Skills for L.I.F.E. Foundation

PROJECT PURPOSE

PROBLEM: One of the most pressing issues today is the staggering unemployment (24%) and underemployment (31?51%) rates among military spouses. Exacerbated by the COVID Pandemic, many military families require two incomes to succeed. ?Even before the COVID-19 crisis, military spouse unemployment was more than seven times the national average. With the pandemic affecting labor markets and the demands of their active duty spouses, the situation is expected to only get worse.?i This is very important for the military, the nation, Oklahoma, as it is for military spouses. SOLUTION: Since 2013, the Skills for L.I.F.E. Foundation, a 501c3 Oklahoma non-profit, has created and delivered thousands of hours of live and virtual interactive Self Development workshops, where military members, spouses, and dependents are learning and using SUPER Skills (Hard + Soft Skills) required in today?s workforce. They are the Identification, Awareness, 3-stage Assessment (Trainer, Self, and Peer to Peer) process, through learner/evidence based Application, changing human behavior, resulting in positive long-term personal and professional results, building a stronger, more innovative, and more diverse Oklahoma economy and enhancing capabilities of state services for the wellbeing of all citizens, especially the most vulnerable.

EVIDENCE

Since 2013 our expanding team of 100% service members, spouses, family members, and veterans, have trained thousands of individuals who provide written and video testimonials, references, and referrals, to our programs. Through COVID 2020, we took our workshops virtual and began 1-hour SUPER ZOOMer Lunch-n-Learns which continue today, reaching across the globe, validating the Skills for L.I.F.E. Programs (Training, 1-on-1 Coaching, and Virtual Workshops are getting results! In addition, we re-connect every 6 months (via email, phone, and text) to touch base and inquire what is working, what they need, and offer additional coaching and mentorship support for L.I.F.E. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUGL-aU0Lxk

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

One of the most pressing issues today is the staggering unemployment (24%) and underemployment (31?51%) rates among military spouses. Now, exacerbated by the COVID Pandemic, many military families require two incomes to succeed. ?Even before the COVID-19 crisis, military spouse unemployment was more than seven times the national average. With the pandemic affecting labor markets and the demands of their active duty spouses, the situation is expected to only get worse.?i This is very important for the military and the nation as it is for military spouses. Simply put, family readiness is military readiness which is crucial to Economic and Workforce Development in Oklahoma and the United States.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Performance measurement is a critical element of accountability for our organization. We believe it?s important to know and understand how the services we provide and funding received is used in accordance with the ARPA laws, rules, and regulations. We have multiple control procedures to safeguard the assets we are responsible for managing, to include a Board, Robert?s Rules of Order, Minutes, Budgets, and Financial Reports. Equally important is our ability to assess and report how our services benefit and improve the service members and spouses who receive them, by collecting quantitative and qualitative data through a 3-part Assessment approach.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma