North Carolina Department of Correction News - May 1999
Pitt probation officers develop job skills program
Greenville — Two probation officers from Pitt County are working with business and community leaders in a five-county area to help young people develop new attitudes and land jobs.
Officers Tangi Price and Rick Streeter attended a February meeting where efforts began to organize a non-profit agency, LIFE of North Carolina, Inc.
Price chairs a committee that’s developing LIFE’s program, and Streeter chairs a committee that’s seeking a site and determining staffing needs.
"LIFE will help get some unemployed probationers into jobs. A lot of these people come out of court not knowing how to get a job. Some are not very skilled. Some are skilled, but don’t know how to showcase that," Price said. "This program will make a difference. We have business leaders who are helping to design the program, recruit the support of the business community and provide jobs to the people who complete the program."
LIFE is being patterned on STRIVE, a New York program that has garnered national praise for helping young people develop the right attitudes and communication skills to land jobs and build a solid foundation.
LIFE will offer three-week classes for 25-30 participants. After completing the class, the participants go into a job placement program to further polish their skills and begin working to land a job.
Streeter said they hope to find space for an office by June and staff it with five employees.
"This program doesn’t coddle participants," Streeter said. "It is three weeks of intense training that will teach people everything from greeting a job interviewer with a firm handshake to developing a strong resume."
Graduates of the program will be placed in entry-level office and industrial jobs.
Price said they have begun seeking donations of furniture, office equipment and computers for the office they hope to open this summer.
"We have the support of business leaders, city managers, county managers, the university and community colleges," Price said. "For LIFE to be successful, we’ll need the community to back up their support with donations and job openings."
LIFE will serve Bertie, Beaufort, Hertford, Martin and Pitt counties. u