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Salisbury Rowan Community Action Agency Strategies that have been used in the past and new strategies to be implemented to address poverty causes include; 1. Community Resources- Identifying other community resources that are available to refer our participants for additional financial and other resources to supplement SRCAA efforts. 2. Developing Partners- Partnering with various human service agencies and state divisions of work and employment services to gain knowledge of availability of jobs, training and vocational and occupational resources. 3. Education and Vocation — Involving other ancillary services that help to remediate the barriers participants have to employment. SRCAA participates on Boards and Committees and partners with the community colleges in the two service counties. Participants in our program participate in academic and certification programs offered there. Education and vocational training help the participants improve skills and competencies. SRCAA provides financial assistance for many participants interested in short term programs, associate degrees, some Bachelor degrees. Books, tuition assistance, transportation and application fees assist the participants in getting closer to the goal of self- sufficiency. 4. Addressing External Barriers- Barriers such as no or little public transportation, insufficient jobs, lack of education, lack of job training skills, underemployment, lack of resources, lack of health care coverage, and limited affordable housing availability are external factors that impact participants. Multi -level strategies are implemented, for instance- the Board and the Executive Director work with national, state and local government and corporate partners to address macro -level needs of low income person. The Program Director partners with community and state administrators and managers to address needs that can be solved at the community and individual level. The Staff effectively partner (at the micro or individual level) with staff and community persons to solve challenges of individuals and families served by the agency. ROMA Goal 1, 2, 3 and S DHHS Excels- Goal 4 Low income People Become More Self- Sufficient; The Provide services to individuals and families identified as being at conditions in which low income people live are improved; Low- risk of compromised health and safety. income people own a stake in their community; Low- income people, especially vulnerable populations, achieve their potential by strengthening family and other support systems 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. SRCAA is currently 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 Fiscal Year 2014 -15 Community Services Biock Grant Application Page 9 of 49 Attachment number 2 G -2 Page 277