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Salisbury Rowan Community Action Agency, Inc. a. Focusing on wages that would move a family above poverty based on family size and identifying job opportunities for families that would most likely result in success for them b. Creating a more intensive work search /employment plan that requires job seekers to be accountable to their Family Development Specialist. c. Requiring families to take incremental steps toward achieving self - sufficiency that build upon the prior step and is geared toward the specific attainment of a specific job. For instance, participants who take the class and obtain the certificate for forklift training, are guided toward companies and openings that need that skill and are hiring people who are eager to obtain jobs in that area. 3. Describe activities that your agency has undertaken to advocate for and empower low- income individuals and families to achieve economic independence and security. In May 2012, SRCAA made a conscientious choice to shift the approach used with families from a deficit -based model to one of empowerment and strengths. This model requires the entire network to think of ways to empower families to achieve their own goals and to improve the internal systems of service delivery to be able to meet people where they are. The last few years in North Carolina and in the U. S. have left many families in the lower socio- economic strata to be faced with more challenges to their economic independence and their present and future security. Since 2012, SRCAA has been training all staff working directly with families and individuals in the strengths -based model called the "Family Development Credential ". This initiative began sweeping the country in the 1980s in an effort to teach workers to effectively serve, advocate and empower families and teach those same skills to families. The model teaches workers to partner with families and help them set proper goals and activities for themselves so they can become self - sufficient. Advocacy is taught in the curriculum and SRCAA staff learns skills and core competencies that when used with families improve the families' ability to not only identify, but reach those goals. By taking a more comprehensive approach to assisting families and individuals with achieving economic independence, SRCAA is currently training staff who works directly with families to become credentialed as a Global Career Development Facilitator. The Global Career Development Facilitator credential (GCDF), is recognized on six continents. Global Career Development Facilitators (GCDF) are trained to assist individuals with informed decisions when considering their individual career development through the utilization of best practices, a variety of personality, interest and employment assessment tools, and career development models. Advocacy and teaching self- advocacy is taught in both curriculums and SRCAA staff learns skills and core competencies that when used with families improve the families' ability to not only identify, but reach those goals. The current economic climate has created more challenges and staffs are constantly brainstorming strategies to meet the families' constantly changing needs. All new staff will be enrolled in a strengths -based model within a year of employment since empowerment models have been proven to help families achieve self - sufficiency. Other strategies involve, inviting families to participate in volunteer activities and to represent the agency at community forums, and other agency events, to tell their story and to be proud to share their accomplishments when asked. Success stories are being published regularly in the agency's electronic newsletter and Family Services participants who have risen above poverty or achieved several program successes, represented the program at the Annual Board meeting in November 2015. Fiscal Year 2016 -17 Community Services Block Grant Application Page 9 of 28 Attachment number 2 \n F -11 Page 295