At Thrive, we want to help job seekers find employment and work towards self-sufficiency. We have a heart for working with job seekers who are marginalized or have identified barriers to employment such as criminal history, being a single parent, accessing public benefits due to unemployment or underemployment. Job seekers learn about us through the church, word of mouth, and partner agencies in the community.

Interested candidates submit a brief application, then are invited to learn more about our services through an information session or a 1:1 phone conversation. Thrive isn’t a great fit for everyone so In these meetings, staff assess for motivation, work goals, age, and interest in working with a coach.  Job seekers who are aligned with our program model and goals are invited to attend the workshop which is the entry point for being paired with a coach. After a job seeker completes the workshop, they become a member for life and are paired with a coach to begin putting the workshop material into practice.

Our program is best suited for job seekers between 18 and 49 years old, and who are open to entry-level positions. That said, we take each applicant on a case-by-case basis. We do our best to ensure that we invite candidates who are motivated to find employment, open to working with a coach for 1 year and committed to attending the full workshop. Of course, circumstances can change and members may no longer be a good fit for our program after completing the workshop. When that happens, staff and coaches work together to come up with the best ‘next steps’ for that situation.

If you have questions about our application process or member selection, please contact your lead coach.

When members gain employment and stabilize at work, that is certainly reason to celebrate and your job as a coach is not over.  At this point in the journey, we ask that you check out our Retention Routine.  Your role becomes that of an encourager and cheerleader.  Check-in every week or every few weeks with a text, call or email wishing them well, sharing a verse or words of affirmation.
Consider asking the below questions: 

• What do you like best about your job?
• Are you still getting training or are you now on your own?
• Are you confident you can do the job or are there areas where you have questions?
• Tell me a little about your supervisor and co-workers?  Are you making good connections?

Overall, your job is to provide encouragement and ongoing support while being a safe person for them to reach out to when questions or concerns arise.  Whether you get a response or not, your consistency and presence make a difference. 

Sue Erickson, our Employer Engagement Director, has developed a wonderful network of Employers who will consider Thrive members for job openings. Job openings with employer partners are accessible for coaches and members on our job search web page at www.ThriveColorado.org/Jobs.

Members and coaches should work together to tailor their application and coaches should contact Sue Erickson at Sue_Erickson@thrivecolorado.org to follow up.

We all have a wide range of support needs and experiences navigating challenges.  It is okay for members to ask, as it demonstrates strengths of advocacy and reaching out to their network. We intentionally want our members and coaches to focus the majority of their time together on an employment search and job retention. In order to do this, we ask that you encourage your member to reach out to Thrive staff for support needs outside of their employment search (i.e. housing, financial assistance, etc.)  There are resources available in our community and other organizations to better serve those needs so that we can stay focused on employment.
 
With relational requests (i.e. help moving, social gatherings, etc.) we encourage healthy boundaries and connecting within your comfort.  It is appropriate to say no. In some cases, if you are able and willing, it may be appropriate to say yes. We encourage you to review boundaries regularly in order to clarify expectations and both understand the purpose of your time together.

Many coaches have expressed an interest in meeting with their member in-person. While Thrive is currently offering all programming via Zoom, coaches and members can decide what their preference is in terms of meetings after the initial pairing. We do ask that you take all public health guidelines into consideration and respect the boundaries of your member. Also, because our programming has changed, coaches and members may not live as close to one another as in years past.