grant $16,000 to the Franklin Initiative, a program of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, to support its efforts and community programs. The announcement marks the fifth of six Community Collaborations Kruzan pledged in his April City Vision 2006 to announce within 60 days.

"We are grateful that the Franklin Initiative and its community partners have taken detailed action to target the development of our local workforce and education for at-risk youth," Kruzan said. "This grant demonstrates the community's ability and willingness to partner to achieve measurable and attainable goals for our economy."

[image:2159,left] Specifically, the funds will be divided between two collaborative programs co-facilitated by the Franklin Initiative: Nurturing Each To Success (NETS) and Help In Reaching Employment (HIRE).

"It is imperative that our community invests in education and workforce development initiatives," said Christy Steele, President & C.E.O., Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. "Supporting the Chamber's Franklin Initiative role in NETS and HIRE works toward this goal. We appreciate Mayor Kruzan and the City of Bloomington's support on these collaborative partnerships that strive to enhance our workforce."

NETS is a partnership with the Monroe County Community School Corporation (MCCSC) to actively reduce the high school drop-out rate through a participatory, community process. The City's $6,000 grant will support the identification of indicators of at-risk students and the creation of early intervention practices otherwise known as safety nets. NETS is intended to provide a framework of safety nets to help K-12 students experience success in school, earn high school credentials, and prepare for either future employment or higher education.

"The entire community does win with a higher graduation rate in each of our local high schools," said Carol Maloney, VP Education/Workforce Initiatives and Director of the Franklin Initiative. "An educated workforce means a more vibrant community and a community with less competition for the limited social service funds that are already so scarce. All children enter school with a natural curiosity and desire to learn - but too many lose both along the way for many reasons. MCCSC is to be commended for letting the many partners work with them to solve our community's drop-out problem."

The HIRE program supports the development of a documented, ready workforce through a collaborative effort with Ivy Tech Community College - Bloomington, MCCSC Adult Education, Work One and the Chamber's Franklin Initiative. HIRE Certification is designed as the next step of documented education beyond a high school diploma/GED and just before any industry certification or an advanced degree after high school.

"I appreciate Mayor Kruzan's efforts and the City of Bloomington's support on behalf of this collaborative effort to build a skilled workforce for area employers through the Ivy Tech HIRE program," said John Whikehart, Chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College - Bloomington.

HIRE Certification documents evidence of basic reading and math skills, basic keyboarding and computer skills, plus the soft skills necessary for successful employment for those interested in entering the local workforce. Potential employees seeking HIRE certification can be recent high school graduates, welfare recipients and/or displaced workers.

The City's grant of $10,000 will help the Franklin Initiative target recent high school graduates for HIRE certification and help them secure entry-level employment. It will also help the Chamber increase employer recognition of HIRE Certification among its members and develop employment preference practices for HIRE Certificate holders looking for gainful employment in the Bloomington community.

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