With the success of the Job Network Service Project, fifteen more “perennial clients” will be considered by the program, said to have been pilot-tested in Region Eight since 2008, and now to be extended till end of year 2010, to be able to reach out clients who have been continuously seeking medical assistance from the DSWD Field Office Eight’s Crisis Intervention Unit.
These were the remaining “perennial clients” who were not served by the program since it was launched in the region. Already, there were a total of 74 clients served – 26 in year 2008 and 48 in year 2009. From among them, all of them underwent counseling while 33 were able to avail of skills trainings from partner – agencies; 15 were provided job search assistance; 26 referred to other support services.
The nature of the Job Network Service Project is actually to provide assistance to unemployed clients who are seeking job and food assistance, but Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs Group Florita Villar suggested the move, in her visit to the region late last week, for an evaluation of this one-and-a-half-year program, which objective is to empower and enhance the financial capability/skills of unemployed individuals to become self-reliant, productive, and contributing members of society.
Villar mentioned in this meeting that DSWD-National Capital Region will be included as pilot area, as among the thrusts and directions for this year. “We gained experience from the project,” she emphasized, adding that another focus for 2010 is the enhancement of the Job Network Service Guidelines.