Financial help available for job seekers

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

During Monday night’s meeting of Van Wert City Council, Mindy Eales, Workforce Development Supervisor with Ohio Means Jobs Van Wert County outlined the assistance that’s available to county residents.

“We can help with resume building, we have workshops that deal with problem solving, time management and interviewing if you haven’t had an interview in a long time and you’re nervous we can help you with that,” Eales explained. “We go over how you fill out an application. Our population today sometimes have issues with the question ‘do you have a misdemeanor or felony?’ and they don’t always answer it in the right way and it can hinder them so we can work with them on how to best answer that.”

Eales also noted Ohio Means Jobs Van Wert County has a PRC Program – Prevention, Retention and Contingency, which helps anyone in the county with a minor child who has fallen on hard times.

“If they get behind on utilities, they get behind on rent due to job loss or sickness, we can help pay those bills to help get them back on track,” she said. “We also have a program that can assist with work tools and clothing. If you’ve been out of work for a while and you got a new job and it’s in Delphos and you live in Van Wert, it’s not going to be easy getting back and forth with the cost of gas so we can pay your gas for 30 days.”

Eales also said assistance is available for up to four months for those with lapsed auto insurance, and school incentive programs are also offered as part of the PRC Program.

In addition, an incentive program is available for eligible people who reduce or eliminate their Ohio Works First or food assistance (SNAP) by gaining or increasing employment.

“They can fill out an application and if they qualify, which most do, just for getting employment they can get $700,” Eales said. “If they maintain that employment for four months they get $400, eight months is $400 and if they maintain that same employment for one year, they get $1000. The catch to this is we’re not just giving them money, they have to maintain contact with the case manager to talk about any barriers that they might have come across.”

“Maybe their car broke down or they don’t have a babysitter anymore, they’re not sure how to deal with their new supervisor – instead of just quitting, we want them to communicate with our case manager and we’re going to help them overcome those barriers,” she added.

More information about the PRC Program or other job incentives is available at Ohio Means Jobs Van Wert County, 120 E. Main St. in downtown Van Wert or by calling 419.623.4437.