Our mission is to “Foster youth employment and career pathway building through social enterprise”. We work specifically with young people between 16 and 23 years of age experiencing homelessness or unstable housing. They are referred to Elpis by agencies in both Hennepin and Ramsey counties.
It has impacted both our social enterprises and our employment readiness training components while providing us with 'lessons learned'. 1. Our social enterprises are the framework for our employment readiness and career exploration services. Like all businesses, our sales declined and we were able to offset some but not all of the decline by launching new products. 2. As we adhered to social distancing, we designated Wednesdays as remote learning day for trainees and this highlighted the need for a more structured approach to supporting trainees in earning certificates and credentials. 3. Adhering to social distancing limits the number of trainees we can work with at any one time. 4. In reaching out to recent graduates when COVID 19 stay at home orders were put in place, we were able to build upon trust relationships. It confirmed that some trainees need a 'transition' bridge between the intensive support provided within our social enterprises and work in the broader community.
Our biggest needs include developing opportunities to re-engage customers who were not in a position to order from us in 2020 due to COVID 19 impacting their operations while also identifying new customers, adding a curriculum manager to our staff (our career counselor and peer advocate do not have the experience or skills needed to support trainees in earning certificates and credentials), and having the funds for a full-time strategic community partnership manager that can help identify new customers and also business host sites for Elpis' earn and learn trainees (those completing our social enterprise based training). CLICK HERE to learn more.
We are currently working with a website design group and we expect the redesigned website to go live in late spring 2021. Where our wish list will be made available. Some of the things that will be included on this list are: 1) Gift cards to be used as participation incentives for trainees and recent graduates (e.g. attending two or more post-Elpis events; completing two or more credentials). 2) New (cost effective) carpeting in Elpis' reception area (where customers and other visitors come) and our administrative offices. 3) Individuals, businesses and organizations to be "Elpis Champions" and use their networks to introduce Elpis to others (to be a social enterprise customer, to be an earn and learn business partner host site, volunteer/mentor). 4) Individuals with financial and accounting expertise to work with the executive director ongoing or project specific basis.
Elpis Enterprises is currently accepting new volunteers. Please contact Paul Ramsour, Elpis's Executive Director at paul@elpisenterprises.org or 651-644-5080.
The impact of our work was vividly seen this past year. An Elpis graduate obtained employment during COVID 19 as a youth counselor at an out of school time program. She told us that her confidence and ability to work with the children as a youth counselor stems from facilitating Elpis’ build it workshops for youth-serving groups. Before COVID 19 she worked in an administrative capacity at a small business that hired her because of her administrative skills and experiences she gained at Elpis. She was able to move to a youth counselor position after the administrative position ended due to COVID 19 impact on that business.