The Added Chance program provides older DCFS participants with a formalized yet creative and fluid learning experience to help them to develop skills necessary for independence through pre-employment training, pre-employment counseling, employment referral and placement. It is beneficial for youth in care approaching emancipation to have the work history, resumes, and interviewing skills that help create a solid basis for a working life after emancipation.

Added Chance provides ongoing year-round employment counseling with job referral assistance on a regular, and as-needed, basis to participants throughout the program year. Added Chance gets results with limited classroom time followed by one-on-one services with employment counselors and job developers. Counseling and job referral services continue for participants throughout the program year and are often extended throughout the participants’ tenure with DCFS. As such, participants have an ongoing relationship with an employment counselor who knows them. Added Chance strives to place participants in meaningful, unsubsidized employment. It does not place youth in DCFS or government subsidized employment. Youth learn to work at real jobs while enhancing their future employability.

Added Chance training and counseling focuses on work history, resumes, job applications and interviewing. Most new participants enter the program without a resume or one that can be improved. Some have trouble completing job applications. Further, youth in care often have complex work and educational histories that need to be sifted, assessed, and organized into effective resumes, successful job applications and interviewing. Added Chance is adept at helping young people to discover or recover past work history, volunteer work, odd jobs, extracurricular activities, skills, and education that often go unreported on resumes and job interviews. There is a genuine sense of accomplishment and empowerment after these issues have been addressed. Enrolled participants are first provided with an orientation that covers various aspects of the employment process, including interviewing skills, job-ready appearance, employer and program expectations, occupational and educational goals, reasons for leaving, experience, and collect information for resume writing.

Participants are then provided with one-on-one employment counseling. In counseling sessions, the participants’ goals, abilities, school activities, background, physical location, and barriers to employment are considered and assessed with the participant. The participant is then provided one-on-one assistance to produce a resume, prepare job applications and practice interviewing. Employment opportunities are discussed, and information gathered to assist in job development. One-on-one counseling, job referral and follow-up continue with participants throughout the program year.

After completion of pre-employment services, the Added Chance Program counselors continue to work with participants throughout the program year to develop appropriate referrals to employers who are hiring, with the prospect of placement into employment, including up-placement and re-placement as needed. Resumes are regularly updated, and ongoing employment situations and issues discussed.

Pre-employment Orientation covers various aspects of the employment process, including interviewing skills, job-ready appearance, employer and program expectations, occupational and educational goals, reasons for leaving, experience, and collect information for resume writing.

Employment Counseling to provide one-on-one assistance to produce a resume, prepare job applications and practice interviewing. Employment opportunities are discussed, and information gathered to assist in job development.

Job Referral, Placement and Follow-up. After completion of pre-employment services, the Added Chance Program counselors continue to work with participants throughout the program year to develop appropriate referrals to employers who are hiring, with the prospect of placement into employment, including up-placement and re-placement as needed. Resumes are regularly updated, and ongoing employment situations and issues discussed.