NCJ Number
55773
Journal
Social Casework Volume: 58 Issue: 2 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1977) Pages: 77-83
Date Published
1977
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A SUCCESSFUL JOB PROGRAM CONDUCTED BY THE WASHINGTON, D.C., EMPLOYMENT AGENCY WIDER OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN (WOW) FOR POOR BLACK WOMEN ON PROBATION IS DESCRIBED. IT COMBINED SELF-HELP WITH NONTRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT.
Abstract
THE PROGRAM WORKED WITH A TOTAL OF 44 WOMEN IN GROUPS OF ABOUT 15 FROM STARTUP IN FALL 1974 TO JANUARY 1976. THE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH COMBINED THREE PRINCIPLES OF THE WOMEN'S LIBERATION MOVEMENT: (1) DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL RESOURCES, WITH LESS DEPENDENCE ON OTHERS; (2) DEVELOPMENT OF ASSERTIVENESS AS OPPOSED TO AGGRESSIVENESS; AND (3) THE FINDING OF HIGH-PAYING NONTRADITIONAL JOBS (I.E., JOBS TRADITIONALLY HELD BY MEN). SINCE ALL OF THE WOMEN IN THE PROGRAM WERE BLACK, IT WAS ALSO DECIDED TO FOCUS ON DEVELOPING STRONG ETHNIC PRIDE. THE PROGRAM COMBINED SELF-HELP TRAINING WITH GREATER AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEMS OF OTHER WOMEN. THOSE WHO WERE ATTEMPTING TO RAISE CHILDREN ALONE WERE DELIGHTED TO LEARN THAT THEIR PROBLEMS WERE SHARED BY OTHER SINGLE MOTHERS AT ALL INCOME LEVELS. THE ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING AIMED TO HELP THOSE WOMEN WHO HAD TROUBLE HANDLING PROBLEMS FIRMLY BUT WITHOUT UNDUE AGGRESSION. CULTURAL EXPERIENCES SUCH AS A POETRY READING AND A TRIP TO THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART WERE INCORPORATED TO HELP PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTAND THAT 'CULTURE' IS NOT RESTRICTED TO AN ELITE AND TO ENABLE PARTICIPANTS TO SHARE THIS WIDER PERSPECTIVE WITH THEIR CHILDREN. FAMILIARITY WITH THE CITY WAS STRESSED SO THAT WOMEN LEARNED TO USE BUSES INSTEAD OF EXPENSIVE TAXIS. THE FINAL PART OF THE PROGRAM INVOLVED FINDING WELL-PAYING JOBS. BEFORE IMPRISONMENT ALL PROGRAM CLIENTS HAD HELD EITHER NO JOB OR LOW-PAYING JOBS CLEANING HOMES OR OFFICES. AFTER THE PROGRAM, 29 HAD BEEN PLACED IN SUCH JOBS AS MEAT CUTTER APPRENTICE AT $5.11 AN HOUR, CONSTRUCTION (WITH ONE PROMOTED TO CREW CHIEF EARNING OVER $7.00 AN HOUR), AND PRINTING. OTHERS HAVE FOUND JOBS ON THEIR OWN WHILE STILL OTHERS ARE TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN, BUT PLAN TO ENTER THE JOB MARKET LATER. (GLR)