Coastal Enterprises, Inc., a community development corporation based in Wiscasset, Maine, was founded in 1977 as a response to the need for job-generating small businesses. Today, CEI proudly continues its mission to provide financial and technical assistance to many of Maine's businesses, while simultaneously helping low-income and disabled residents find and maintain jobs. CEI has also expanded its scope to include family and center-based childcare, affordable housing, value-added natural resource industries, and workforce development. CEI has:
- Created or sustained some 10,000 jobs
- Participated in over $270 million of economic development financing to 1,100 businesses, social services and housing projects Counseled over 9,000 businesses
- 63 staff members currently and 25 AmeriCorps volunteers
CEI's Targeted Opportunities Program works to create jobs and training opportunities for people with low incomes throughout the state of Maine. One of its many successful projects is its partnership with New England 800 (NE 800), a direct-response service bureau that provides toll-free telephone access and response to its customers, including American Tourister, Chanel Fashions, Polaroid, and Shaw's Supermarkets. The partnership has successfully helped low-income residents of Waldoboro, Maine become self-sufficient and has allowed NE 800 to employ responsible, trained customer service representatives (CSRs).
NE 800 is funded partly by Maine's first social investment fund, CEI's Coastal Ventures Limited Partnership (CVLP). The CVLP, with 23 investors, helps small businesses that would normally have difficulty in accessing conventional funds. In return, NE 800 agrees to hire low-income workers and recipients of Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF) in its call center. Following a screening process, Maine's Department of Human Services' Bureau of Family Independence (BFI) and Coastal Economic Development (CED) Centers provide NE 800 with individuals for training. Candidates are required to maintain a certain level of competency involving spelling, grammar, math, typing, and communication. During training, NE 800 monitors the eligible applicants and can therefore choose the most fitting customer service representatives. Field training, which is approximately 25 hours per week, consists of groups of ten to fifteen perspective CSRs and three main training components: Indoctrination and Familiarization, Computer Familiarization, and Core Competencies. This training is lead by a NE 800 employee.
Once employed, CSRs can enjoy the benefits of above average wages for the area, opportunities for advancement, childcare and transportation provided by the Bureau of Family Independence, and fringe benefits. CSRs begin working at $7.00 per hour and can earn wage increases by working off-hours or advancing through the company. One of New England 800's vice presidents worked her way from welfare to a senior management position. Benefits of the company include an 85% company paid health insurance package, paid vacations, an anniversary bonus, and interest free loans.
Much of the partnership's success can be attributed to The Employment and Training Agreement between CEI, CVLP, NE 800, the Department of Human Services Bureau of Family Independence, and Coastal Economic Development/Workforce Development/Career Centers. The terms of each party's contributions and expectations were specifically laid out in this contract and signed by a member of each party during the closing of the loan. Before making a loan to a business, CEI conducts an employment assessment to determine whether or not the company would generate quality jobs that could benefit low-income people. Employment within these companies should include above average starting wages, health benefits, and opportunities for advancement. NE 800 has agreed to employ 100 CSRs within three years of CEI's investment, at least 75 of which will be TANF recipients. NE 800 saves on recruiting costs as CEI, BFI, and CED provide low-income, eligible workers for training. CEI's use of The Employment and Training Agreement (ETAG) has become a benchmark in partnerships; it is the model used by the Office of Community Services at the federal Department of Human Services' Job Opportunities for Low Income Individuals Program.
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