Thompson Falls recognizes senior workers

THOMPSON FALLS – Finding work in these hard times has been difficult but the elderly population has struggled the most. Since the recession, thousands of seniors have been laid off. When businesses need to downsize, the workers that may be lacking in physicality or technical savvy are some of the first to go.

These workers over the age of 55 who were laid off need to find work because of dwindling retirement accounts. This is no easy task because there can be a stigma against senior workers for two reasons. First, low-income older individuals are less likely to have completed high school than any other group. Second, many low-income seniors lack essential computer skills needed.

Experience Works is the leading American organization dedicated to overcoming these stigmas and improving the lives of older workers. Their mission is to provide seniors with community service opportunities, job training and employment placement. Experience Works specializes in overcoming barriers such as disabilities, limited skills and low education.

The organization has a long history of serving Montana seniors and has been actively assisting Sanders County for the past five years. Because of their services, Thompson Falls Mayor Carla Parks and the City Council decided to proclaim April 2, 2014 as the Day of Recognition for Experience Works and the senior employees that continue to serve the community.

A reception was held at the City Office for Experience Works Western Montana Employment and Training Coordinator Russ Johnson, the employed workers and their employers. Johnson was presented an award for his services to the county. The recognition was Mayor Parks’ idea and it was backed by the Thompson Falls City Council.

“It is important to recognize these programs that serve the community and the nonprofit organizations,” Mayor Parks said. “We wanted to recognize the work they are doing.”

One of the Sanders County nonprofit organizations that works closely with Experience Works is the Thompson River Animal Care Shelter. TRACS currently employs several seniors.

The hope is for Experience Works to remain active in Sanders County and for more local seniors to learn about their available services.

Experience Works, formerly known as Green Thumb, was established back in 1965 and has served Montana seniors since 1972. They operate in 31 states across the nation including the providence of Puerto Rico. The Montana Senior Community Service Employment Program exclusively serves low income seniors age 55 and over who need assistance to re-enter the work force.

This year, Experience Works will help to improve the lives of 439 Montana seniors through job training and education. There have been 482 seniors served throughout Montana with an average age of 69 years. There are other illuminating Experience Works and SCSEP statistics.

Around 285,472 community service job training hours have been invested in Montana trainees and the trainees earned a total of almost $2,200,000. As of now, 105 Montana trainees have secured jobs, Those 105 with secured jobs have earned a combined $1,484,800 so far this year and a total of 429 job prep classes have been taken through online courses with a value of $21,021.

For more information please contact Russ Johnson at 543-2300 or email him at russ_johnson@experienceworks.com.