April 15 probably comes to mind as Tax Day for most people. But for Jeff Corey, the Capitol Hill case manager who works with homeless and at-risk youth, the day has a different meaning.
Between now and then Corey will be working on bringing a tea cart to Cal Anderson Park and making sure it's ready for business. The cart will be staffed by some of the youth Corey works with, which will help them gain a little work experience as they take steps towards regular employment.
Working for Street Outreach Services, Corey has been Capitol Hill case manager for the last 15 months. His job is working with homeless youths he meets and gets to know on the street and help them take positive steps in their lives.
It's demanding, often non-linear work. Success is measured in small increments. A client may get an identity card. A job application may be filled out. A person may ask for and receive information on safe sex or the needle exchange. Sometimes all he can do is listen to a person's share his or her story.
Last October, Corey was thinking of ways to help some of his clients who are getting close to transitioning off the street. The prospects of getting a job can prove overwhelming to homeless youths. Employers do not exactly beat down their doors to hire homeless youths with little to no work experience.
"It's tough for them, which is understandable from an employer's point of view. There are a lot of job-training programs in the city, but few provide paid training for at-risk or homeless youths. I thought it would be great to have something, even if it's only for a few kids at a time," Corey said.
At first a specific job-training idea proved elusive. When Jose Cervantes, who heads the Capitol Hill Neighborhood Service Center, suggested Corey develop a tea cart in Cal Anderson Park, the idea started to gel. The cart would be staffed by some of Corey's clients and help them connect with the community.
"We wanted to come up with something to help provide a sense of ownership to some homeless youth who have proven they are ready to accept this responsibility. There has been tension in the park between homeless youth and the neighborhood, and the more I thought about the more it seemed like a good idea. The cart could provide work experience for some people who need it, and provide a positive interaction between them and the neighborhood," he said.
The program will start small. Four to five kids will take part at first. The cart will open Wednesday to Friday from 3 to 7 p.m., and on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. Hours and days may be expanded once the cart becomes established. Adult volunteers will be on hand to assist. Workers at the cart will earn $8.50 per hour.
The overall goal is to provide work experience that leads to future employment elsewhere. The cart is meant to be a stepping stone. Participants must commit to a three-month stint but are expected to rotate out after six months to allow others to take part in the program.
Corey said the cart is intended to be a means to an end and not an end in itself. During their time at the tea cart, participants will be expected to work on resumes and interview skills and set up job interviews.
It's taken several months to get the cart up and running. Money for the project came in large part from a Department of Neighborhoods grant. A contribution from the Raynier Foundation also helped. Over the fall and early winter, a cart was purchased, and permission to use the park was secured from the Parks Department.
The tea-cart project is funded as a three-month trial program. But assuming the sales from the cart can generate enough revenue to cover expenses, most of which are employee wages, then it will continue indefinitely. Corey said he expects this outcome given that the park will be more active as the weather improves. Greater park use should lead to greater sales.
Available, besides a variety of teas - Choice Teas Organic Fair Trade Tea will be the supplier - will be sports drinks as well as possibly small snack items. The cart will be located near the park's shelterhouse just north of the Bobby Morris Playfield, a location that should appeal to people walking through, as well as those taking part in sports.
The project is small in scale and is not able to serve a large number of homeless youths who need employment experience. But, Corey said, it is something that could make a positive difference in the lives of people who are ready to take a next step. And it is also possible that additional carts could be established at different locations if they proved feasible.
"I'm confident this is something the neighborhood can get behind. Cal Anderson Park is in the heart of the neighborhood. The cart will be a positive experience for workers and customers," Corey said. "The tea cart can help a few homeless people get closer to a full-time job, and it can help bring together a lot of different groups in the community."
The tea cart will open at noon April 15 in Cal Anderson Park and will be located in the plaza near the Cal Anderson Park Shelterhouse.
Anyone wishing to volunteer at the tea cart can contact Meg Higgins at meg.higgins@seattle.gov.
Doug Schwartz is the editor of the Capitol Hill Times. He can be reached at editor@capitolhilltimes.com or 461-1308.[[In-content Ad]]
