United Way of Mahaska County Opens ICAP Site
United Way
Now Offering Online Unemployment Filing and Job Search Assistance
As the recipient of the Strengthen Rural Iowa grant, a federal project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, Strengthening Communities Fund, United Way of Mahaska County is announcing the opening of an Iowa Career Access Point (ICAP) on November 15, 2010.
The ICAP site is a collaborative project between Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and our local United Way which provides guided remote access into the Iowa Workforce Development One-Stop system.
“Because of the central location of our building, as well as the number of direct service agencies housed here, we feel that offering this service makes sense. This partnership with IWD, extends their services to people who may not be able to make it to their office, or may feel more comfortable in a familiar environment,” explains Katie Schippers, United Way Assistant, and project leader.
On November 4th, United Way staff participated in a “train the trainer” session conducted by IWD regional staffer Teresa Sloan. ICAP identification signs have been placed at the United Way office building, located at 500 High Avenue West, to establish the service as part of the organization. Numerous flyers will soon be posted throughout Mahaska County to further advertise ICAP as an area-wide resource.
The ICAP site is currently staffed on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00 noon -5:00 p.m., and other times by appointment. Anyone filing for unemployment, building a resume, or seeking information about online job search is encouraged to use this free service located at United Way’s office, 500 High Avenue West in Oskaloosa. There will also be an open house to introduce the site on November 29th from 4-6 p.m. The public is cordially encouraged to attend and celebrate this new employment assistance resource.
“The ICAP is a great fit for our organization. Financial stability is just one of the building blocks to a better life. Having the opportunity to help people find jobs is one way we will have a direct impact in reducing poverty in our community, ” adds Christy Bellinger, United Way of Mahaska County’s Executive Director.
For more information on the ICAP center, contact the United Way office at 641-673-6043.
