The Department of Human Services Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) will commemorate National Employ an Older Worker Week with a day-long conference and workshop on Monday, Sept. 20, at the University of the Virgin Islands. The week (Sept. 20-24) is designed to increase awareness of and focus on developing a skilled workforce of older persons to help curb the effect of employment shortfalls. It will empower older workers to re-enter the workforce through workshops, which will cover employment readiness, life skills, health and wellness, and community awareness.
SCSEP is authorized by the Older Americans Act to provide subsidized, service-based training for low-income persons 55 or older who are unemployed and have poor employment prospects. The program provides participants both community service and work-based training in a wide variety of non-profit and public arenas including day care centers, senior centers, schools and hospitals. Participants work an average of 20 hours a week and are paid the highest of federal, state or local minimum wage. It is intended that community service training serves as a bridge to unsubsidized employment opportunities. SCSEP’s goal is to place 30 percent of its authorized positions into unsubsidized employment annually.
