LA:RISE name shown in a gradient light yellow to dark orange

LA:RISE - Los Angeles Regional Initiative for Social Enterprise

LA:RISE is an innovative, collaborative partnership that unites the City and County of Los Angeles’ Workforce Development System with non-profit social enterprises and for-profit employers to help men and women with high barriers to employment get good jobs and stay employed.

LA:RISE connects employment social enterprises to the workforce system, supportive services, and employers, allowing all partners to bring their expertise and resources to the table. Now in its ninth year, LA:RISE has expanded from 10 to 38 partners across the County of Los Angeles and provided transitional employment to over 7,500 Angelenos.

HOW IT WORKS

After working in a transitional job at a social enterprise and leveraging training and services from the WorkSource Center, LA:RISE participants are placed in permanent jobs in the private or public sector. Upon placement, they work with a retention partner for up to one year, who acts as a safety net against potential barriers that can emerge on their path to self-sufficiency.

An Innovative Approach to Job Creation

Job Readiness Assessment
A standard tool implemented across all social enterprise sites to ensure that all referred candidates are job ready. The use of this assessment tool creates consistency and provides assurance to employers that no matter which social enterprise they source from, they will receive a quality referral from the LA:RISE program.

CalJOBS^SM
Job search platforms that host data tracking systems allowing all LA:RISE partners to communicate efficiently with each other. By integrating social enterprises and personal support providers, these portals have significantly improved communication and case management across multiple sites.

Beyond Co-Location
WorkSource Center partners are not just physically co-located at the social enterprise site — they are integrated into the program and organizations. Individuals from both of these agencies are seen as one seamless team, providing customer-centric case management to all LA:RISE participants.

MEET MANUEL

Manuel experienced homelessness while searching for flexible employment that allowed him time to complete his re-entry program. When he joined LA:RISE he was paired with social enterprise partner the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO). Manuel was placed on a CEO/Caltrans crew, where he gained on-the-job skills and built up confidence. During the program, he met consistently with his job developer to discuss career options and opportunities for long-term employment.

Manuel recently secured full-time, stable employment with a construction company. He plans to return to school and earn additional certifications that will enable him to continue building his career. His advice for future LA:RISE participants is to stay focused, take advantage of the great resources and ask for help when needed.

MEET DONNA

Before enrolling in LA:RISE, Donna was experiencing homelessness and struggled to keep a steady job. The LA:RISE program provided Donna with on-the-job training at MADE by the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC), an LA:RISE social enterprise partner. She also continues to work as a Production Inventory Associate at MADE by DWC.

Donna received training in production lines, shipping and inventory, along with supervision skills. At DWC, Donna learned how to work with a team, communicate professionally and productively utilize feedback. She is currently enrolled in vocational training at the Vernon-Central/Los Angeles Trade-Tech College WorkSource Center.

"I'm proud of my successes," said Donna, "and I look forward to a stable future."

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5 steps to the LA:RISE Innovative Model - Transitional Employment, Support Services, Job Readiness, Competitive Employment, and Retention

THE POWER OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Social enterprises are competitive, revenue-generating businesses with a clear social mission: to hire and train people who are striving to overcome employment barriers including homelessness, incarceration, substance abuse, mental illness, and limited education.

Social enterprises provide real, paying jobs and wraparound services that help employees stabilize their lives, build their skills, and succeed. When employees are ready, social enterprises help them find lasting, competitive jobs. And because social enterprises reinvest their profits back into their businesses so they can help more people, they require less outside funding and are more sustainable.

Independent research conducted among the social enterprises in REDF’s California portfolio confirms this impact.

Working Better Together

Traditional workforce development systems have not integrated social enterprises and personal supports as strategies to address the overwhelming needs of homeless and reentry populations. At the same time, businesses across the country are challenged with finding skilled workers.

With the passage of the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which requires government-contracted workforce agencies to serve populations with barriers to employment, there was a catalyzing opportunity to foster collaboration between the social enterprise field, the workforce system, and employers to improve the long-term success of this population.

THE LA:RISE APPROACH

LA:RISE is an employer-driven pathway with multiple partners that work together efficiently across the lifecycle of each participant’s engagement.

PROJECT LEADS

The Roberts Enterprise Development Fund (REDF) is the lead program manager and provides technical assistance to individual partners. The City of LA's Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD) and the LA County's Workforce Development Aging and Community Services (WDACS) are responsible for workforce development and training in Los Angeles. They act as project managers and provide administrative oversight for fiscal monitoring and program compliance.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

Social enterprises in LA:RISE include Chrysalis, LA Conservation Corps, Coalition for Responsible Community Development, Homeboy Industries, Goodwill SoCal, Downtown Women’s Center, the Center for Living and Learning, and the Center for Employment Opportunities.

WORKFORCE AGENCIES

Government contractors (WorkSource Center, America’s Job Centers, One-Stops) are organizations that provide workforce development and job readiness training. They work with individuals from the beginning of employment at the social enterprise through job placement and follow up once someone is placed in employment. Workforce agencies include Goodwill SoCal, Coalition for Responsible Community Development, Managed Career Services, and El Proyecto.

RETENTION PROVISION

The focus of retention is to help people remain employed by providing wrap-around resources to prevent job loss and lay the foundation for upward mobility. Retention includes assistance with referrals to health, housing, and educational resources and coaching for personal development and financial capabilities.

COMPETITIVE “BRIDGE” EMPLOYERS

Creating employment pathways that fit the needs and interests of our target population is critical to the success of LA:RISE. In addition to leveraging workforce system connections to competitive employment, LA:RISE has identified bridge employers in the private sector who are mission-aligned, industry-relevant, and provide the potential for upward mobility. Individuals also have opportunities to pursue employment opportunities with the City of LA Targeted Hiring Program, which provides an alternate pathway to civil service jobs, and Fair Chance Hiring Fairs through the Mayor’s Office of Reentry.