Agenda Package - 12-01-08 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ooh 0 1. Conditions within the County A. Current realities for low-income families in Lee County According to the U.S. Bureau of Census in 2003, 13.2% of the population of Lee County lived in poverty. The percentage of families in this socio-economic group in Lee County is lower than the state average of 13.4%. The percentage in Lee County living in poverty is up from 11.8% in 2000. Lee County families encompassing the low-income group are challenged by various obstacles, which affect their ability to achieve a higher socio-economic status. The most pressing of these obstacles are as follows- Education Many adults lack a high school education or equivalent, which affects their employability. According to the 2000 census, over 23% of the population of Lee County lacks a high school education. With higher demands from employers seeking employees with a high school education, almost a quarter of Lee County's population cannot begin to compete in the local job market due to this barrier. Through ongoing contact within the business community, it is known that a high percentage of local employers require a high school education or equivalent. Training ® Lack of short-term skills training is an obstacle to employment for low-income families in Lee County. Marketable job skills, even without a high school diploma, still improve employability, which is a crucial component in the job market. Unfortunately, short-term skills training programs are limited in funding in Lee County. Transportation - Vehicle ownership is a luxury not afforded to many low-income families. According to the Lee County Tax Department in 2002, there are approximately 50,956 vehicles registered in Lee County. Taking into consideration that many households own several vehicles, it is apparent that a segment of the county's population lacks transportation. These families must rely on friends, relatives, public transportation or taxi service. Personal Development Low-income families frequently lack life-skills that enable them to improve their economic situation. Poor financial and time management, job readiness and basic problem solving skills and poor work ethic are a few of the handicaps facing this population. Resources Unavailability and underutilization of community resources have a major impact on low-income families. Due to the size and financial constraints of Lee County, community resources are limited. Additionally, the resources that are available in the community are underutilized due to lack of knowledge of the resources or inability to obtain the resources. The Lee County Work First County Plan for 2010-2011 addresses these issues and barriers while encompassing and establishing acceptable levels of performance of the statewide Work First goals in an effort to improve the status of low-income families, increase employability of the county's residents and expand the community's involvement in the Work First program. 4