People
 

People

Healthy and sustainable communities are made up of people who have stable living wage jobs, opportunities to build wealth, and feel confident about their economic futures. To get there, residents need the skills to advance along the path of employment and manage their money well. That’s why LISC invests in helping people tackle all the facets of financial life—earning a steady pay check, budgeting, building good credit, and saving for education and retirement.  

LISC helps residents achieve these goals through our Financial Opportunity Centers (FOCs). LISC has a network of nearly 80 FOCs across the country - each one embedded in a local community organization. FOCs provide the following integrated services: 

  • Employment: one-on-one employment counseling, job readiness training (i.e resume writing, mock interviews), connecting residents to employers and job placements, and providing access to education and training to support career advancement
  • Income Supports: helping residents secure public benefits such as food stamps, housing & energy subsidies, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and other private grants and loans 
  • Financial Coaching: developing financial goals and savings plans, pulling and reviewing credit reports, establishing and monitoring budget, connecting to financial products.   

In San Diego, LISC’s FOC Network includes: 

  • International Rescue Committee  
  • San Diego Housing Commission  
  • Casa Familiar 

In 2016 LISC added Bridges to Career Opportunities (BCO) to the bundled services offered within the Financial Opportunity Center.  BCO is a supported bridge training program that helps overcome the gaps in academic readiness that can prevent disenfranchised individuals from being hired and succeeding in careers that offer livable wages.

Many workers are unable to participate in occupational skill training, which teaches workers specific capacities so they are prepared for employment in an industry or field, because they lack the necessary literacy and math skills and have financial challenges that undermine their ability to commit to longer-term training and career development. BCO is designed to address both these issues. 

FOCs

The BCO program provides participants with: 

  • Foundational education (including math, literacy, or English as a Second Language) contextualized for their intended career pathway 
  • Industry-specific career training, credentials, and job placement  
  • Personalized career and financial counseling to help participants manage the financial and logistical challenges that can interfere with job training 

In San Diego, IRC and San Diego Housing Commission offer BCO programming which provides participants with training, certification, and employment in the following industries:  

  • Manufacturing – Welding (IRC) 
  • Healthcare - Pharmacy Technician (IRC), and Certified Nursing Assistant (SDHC) 
  • Retail and Sales- (IRC) 
  • Hospitality/ Customer Service- (SDHC) 
  • Clean Energy- Solar Panels (IRC)