The Ward Employment system at work:

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The Ward Employment system at workThe
Challenge to the Individual
Inadequate Employment
Lack of Education Access to Resources
Limited Career Goals
Cycle of Poverty
Hopelessness
Struggle to Serve
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Career Self-Reliance Cycle
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A man out of work is of special moment to the
Church because, deprived of his inheritance, he
is on trial as Job was on trial--for his
integrity. Continued economic dependence break
him. He is threatened with spiritual ruin. The
Church cannot hope to save a man on Sunday if
during the week it is a complacent witness to the
crucifixion of his soul. Gordon B. Hinckley
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Guiding Purpose

• Help individuals become career self-reliant
  through employment, education, self-employment

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Helping Church Members
Become Self-Reliant
The door of exaltation is open to everyone but
some must be tutored and taught to a greater
degree if they are to reach their eternal
potential.
Listen for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
God loves the needy and will send the Spirit to
help you.
Not even a crust of bread should be given without
love in your heart!
As we visit together, both the principles, and
the nuts and bolts, of welfare service will be
discussed.
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Areas of Self Reliance
Health
Education
Resource Management
Employment
Social, emotional and
spiritual strength
Home Storage
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Some areas have church employment centers but
these are organized to compensate for lack of
total Quorum and Ward commitment. This is because
the Priesthood have not accepted and are not
living or functioning the way the Lord would have
us. Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone-1976
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A United Effort is Essential

• While the work of Church employment centers is
  significant, it is intended to serve primarily as
  a support to the priesthood quorums and Relief
  Societies in the Church. Neil Newell, The
  Ensign/April 2000 p.55

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CHURCH MEMBERS ARE TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT
Commanded
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ARE WE COMMANDED TO HELP??
WHO
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None should be forgotten
None is to be forgotten, overlooked or
neglected (Gordon B. Hinckley,
Ensign, May 1995, p. 53) Through the Church,
the Lord has established a way to care for the
poor and needy and help them regain their
self-reliance (Church Handbook of
Instructions, book 2, p. 256)
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.
Like trees, the poor and the needy should be
taught, and nurtured, and allowed to grow!
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A CASE STUDY
Helping Sister Clarks family

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A CASE STUDY
The bishops initial help

• The bishop meets with Sister Clark and cares
  for her short-term needs
• He gives her a food order
• He helps her with her rent

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The bishop has now cared for her SHORT-TERM needs.
A question. . .
Are we expected to help individuals overcome
their LONG-TERM NEEDS as well?
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The Cycle of Dependency
The Cycle of Dependency
Long term needs Low self esteem Weak job
skills Inadequate education Poor family
relations Inadequate housing Inactive in
Church Long term needs are never met!
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A CASE STUDY
Overcoming dependency "It is clear that plans
which contemplate only relieving present
distress are deficient. The Church has always
sought to place its members in a way to help
themselves, rather than adopting the method of
so many charitable institutions of providing
for only present needs. Our idea of charity,
therefore, is to relieve present wants and then
to put the poor in a way to help themselves so
that in turn they may help others
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Gospel Doctrine,
p.236)

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A CASE STUDY
All of us have a job to do "It is the
responsibility of the bishops to give emergency
help to see that neither the individual or his
family suffers. The obliga-tion of the priesthood
quorum is to set in motion those forces and
facilities which will equip the needy member to
provide on a continuing basis for himself and his
family" (Gordon B. Hinckley,
Ensign, Nov 1977, pp. 84-86).

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A CASE STUDY

• And because this is true. . .
• The bishop asks Sister Clarks permis- sion to
  help with her long-term needs and the issues
  that prevent her from becoming self-reliant,
• After receiving her permission, he refers her
  to the High Priest Group
• Leader, Brother Manley.

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A CASE STUDY

• Developing a plan
• The bishop then explains that the HPGL will
  assist her as she develops a Self-Reliance plan
  that will help her determine
• Current circumstances
• Desired outcomes
• Resources she will need
• Resources available

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A CASE STUDY

• Sister Clark meets with the HPGL
• Her current circumstances
• Divorced
• Low self-esteem because of spouse abuse
• High school education
• Working 2 minimum wage jobs
• No medical benefits
• Five daughters ages 6 to 15
• Daughter has an impacted wisdom tooth
• and she cannot afford dental care

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A CASE STUDY

• Her current circumstances--(continued)
• Family doesn't communicate well
• House in poor repair-- the roof leaks
• Car doesn't work-- the starter needs
  replacing
• Eldest daughter does not attend church
• She worked out a budget and found she needs to
  make 15.00 per hour to support family

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A CASE STUDY

• Her desired outcomes
• She wants to work one job with better pay and
  benefits
• She wants to become a registered nurse, so
  she needs some training
• She wants her roof repaired
• She needs her daughters tooth fixed
• Her home needs repainting
• Her car needs to be fixed
• Family relationships need strengthening
• Her eldest daughter needs to become active in
  the Church

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A CASE STUDY

• The resources she needs
• Medical insurance
• Job search training skills
• A training site,and education to become a
  registered nurse
• Family counseling
• Support group for abused women (would probably
  be helpful)
• Handyman to repair roof

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A CASE STUDY

• The resources she needs--(continued)
• Dentist to take care of impacted tooth
• A team to paint the house
• A mechanic to fix the car
• Some fast-offering assistance
• Home teacher and visiting teacher support
• Support of young women's advisor and the
  primary teachers and leaders
• Support of relief society sisters and
  presidency

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Sister Clark now knows what she has and what
she needs . . .
IS THAT ENOUGH?
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(No Transcript)
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Like an athlete, Sister Clark needs training, and
tutoring and following-along . . .
Resources that she cant provide for herself!
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It takes a lot to help recipients resolve
their LONG-TERM NEEDS
WHERE CAN WE FIND THE RESOURCES?
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In the
LORDS STOREHOUSE

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What is in the Lords storehouse?
"The Lord's Storehouse receives, holds in trust,
and dispenses consecrated offerings of the
Saints. In form and operation, the storehouse is
as simple or sophisticated as circumstances
require. It may be a list of available services,
money in an account, food in a pantry, or
commodities in a building. A storehouse is
established the moment faithful members give to
the bishop of their time, talents, skills,
compassion, materials, and financial means in
caring for the poor and in building up the
kingdom of God on the earth.
(Providing in the Lords Way, p. 11)

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Each member is responsible
Each member of the Church has welfare
responsibilities. These are to become
self-reliant and to care for the poor and needy,
(Providing in the Lords Way,
p.5) 1. An individual provides for himself 2.
The husband provides for wife 3. The parents
provide for children 4. The extended family
provides support

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The Lords Storehouse--Ward Level
THE BISHOPS DUTY The Bishop is responsible
for helping ward members meet immediate needs.
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The Lords Storehouse--Ward Level
PRIESTHOOD AND RELIEF SOCIETY DUTIES The
priesthood quorums and the Relief Society are
responsible for helping members resolve long-
term needs.

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The Lords Storehouse--Ward Level

• To fulfill this responsibility quorum and relief
  society leaders should become well acquainted
  with their members, and should
• Visit their homes regularly
• Teach members to live providently, provide
  for themselves and their families, and care
  for others
• Direct priesthood quorum and relief society
  members in teaching new skills to become
  self-reliant
  (Providing in the Lord's Way, p. 15)

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The Lords Storehouse--Ward Level
Home and visiting teachers assist the Melchizedek
priesthood and Relief Society in fulfilling these
duties. (Providing in the Lord's Way, p. 15)

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And so we see that the work of The Lords
Storehouse on the ward level is accomplished
by the
Ward Welfare Committee


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The Lords Storehouse--Ward Welfare Committee
As the presiding High Priest, the bishop makes
the assignments. But it is the priesthood quorum
and Relief Society leaders that coordinate
efforts to help recipients provide for their
long-term self-reliance needs.
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The Lords Storehouse-- Ward Welfare Committee

• The bishop, and other members of the ward welfare
  committee, can draw upon
• The consecrated offerings of all the
  Saints in the ward
• A list of available ward services
• Compassionate Service
• Fast Offerings
• The Stake Welfare Specialist(s)

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The Lords Storehouse-- Ward Welfare Committee
Faithful members give to the bishop of their
time, talents, skills, compassion, materials, and
financial means in caring for the poor and in
building up the kingdom of God on the
earth. Thus every ward member is part of the
Lord's Storehouse and has a contribution to make.
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A CASE STUDY

• Resources available to Sister Clark
• Family resources
• Salary of 1,100.00 each month
• Alimony of 300.00 per month,
• Extended family lives far away, but one
  brother, Jeff, is willing to contribute
  100.00 per month for six months

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A CASE STUDY

• Resources available to Sister Clark
• The Lords Storehouse--
• Home teachers/visiting teachers
• Automobile mechanic (suggest Brother Dugwell,
  high priest)
• Handyman (suggest Brother Walker, high priest)
• Young women's advisor (to reactivate daughter)
  
• Primary and Young Women (to work with other
  daughters)
• Dentist (none available at ward level)

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A CASE STUDY

• Resources available to Sister Clark
• The Lords Storehouse--Stake Level
• A dentist
• Backup from the stake welfare specialist(s)
• is available if needed

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A CASE STUDY
Resources available to Sister Clark

• The Lords Storehouse--Region Level
• Church Employment Resource Center (to
  locate available training and financial aid
  for tuition)
• Insurance--CHIPS (free medical coverage
  for children of low income households)
• Counseling (individual family)
• Dentist (if not available at stake level)

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COUNCILS
When the entire program of the Church
comes together in council--miracles can and do
happen. H. Russell Ballard,
Counseling with our Councils, 4, 13
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BishopricHigh Priest Group LeaderElders
Quorum PresidentWard Mission LeaderYoung Mens
PresidentRelief Society PresidentWard
Employment SpecialistWard Executive
SecretaryWard ClerkOther auxiliary leaders
Participants in the Ward Welfare Committee
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Case study--minimum wage job
The HPGL takes Sister Clarks self-reliance plan
to the ward welfare committee.
Her immediate needs will be attended to by the
bishop in the ward welfare
meeting (action and time line) The bishop
will offer counseling for a period of three
months. The bishop will offer food, and fast
offering assistance while the family will
use its resources to pay other expenses.

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Case study--minimum wage job
Work that the recipient may be asked to perform
in return for assistance

• She and her children may
• be asked to
• Feed the full-time missionaries once each
  week
• Spend time with each child one-on-one weekly
• Read to her children for 20 minutes each
  night
• Donate hours in some other way

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Case study--minimum wage job
Assignments to meet Long-term needs, (and a
time line), are then given
High Priest Group Repair car within 3 days
(Brother Dugwell) Repair home within one month
(Brother Walker) Home teacher/visiting
teacher couple will provide support weekly
(Brother Sister Williams) Brother
Manley,HPGL, will contact at least weekly,
daily if needed
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Case study--minimum wage job
Elders quorum Paint Sister Clarks home
within one month. (President Tanner
will organize and coordinate the project).

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Case study--minimum wage job
Relief Society Visiting teachers asked to
provide support weekly (Williams and
Fuller) Three sisters who have gone through
divorce and may have children of a similar
age will be introduced to Sister Clark within
one week.
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Case study--minimum wage job
Young Women Young womens presidency will
strive to reactivate the eldest daughter
(immediate and ongoing) Class
presidencies will be assigned to friendship
girls within one week (Young Womens
President).
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Case study--minimum wage job
Primary The primary presidency will pay
special attention to Sister Clarks active
daughters (immediate and ongoing).
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Case study--minimum wage job
High Priest Group Leader Interact with
leaders on the ward welfare committee to be
sure that their assignments are
completed, Meet with Sister Clark often...daily
if necessary Self-reliance plans will
be updated, revised, (as needed), and
presented to the ward welfare committee so
they may help her share the burden until she
becomes self-reliant.
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Case study--minimum wage job
Stake Welfare Specialist(s) Provide help and
support to the HPGL Help find a dentist within
the stake
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Case study--minimum wage job
Career Self-Reliance Plan for
Sister Clark Her goal Become a Registered
Nurse (RN) Step 1 She is referred to a
Certified Nursing Aid (CNA) Training site.
(She will be paid between 6.50 and 7.00
per hour during an 11 week training period.
The training site will pay all training and
certification costs.)
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Case study--minimum wage job
Career Self-Reliance Plan for
Sister Clark Her goal Become a Registered
Nurse (RN) Step 2 Certified Nursing Aid
(CNA) training is completed. (She will now
receive 8.00 per hour with benefits.)
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Case study--minimum wage job
Career Self-Reliance Plan for Sister
Clark Her goal Become a Registered Nurse
(RN) Step 3 Sister Clark begins a 2 year
course to become a Licensed Practical Nurse at
the same training site. (This takes about
2 years to complete, and the training site has
paid for all costs of training and licensing.)
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Case study--minimum wage job
Career Self-Reliance Plan for Sister
Clark Her goal Become a Registered Nurse
(RN) Step 4 After successful completion
of her LPN license, the salary will be about
17.00 per hour.
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Case study--minimum wage job
Career Self-Reliance Plan for Sister
Clark Her goal Become a Registered Nurse
(RN) Step 5 Benefits at this level
include an educational reimbursement program
which enables Sister Clark to continue
taking classes towards her Registered
Nurse (RN) program.
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How to get started The Bishop
Step 1 The Bishop may train ward leadership
or ask the Stake Welfare Specialist(s) and/or
the High Counselor over Welfare to provide the
training. (LDS Employment Resource personnel
available upon request)
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How to get started The Bishop
Step 2 At end of the ward leadership
training session, the ward leadership may
counsel together to decide on a Self- Reliance
Plan for the ward.
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Becoming a Zion Society
And the Lord called his people Zion,
because they were of one heart and one mind,
and dwelt in righteous- ness and there was no
poor among them. Moses 718

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Learn how to use councils and your testimony
will be that no problem is too great for the
Lords Storehouse! It is like opening the
floodgates of heaven. H.
Russell Ballard, Counseling
with our Councils, 4, 13
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That's all, folks!