By Tom Abate
The San Francisco Chronicle
OAKLAND, Calif. — These are tough times for all job seekers, but for former prisoners and young adults leaving foster care, employment is particularly elusive.
An East Bay Community Foundation study released Tuesday cited those two groups as being among the residents of Alameda and Contra Costs counties who face exceptional barriers to finding work.
“I want to especially single out the need to provide jobs for those formerly incarcerated,” said Nicole Taylor, president of the foundation.
Alameda County has more than 17,000 adults on probation and 3,700 on parole. Contra Costa has more than 1,500 adult parolees with no estimate for probation.
Rubicon Programs Inc. is one group that helps former prisoners find work through testing, training and monitoring. It also bonds employees to ensure employers against potential losses.
“By the time we’ve passed a person to the employer, we’re sure they’re motivated to succeed,” said Rubicon President Jane Fischberg.
About 400 18-year-olds leave foster care each year in the two East Bay counties, and they are often ill prepared to work or live alone.
Sam Cobbs, chief executive of First Place for Youth in Oakland, said his group is currently helping several hundred former foster youth find jobs and apartments.
He said the group works with employers to make sure the new hires fit in.
“We help take the drama out of the situation,” Cobbs said.
Copyright 2009 San Francisco Chronicle