We’ve all been faced with challenges this year as individuals, organizations, and communities. But sometimes, challenges give us the opportunity to find creative solutions that we may not have thought of before.
At VANTAGE, we strive to take a collaborative approach to serving the community. That means that our various programs often work together to ensure that all seniors have the resources they need to age with independence and dignity.
Recently in Cincinnati, our Senior Community Service Employment Program had the opportunity to collaborate with our SeniorCorps program on a unique situation that resulted in a win/win for everyone involved.
The Senior Community Service Employment Program helps job seekers age 55 and older retool their skills for today’s workforce and prepare to successfully find employment. Participants gain practical experience and develop new skills with paid, part-time training. VANTAGE’s SCSEP program is available in 38 Ohio counties.
Jim became a SCSEP participant in the summer of 2019. He is a veteran who served our country, and we are very humbled by the opportunity to assist him in his senior years.
When he joined the VANTAGE Aging program, Jim needed additional income to afford stable housing. VANTAGE gave him the opportunity to enhance his work experience and gain recent job history.
When the pandemic hit, Jim was an almost blind person challenged with doing at-home training that required reading and writing. Due to COVID-19, participants in the program we re-assigned from training in community based organizations to completing training workbooks from home.
Jim needed to comply with the assignment bi-weekly checkups of completion to continue receiving his stipend. One day, he informed a VANTAGE staff member that he was paying youth to read the assignments to him.
It didn’t feel right that one of our community’s veterans and seniors had to use part of a limited income to continue receiving it.
To the Cincinnati SCSEP Project Director, Mercedes Bello, it was unacceptable. That is when she came up with the idea of reaching out to VANTAGE’s SeniorCorps program to assist.
SeniorCorps connects volunteers age 55 and older with opportunities to serve their community. As the largest volunteer network for older adults in the nation, RSVP matches volunteers with organizations where their time, interest, talents, knowledge, and experience are most effectively utilized to meet important needs in our community.
VANTAGE’s SeniorCorps program is available in Summit, Medina, Geauga, Wayne, Delaware, Franklin, and Hamilton Counties.
After hearing Jim’s story, SeniorCorps Manager Gretchen Eagle had the perfect solution. One individual who volunteers with SeniorCorps has an interest in helping the visually impaired. Her name is Donna, and the volunteer opportunity is near and dear to Donna’s heart.
Donna has advocated for the Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired for many years. She was also a volunteer who read to the visually impaired.
VANTAGE’s SCSEP and SeniorCorps programs collaborated to help Jim continue job training and Donna utilize her experience and interests.
Donna now reads the SCSEP assignments to Jim twice a week for an hour and a half each time. She also writes down his answers so that he is able to complete assignments for the program.
“The collaboration between RSVP & SCSEP really shows how far we will go to help a client and or Volunteer. Within the SeniorCorps program, we really pride ourselves in finding the best possible volunteer opportunity to suit the interests and passions of our volunteers and this particular case was no different. I find joy in supporting our RSVP Volunteers, bettering our communities!” – Gretchen Eagle, Cincinnati SeniorCorps Manager
This solution to the situation was successful for both the SCSEP and SeniorCorps programs. At the same time, VANTAGE continues to work toward our mission to promote a positive perspective on aging.
“This story gives me an invaluable feeling of accomplishment, makes me feel proud of being part of the VANTAGE team that can provide these quality services to our seniors, and it reminds me why this country is the best in the world.” – Mercedes Bello, Cincinnati SCSEP Project Director
If you are interested the Cincinnati SCSEP program or SeniorCorps, please contact us to learn more.
SCSEP job training program: Contact Mercedes Bello at 513-924-9100 or MBello@vantageaging.org.
SeniorCorps volunteer program: Contact Gretchen Eagle at 330-618-2365 or GEagle@vantageaging.org.
Or, reach our general office at 330-253-4597 or info@vantageaging.org.
Please note that the names of individuals in this article have been changed to protect privacy.