SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE: Transforming Education, Health, Human Services and Other Systems to Support Human Development

When 37 companies in the Calumet Industrial Corridor were surveyed by the Southeast Chicago Development Commission about whether they thought high schools and colleges in Southeast Chicago were an asset, only 8% of the respondents strongly agreed. Six percent agreed and 14% did not agree. Thirty-nine percent of the companies strongly disagreed that the schools of the area were an asset and 56% agreed or strongly agreed that additional job training facilities that fit the needs of companies are needed .¹⁵⁶

It is hard because many local employers have not chosen to become involved much in community issues. Also, some businesses do not try to hire from the local community or want to work with the community. Few current employees live in the region, so there is no network in place for placing local people. At least on the Illinois side of the Calumet region, there is no corporate cheerleader for local hires. Most companies are not working closely with universities and technical schools to steer people into scientific and high-tech fields. Most area colleges are not providing workers who meet the standards of local employers.

It is hard to address this and other social issues when many local organizations, including educational institutions, are struggling with declining budgets and rising costs. There is much competition between Southeast Chicago and Northwest Indiana: how do you get enough money to both?

There are some signs that some businesses, colleges and universities, and community organizations are willing to work together to improve school to work transitions and adult education.

In Illinois, little has happened so far, but much is planned. Olive Harvey Community College has identified is a handful of firms which are willing to work with training programs to improve educational opportunities. ¹⁵⁷ As part of the Calumet Industrial Corridor Strategic Plan, Calumet Area Industrial Commission is establishing a network of training providers and human resource directors in conjunction with community organizations to develop a program for developing the skills of local workers. The Chicago Department of Planning and Development also plans to expand its workforce efforts, especially matching residents with jobs through job training and placement. ¹⁵⁸ City Innovation is encouraging the creation of new industrial training programs working with DePaul University and People for Community recovery.

There are also a number of efforts with specific firms. SCDCom is working with Verson Corporation, an automotive press manufacturer, local universities, and community residents to train residents for Verson's cutting edge manufacturing jobs. ¹⁵⁹ Morrison Knudsen has an apprenticeship program.

The Center for Neighborhood Technology convened a roundtable discussion on opportunities for jobs in the environmental field at Olive Harvey College in Southeast Chicago. A premise of the meeting was that the demand for environmental clean-up workers will grow substantially over the next few years. There is a shortage of skilled technicians to perform environmental compliance and monitoring activities in the private and public sectors. Funding is being sought for a community needs assessment to identify the environmental remediation job training needs of local industries, contractors, and consulting firms. ¹⁶⁰ Environmental and community organizations, as well as local teachers and DePaul University are developing a plan to turn property near Altgeld Gardens into an outdoor environmental laboratory in which students from the university and local school can conduct environmental research.

Wilbur Wright College in Chicago has created a program to recruit and train students for employment in the environmental filed, including pollution monitoring, site remediation and regulatory compliance.

In Northwest Indiana, a major initiative is underway, both to certify teachers and to coordinate and improve school-to-work transitions. The Northwest Indiana Forum made improving teacher credentials and school to work opportunities one of its priorities because of concerns about educational quality in Northwest Indiana.

According to a 1993 NCI forecast of employment opportunity, there will be good growth potential in several sectors in Southeast Chicago. Perhaps these sectors could be the focus of placement and training initiatives involving local community organizations, training institutions, and firms. The sectors include retail trade, health care, transportation/distribution including freight transport, warehousing, intermodal services, transportation services, etc., and, in manufacturing, plastics and instruments and related products. ¹⁶¹ Occupations which Olive Harvey expects to have employment potential include nursing, health technicians, other technicians, mechanics, installers, and repairers, precision production workers, sales and marketing workers, and clerical support. ¹⁶²

Heath and Human Services

Health and human services systems I found out very little about, or about other systems to support human development. There was no time for deeper exploration in this area, but there is clearly a great deal happening in the areas of housing, health, and social services.

Progress includes the new El Valor family learning center which should be complete by the end of 1997. The center will provide family support and respite, housing, training, and pre-school and parenting services. The South Chicago Neighborhood Housing Collaborative made up of Claretian Associates and NHS of Chicago will invest $2.6 million in the net two years. NHS, UNO, and Claretian Associates also are encouraging homeowners to upgrade their properties. SCDCOM also is renovating apartment buildings.

Some of the many people working on these issues in the Calumet region include People for Community Recovery; Bill Peterman, Coordinator, Neighborhood Assistance Center, CSU and Mark Boughman, Geography Dept. CSU; Dr. Gloria Jackson Bacon, Director, Altgeld Gardens Clinic; Ramona Lopez and Donna Moralez, Claretian Medical Center; Donna Drynan, Claretian Associates; Keith Harley, South Chicago Legal Clinic; Tipawan Reed, DePaul University; Steve Givhan, Chicago South Development Corporation; Lynn Hughes, Historic North Pullman; Dr. Cox, Olive Harvey Community College; Eraina Dunn, Human Action Community Organization; Communities for Economic Recovery; Steve Goldsmithy, Developing Communities Project; Tom DuBois, Mexican Community Committee; John Ownes, Consortium of Churches Development Corp.; Lou Gonzales, Lake County Human Services; Frank Cisar, Urban Affairs Center and Father Thomas Gannon, Heartland Center and Northwest Indiana Council on Urban Affairs; and Linda Wakshanski, Northwest Indiana PIC.

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