Love Never Fails, a national human trafficking organization, started in the SF Bay Area in 2011 after the Founder's 15-year dance student was trafficked throughout California. Since then, we have partnered with survivors of gender-based violence and other vulnerable populations as they pursue safety and economic sustainability.
One of the top identified areas of need was and is workforce development. We responded to this need by establishing ourselves as a Technology Academy. While students are enrolled in our
ITBiz Tech Academy they receive a California Cybersecurity Pre Apprenticeship certification and college credit with Merritt College and Oakland Adult Career Education through a co-enrollment agreement. Our program includes education that culminates in certifications such as Cisco IT Specialist, CompTIA A+, Google IT, Google PM, Google UX, SAFe AGILE Scrum Master, and AWS Cloud Practitioner.
Over the last four years, we have educated 400+ students from underserved communities and assisted them in obtaining family-sustaining careers throughout the nation. We not only assist
survivors of human trafficking but the entire underserved community. Our students are 68% BIPOC, 57% Women, and 100% low/no income. We believe reducing community economic vulnerability helps to prevent gun and gender-based violence and creates goodwill and safety for everyone.
92% of Love Never Fails staff is survivors of Gender Based and Interpersonal Violence. As such, we deeply understand the barriers that our students experience when transforming their lives and preparing for sustainability. We call ourselves Barrier Breakers and Bridge Makers. We take seriously the importance of carefully removing the obstacles our students face using trauma-informed best practices and strategic partnerships with wellness agencies like SoulJenn Solutions. It's important to be fully aware that offering a job to a vulnerable community member is not enough. Social Innovation noted, "People experiencing homelessness, for example, face several barriers that make it difficult to find and maintain employment"- Microsoft Word - HPRI Visible Homeless Memo_0418.docx (usc.edu).
Here are the most prevalent employment barriers IT Biz students encounter as they pursue economic sustainability:
79% Access to Resume Writing
52% Access to Career Attire
30% Transportation
27% Housing
24% Mental Health
24% Undocumented
21% Childcare
18% Disability
We've broken the experiences of our students down into 114 specific employment barriers. Our goal in identifying each barrier is to define and launch trauma-informed community responses which reactively and proactively address and remove each one.
They are as follows:
Family Dynamic - Divorce
Family Dynamic - Separation
Family Dynamic - Child Custody
Family Dynamic - Foster Care
Family Dynamic - Gender Based Violence/Interpersonal Violence
No Phone or Wifi/Limited Access
No/Limited Access to Computer
No/Limited Clothing
Homeless - Living temporarily with family/friends
Homeless - Living in a shelter
Homeless - Living on the street (unsheltered)
Trauma - Trauma bonded to abuser/exploiter - heavily controlled
Trauma - Afraid to place child in care - separation anxiety and fear of child getting abused.
Trauma - Anthropophobia; afraid of certain people groups, races, and genders and cannot receive direction/education
Trauma - Poverty causes mental anguish and distraction
Afraid of success - self-sabotage
Gaps in Work History due to gender-based violence (exploitation, domestic violence, and interpersonal violence)
Gaps in Work History due to homelessness
Gaps in Work History due to medical condition
Gaps in Work History due to incarceration
Long-term welfare dependence - afraid to lose it
Long-term SSI dependence - afraid to lose it
Long-term Section 8 dependence - afraid to lose it
Job Readiness - Need Job Search Skills
Job Readiness - Need Job Interviewing Skills
Job Readiness - Need Business Attire
Job Readiness - Need Professional Communication Coaching
Life Skills - Challenge with Hygiene
Need for training in marketable industry
Lack of basic computer skills
Need childcare during business hours
Need childcare non-standard hours
Need specialized childcare for a child with trauma needs
Education and support for children with chronic health conditions to minimize work disruption
Transportation - Phobia of public transportation due to traumatic experience
Transportation - Inability to drop children to childcare on public transportation and make it to work on time
Transportation - Public transportation not available in the area - need a car
Transportation - Has car but no gas money
Transportation - Has car but no insurance
Food scarcity - Has food but diet is poor, causing frequent illness
Food scarcity - Does not have access to food
Food scarcity - Can utilize food pantry but can't physically carry it home
Food scarcity - Can utilize food pantry but can't store it. No refrigerator or storage
Language Barrier - English is Second Language
Language Barrier-Speech Impediment
Criminal system- Felony
Criminal system- Misdemeanor
Criminal system- Pending Warrants
Criminal system- 290 Sex Registrant
Criminal system- Witness Protection
Drug Addiction - Illegal Substance (Meth, Cocaine, Crack, Heroin, Heroin transitioning to Methadone/Suboxone, etc.)
Drug Addiction - Pain Medication
Drug Addiction - Legal Substance (Cannabis)
Alcohol Addiction
Caregiver for Addicted Family Member
Vaccination - Religious Exemption
Vaccination - Fear to become vaccination
COVID- Phobia of working around people due to health condition
Education - Cannot read
Education - Cannot write
Transition - Transitioning from Military to Civilian Workforce
Education - No High School Diploma or Equivalent
Challenges interviewing/relating due to disability
Challenges with time management due to disability
Challenges following instructions due to disability
Job not accessible to under 18
Job not accessible to those under 21
Unable to meet lifting requirements
Employer racial bias
Employer gender bias
Employer gender identity bias
Employer culture bias
Employer requires four-year university degree
Employer and candidate culture, not a fit
Imposter Syndrome - Candidate, does not believe they are qualified for the job
Chronic health conditions
Learning Disabilities - Challenges with Comprehension and Processing
Learning Disabilities - ADHD
Learning Disabilities- Dyslexia
Learning Disabilities - Neuro-differences (spectrum)
Obesity
Disability - Anorexia
Disability - Bulimia
Disability - Hearing Impaired
Disability - Sight Impaired
Disability - Cancer
Disability - Mobility Impairment
Disability - Intellectual
Disability - Cerebral Palsy
Disability - Epilepsy
Disability - Bi-Polar
Disability - Anxiety
Disability - Depression
Disability - Missing Limbs
Medical Treatment - Gender Transition
Disability - Multiple Sclerosis
Disability - Muscular Dystrophy
Disability - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Disability - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Disability - Borderline Personality Disorder
Disability - Schizophrenia
Disability - High Blood Pressure
Disability - Stroke
Disability - Asthma
Disability - Autism
Disability - Brain Injury
Disability - Dissociative Identity Disorder
Disability - Defiant Disorder
Disability - Tourette's
Immigration Status - Undocumented - no abuse
Immigration Status - Undocumented adult victim of abuse
Immigration Status - Undocumented minor victim of abuse
Immigration Status - Asylum
Immigration Status - Resident
These barriers are both seen and unseen and equally debilitating if not addressed.
As we look for solutions to human trafficking, domestic violence, and homelessness and seek to uplift the voiceless. We urge community leaders to roll up their sleeves and join forces with us to
remove each barrier and build the bridge to economic sustainability and empowered choices for all.
To partner with us, please contact us at Davina Kerrerlola, davina@loveneverfailsus.com