Page 18 - Mar/April 2016 Vol.33No.7
P. 18
KNOXVILLE By Nicholas Bradshaw
Second Chances Found Here
The primary goal of the Second Chances program for the Public Service Department
is to provide an opportunity for deserving staff to be involved in “recruitment”
for this program. Our selections are
individuals to earn some work experience, earn a made from the ranks of participants
paycheck, and hopefully earn their way out of in programs run by our community
their situations through their own hard work. partners and based partly on our
partners’ recommendations. Final
The Public Service Equity and the Public Service Department providing decisions are made by the Equity and
Diversity Committee was created in the temporary, full-time employment to Diversity Committee after an interview
fall of 2014 by City of Knoxville Public top candidates identified by our partner with the recommended candidate. Our
Service Director Chad Weth to address organizations among their program partners, with whom we have already
issues of diversity, inclusion and fairness participants. Knoxville Mayor Madeline established a relationship, will “vouch”
in the Public Service Department with Rogero was on hand as the Committee for the candidate and will supply us with
the support and encouragement of launched the program along with Keira background information along with their
David Brace, Senior Director of Public Wyatt from CONNECT Ministries, our recommendations.
Works. Beyond the obvious benefits first community partner, a small, local
of embracing the concept of a diverse community-networking center serving Second Chances employees are
workforce, governments have a duty to specific disadvantaged groups like at-risk currently serving as temporary, part-
represent the communities we serve. youth, veterans and ex-offenders re- time workers and are filling long-
Part of this responsibility ought to be entering society. The program’s second term vacancies resulting from regular
an effort to reflect the diversity of the partner is Knox Area Rescue Ministries, employees being out of work – typically
communities we serve within our own which runs a large local shelter and as a result of an injury. They work for
workforce. This summer, the Committee provides a variety of valuable services approximately 12 weeks. As we grow
designed the Second Chances program, to the local underserved populations in this program, our hope is to be able to
which officially launched on September Knoxville. field as many as three Second Chances
28, 2015, with the hiring of Charjuan employees at the same time in order to
Hayes, who is currently working in The Second Chances program works create a Second Chances Crew. The crew
Horticulture and also spent a month each with our community partners to identify can perform specific tasks or projects
in Service Areas 2 and 6. the best candidates. In partnering with that benefit the community, such as alley
the community organizations that we cleanup or community beautification
The Second Chances program involves have chosen, we have reduced the need projects.
Although the program is designed
for temporary employment, the hope
is that our program participants take
advantage of this opportunity to
impress our managers enough that they
earn a position as regular permanent
City of Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero joined the Public Service Department’s Equity and Diversity Committee in launching the Second Chances program.
18 TPW March/April 2016
Second Chances Found Here
The primary goal of the Second Chances program for the Public Service Department
is to provide an opportunity for deserving staff to be involved in “recruitment”
for this program. Our selections are
individuals to earn some work experience, earn a made from the ranks of participants
paycheck, and hopefully earn their way out of in programs run by our community
their situations through their own hard work. partners and based partly on our
partners’ recommendations. Final
The Public Service Equity and the Public Service Department providing decisions are made by the Equity and
Diversity Committee was created in the temporary, full-time employment to Diversity Committee after an interview
fall of 2014 by City of Knoxville Public top candidates identified by our partner with the recommended candidate. Our
Service Director Chad Weth to address organizations among their program partners, with whom we have already
issues of diversity, inclusion and fairness participants. Knoxville Mayor Madeline established a relationship, will “vouch”
in the Public Service Department with Rogero was on hand as the Committee for the candidate and will supply us with
the support and encouragement of launched the program along with Keira background information along with their
David Brace, Senior Director of Public Wyatt from CONNECT Ministries, our recommendations.
Works. Beyond the obvious benefits first community partner, a small, local
of embracing the concept of a diverse community-networking center serving Second Chances employees are
workforce, governments have a duty to specific disadvantaged groups like at-risk currently serving as temporary, part-
represent the communities we serve. youth, veterans and ex-offenders re- time workers and are filling long-
Part of this responsibility ought to be entering society. The program’s second term vacancies resulting from regular
an effort to reflect the diversity of the partner is Knox Area Rescue Ministries, employees being out of work – typically
communities we serve within our own which runs a large local shelter and as a result of an injury. They work for
workforce. This summer, the Committee provides a variety of valuable services approximately 12 weeks. As we grow
designed the Second Chances program, to the local underserved populations in this program, our hope is to be able to
which officially launched on September Knoxville. field as many as three Second Chances
28, 2015, with the hiring of Charjuan employees at the same time in order to
Hayes, who is currently working in The Second Chances program works create a Second Chances Crew. The crew
Horticulture and also spent a month each with our community partners to identify can perform specific tasks or projects
in Service Areas 2 and 6. the best candidates. In partnering with that benefit the community, such as alley
the community organizations that we cleanup or community beautification
The Second Chances program involves have chosen, we have reduced the need projects.
Although the program is designed
for temporary employment, the hope
is that our program participants take
advantage of this opportunity to
impress our managers enough that they
earn a position as regular permanent
City of Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero joined the Public Service Department’s Equity and Diversity Committee in launching the Second Chances program.
18 TPW March/April 2016
