Suits for Success ~ Cleveland in 2015

1. Cleveland Federal Community Leadership Institute
At-Risk Youth Group
1
SU T S SUCCESSfor
Kimberly Bennett - Accountant, DFAS
Justin O’Rourke – Contract Specialist, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Katti Sorboro - Counselor, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Beth Thrall – Registered Nurse, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Chaunda Tolbert – Program Analyst, HHS
Nikki Welch – Program Specialist, NASA
Team Members

2. 2
AGENDA
• Target Group Identification - Chaunda
• Needs Assessment - Beth
• Project Selection / Determination - Katti
• Implementation Plan - Justin
• Evaluation – Nikki
• Group Dynamic & Challenges - Kimberly
• Sustainability – Kimberly
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor

3. 3
TARGET GROUP IDENTIFICATION
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor
.
Initial research identified that this group
faces an elevated vulnerability to:
• Homelessness
• Unemployment
• Poverty
• Single-parenthood
• Involvement with the criminal justice
system
Who are “aged-out” or transitional foster youth ages 16-24
in Cuyahoga County?

4. 4
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor
In Cuyahoga County:
• 432 youth housed in homeless shelters
• More than 23,700 children in Ohio are in the
foster care system
• 58% will graduate high school
• At age 24 only half will be employed
• 25% encounter the legal system
• 60% are unmarried parents

5. • Examined local agencies and programs offered
• Spoke directly with several community
organizations that serve this group
• Interview with a member of the target group
5
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Key findings:
• Target group has many needs-little resources
• Long-term mentoring needed
• Employment is a cornerstone for success—creates
sustainable independence

6. • The Purple Project -6th Annual
Foster Youth Conference
• Suits for Success
• Partnership with Ohio Means
Jobs and Ohio State Bar
Foundation
• Volunteers from local
community organizations
6
PROJECT SELECTION/ DETERMINATION
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor
.

7. Suits for Success- June 17 & 19
Cleveland State University
Objectives:
• Increase awareness of professional
dress “best practices”
• Increase likelihood of obtaining
professional employment through
education; onsite makeup tutorials;
etiquette; and guidance on how to tie a
tie
• Build youth confidence
• Create a fun and interactive shopping
experience
Tasks:
• Pick-up clothing, sorting
• Collection of additional items at
two agencies (NASA and VA)
• Create comprehensive staffing
plan
• Solicit for volunteers to staff
two-day event
• Create “personal shopper”
experiences
• Store set-up and tear-down
• Clean, straighten during event
• Evaluation- tallying and collection
of surveys
7
PLAN
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor

8. 8
IMPLEMENTATION
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor
Thousands of donated items
were made available to the youth

9. “This is a blessing…the
clothes are good quality,
we are all so excited!”
~ Kevinee
9
IMPLEMENTATION
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor

10. The implementation of the event and on-time completion of all associated tasks was
used to evaluate the success of the event—additional metrics included:
Desired Metrics
• 65% of exhibit visitors complete the
evaluation
• 60% of exhibit visitors’ confidence
improved
• 60% would recommend event
• Number of individuals in the identified
target group that were reached
• Complete 95% of project milestones
by target dates
Results
• 100% of visitors completed
evaluation
• 72% agree that their confidence
for job readiness improved
• 83% would recommend SFS to a
friend or family member
• 81% of visitors were within target
group
• 90% of project milestones
completed by target date
10
EVALUATION & RESULTS
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor

11. 11
GROUP DYNAMICS & CHALLENGES
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor
• Initially no storming
• Initial ideas falling through
created challenges
• Personal conflicts/ life
changes
• Differing communication
styles
• Work culture – differs based
on agencies

12. • Partnered with CFC Young
Government Leaders to
continue Suits for Success in
subsequent years
12
SUSTAINABILITY
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor
• Continued support
and partnership
with Ohio Means
Jobs and Ohio
State Bar
Foundation

13. 13
QUESTIONS
?
S U T S S U C C E S Sfor

14. 14
THANK YOU