our paid-to-learn model
Employees spend an average of two years at Empowerment Plan
We provide dedicated paid time for supportive services and programming
Our goal is to help employees secure jobs beyond Empowerment Plan
100% of employees maintain stable housing one year post graduation
OUR APPROACH
Although our largest impact to date has been through the global distribution of our sleeping bag coat, the lasting impact lies within our employees and our ability to help those we serve permanently exit homelessness. Empowerment Plan is tearing down barriers to employment faced by low-income parents and providing meaningful programs intended to close the skills gap.
We pair full-time employment with a wide range of supportive services and have already helped dozens of individuals achieve financial stability and independence for their whole family. Our approach addresses everything from housing and childcare to transportation, education and more. We have created an ecosystem of support through our community of partners to address the ever changing needs of our team.
Most program participants work with Empowerment Plan for about two years before graduating on to other employment opportunities. On average, employees earn $16.00 per hour upon graduating from our program. As we increase the number of services offered to employees, we aim to serve as a stepping stone out of homelessness and into sustainable stability.
Roughly 60% of the paid 40-hour work week is dedicated to coat production and the remaining 40% is time allocated to programming and supportive services.
Programs include:
GED, HSE, or Post-Secondary Education
Financial Health & Wellness
Professionalism and Leadership Training
Driver’s Education
Domestic Violence Support
Meditation and Mindfulness
Empowered Pantry
Trauma-Informed Yoga
Trauma-Informed Care
Digital Essentials Training
Supportive Services include:
Mental Health Services & Clinical Therapy
Case Management
Career Advancement Support
FAQs
Can I bring the Empowerment Plan model to my city?
We do indeed have plans to expand Empowerment Plan to other cities, eventually even other countries! For right now, however, our commitment remains with Detroit.
What is your hiring process like?
Our program staff works closely with local shelter partners to identify potential candidates for employment. This includes hosting informational sessions at various shelters, attending job fairs, and taking referrals. Once someone has submitted their application we host on-site interviews with potential candidates before offering employment.
