AGENCY EVALUATION

Evaluation of Interval House BESS Program & Career Boutique

Evaluation of Interval House BESS Program & Career Boutique

1st Program

Interval House BESS ProgramThe BESS program is a pre employment workshop designed for women who have been victims of spousal abuse, which no longer live with their abuser, and are ready to move forward with their lives. BESS helps women move beyond their abused pasts by providing integrated support through job search skills training, job development and assistance attaining safe and secure housing.

The goal of the program is to provide the clients necessary tools to build economic self sufficiency and emotional independence. Upon completion of the program, the client will have the necessary skills, confidence and motivation to get into the job market and find meaningful employment.

The program is two weeks long (Monday through Friday 10am to 3:30pm)

During these two weeks, women complete a skills inventory, learn how to write a resume and a cover letter, conduct a job research, prepare for an interview and develop life skills like balancing work and parenting. Day care services and transportation are also provided to the clients attending the workshop.

Schedule

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Week One

Orientation

Safety plan Goal setting

Transferable skills.

Resume

Resume writing

Cover letter

Housing

Career Boutique

Week Two

Job searching

Applications

tracking search

Interviews

Mock interviews

Thank you letter

Mock interview reviews

Job development

Hidden job market

Graduation

Population Served and Eligibility

Female 16 years of age or older

Identify as a woman

Survived abuse from a partner (physical/emotional/financial)

No longer in abusive relationship

Able to speak and write English

Also, no need of work permit, SIN (social insurance number) nor funding source.

BESS program is not exclusively for interval house residents, the program is open to all women survivors of partner abuse.

In addition to self referrals, BESS welcomes referrals from other agencies working with women survivors of partner abuse who are ready to make a change.

Evaluation

The BESS program has been successful since 2004. Many women have benefited from the program and have moved onto very successful and meaningful lives. Clients start noticing that they have good qualities and hidden skills that were overshadow by the abuse. The classroom facilitates social interaction, security and comfort. Most of these women go on to created friendships that remain after completion of the program.

The program has very knowledgeable instructors with excellent people skills and the clients feel that right from the start. The clients are not judging in anyway, and doors always remain open for questions or concerns.

By graduation clients have learnt everything to enable them to get a job and their confidence is very palpable at that point. Their smiles and eagerness are signs that the program has delivered.

This program is also accessible by wheelchair and value cultural diversity. No one is ever turned back, for example; if they do not understand English or are able to write it, it doesn't mean that they are turn away, they will instead be sent to the job developer who can help the client find employment where English is not a requirement.

Self confidence is a very important factor in this program, the instructor has ways of highlighting the strengths, and once the client realizes that she ...