At a Catholic Charities housing site, a man with a beard in a fleece vest bends over a washing machine, checking on his clothes. Another man, wearing a purple hoodie, sits nearby.

Social Enterprise and Workforce Development

Social enterprise and workforce development programs offer strategies to improve an individual’s potential in the workplace and contribute to alleviating poverty.

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The Challenge

Too many individuals are either unemployed or underemployed, facing upheaval in the economy and the job market, and with no sustainable career pathway ahead of them. Access to opportunities and resources can change not only their lives, but those of their families and communities.

A happy couple in aprons stands in front of a produce stand. He has his arm over her shoulder and is giving a thumbs up while she holds a small chalkboard reading 'Open.'

The Response

Safe Beacon in collaboration with Catholic Charities agencies offer a combination of workforce development programs — to provide those who are unemployed or underemployed with the necessary skills to pursue meaningful work — and social enterprise programs that offer opportunities for clients to hone their new skills in a supportive environment.


A young man in a t-shirt sits in an office space working on a laptop computer.

Workforce Development

Workforce development pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs combine specialized skills trainings, so clients can follow a career pathway in a trade, with case management, client-employer connection and follow-up until the client becomes self-sufficient.

Undergirding many of these programs are foundational educational offerings, such as adult basic education (ABE), GED, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), employment readiness and financial education.


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The Impact

Employees of social enterprises make significant gains toward economic self-sufficiency and stability in housing and income while decreasing their reliance on government benefits. 

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$36.6M

Annual revenue from social enterprises 

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2,300

Professional certifications/credentials earned 

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28,000

People served through social enterprises

Curtis H. Johnson, Jr., vice president of housing strategy.

PROGRAM LEAD

Julieta Machado

Julieta is the vice president of social enterprise and workforce development initiatives. She manages the Innovation Challenge and the Rework America Alliance Project, providing technical support to local agency staff to build capacity and make connections with workforce development opportunities. She also leads the Construction Trades, Language Interpretation and Employment Readiness Communities of Practice.

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