The purpose of unemployment insurance is to stabilize our economy and alleviate personal hardship stemming from involuntary job loss. Unemployment benefits are earned by employment and job loss through no fault of the worker. The state unemployment compensation fund needs to be solvent in order to ensure this critical poverty-prevention tool remains intact. OACAA supports a long-term and balanced approach …
Are you ready for #OH2016WLC?
The 2016 OACAA Winter Legislative Conference is just around the corner. Will you be attending? Though the early bird offer has passed, there’s still time to register and attend the conference. A great lineup of presenters include Jarle Crocker of Community Action Partnership, Barbara Haxton of Ohio Head Start Association, Inc., Ohio HR Consultant Scott Warrick, not to mention many …
Self-Sufficiency and Economic Pathways Reports
OACAA, in cooperation with University of Washington School of Social Work, Center for Women’s Welfare, released The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Ohio 2015 report and demonstrated the updated and expanded online calculator during a press conference on Tuesday, December 16, 2015. The report, which was released in conjunction with the Exploring Economic Security Pathways in Ohio report, measures the income households must earn to …
Effective communication
As a new parent, I could not wait for my son to say his word first. As an adult, some days I do not want to hear his next. Though as I joke, we know that maintaining open lines of communication with not only children, but coworkers, customers, and members of the community, is an important piece of furthering the …
HR/Fiscal Conference: What the heck happened?
Are you paying your exempt employees at least $50,440/year? Starting in 2016, you may have to in order to maintain their exempt status. And that’s not all… In mid-September, OACAA hosted a one-day Human Resources / Fiscal Conference at the Crowne Plaza in Dublin for over sixty Community Action professionals across the state. Scott Warrick, who specializes in human resources …
The importance of program evaluations
How do you tell your story? Why is the work that you do relevant and worthy of funding? These are questions that all non-profits ask to be more sustainable and worthy of funding to provide programs and services to their community. By tracking and measuring data, each organization can have a better understanding of the populations they serve and how …
Building a strong bridge out of poverty
Earlier this week I joined one of OCATO’s Internal Consultants (ICs) at a Bridges Out of Poverty training hosted by Ross County Community Action Commission for District Four. Jeffrey Diver, IC and executive director of Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families (SELF), delivered the training and challenged perceptions of poverty to break down stereotypes. By the end of the day, participants had …
Another successful event: Annual Summer Conference 2015
Cover image: Pictured (left to right) Larry Price, Representative Alicia Reece and Philip E. Cole Last week, the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies (OACAA) held the Annual Summer Conference, which was hosted by Community Action Commission of Erie, Huron, and Richland Counties. Together, we welcomed over 200 Community Action professionals from across the state to Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, …
What is on the table?
On occasion, I and other OACAA staff are asked why we place toys and candy on the tables at our conferences. With the Annual Summer Conference coming up next month, now is a great time to explain their purpose. These toys are actually called “fidgets” and are tools to help self-regulate, calm stress and anxiety and can help you focus …
#BeCommunityAction
The celebration of National Community Action Month is more than spreading awareness of our programs and services; it’s about sharing the achievements throughout our network, celebrating the successes of our customers and strengthening our communities by helping people and changing lives. This year, agencies across Ohio are not only celebrating our successes, achievements and stories, but many of you are …