Our name conveys our message—Klamath Works. Beginning in 2014, we met with government agencies, charities and religious ministries to find ways to address social problems in the Klamath Basin. We reached a powerful conclusion: The best welfare program for the needy is more jobs.

In response, Sky Lakes Medical Center, government agencies, faith-based organizations, law enforcement and business partners have rallied around a common goal. Our mission is to help those in need return to self-sufficiency by preparing them for work.

Why? Because a job is the best weapon in combating poverty—not merely poverty of income but of health, of pride, and of spirit. Research shows that a key to a satisfying life is not merely money, but “earned success”—the feeling that one controls their own future and deserves the rewards they have attained. Individuals who are working are more involved with their families and communities and less likely to become involved with drugs or crime.

Work is good.

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Successful job training isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula where clients spend hours on end siting in a classroom. Instead, it has to be individualized and hands-on.

Individualized training means identifying and addressing the barriers that prevent an individual from finding and holding a job. For some, it’s a lack of formal education like a high school diploma. For others it’s family problems that make it hard to hold a job. Or, substance abuse that prevents them from being employable. A criminal background is a huge barrier for some individuals and requires special tactics to find the right employer. Klamath Works isolates the specific barriers that keep each client from building a career, then works to tear those barriers down.

Job training also needs to be hands-on. Klamath Works keeps classroom time short so that participants can spend the rest of the day reinforcing their lessons through interactive, educational experiences. Participant teams travel to local job sites where they observe and participate in many different types of work, seeing what employers demand and how successful employees meet those demands. This field work and job shadowing gives participants an opportunity to ask questions, broaden perspectives and build confidence in their own ability to function in the workplace.

Employer Partnerships

Local employers have found that, despite persistent unemployment in the area, they often cannot find willing and able employees for the jobs they have available. Klamath Works is offering area employers an opportunity to fix that problem, by working with us to build employee skills and match employees to jobs where they can perform effectively.
Every graduate of the Klamath Works program is certified job ready. That means each graduate has completed all the modules and has proven they are ready to responsibly work. Graduates have a certificate an the tools they need for a successful future. And each Klamath Works graduate heads into the work place with a mentor who walks and works with them as a friend. The mentor communicates with the graduate’s employer to ensure the graduate successfully transitions into work and stays on track afterwards.

We want employers to see our graduates as strong employee candidates. Our goal is to become the premiere organization in Oregon at returning the unemployed to work.