"No paycheck means no security, and that's a frightening feeling.” – Unknown
The lady at the food bank pointed to a can of sauerkraut, a can of navy beans, and was excited to offer a half-gallon of frozen yogurt. It was a hot summer day, and the frozen yogurt was tempting but there was no way that it would survive the two-hour bus trip back to the apartment. It was unlikely that a two-year-old would entertain the idea of sauerkraut, but the can of navy beans had potential. Food had gotten scarce after the food stamp office cut off all benefits after receiving notification of a new job. Using money for bus fare to get to the food bank, to only leave with a can of navy beans, seemed like a waste of resources but it was a hopeful excursion; hope for enough food to put on the table just to get through two long days before pay day. That paycheck couldn’t come fast enough.
Recent data reports indicate that 59% of women are living paycheck to paycheck, compared to 41% of men. Further, 67% of women consider themselves financially fragile. For women of color, the data is even more concerning; with 71% of Black women reporting that they feel like they live paycheck to paycheck as compared to 63% of all U.S. adults. It seems getting a job is just half the battle. It is just as important to find work that provides a salary sufficient enough to pay bills and put food on the table.
To support women to be successful in the workplace, there are strategies to consider including: providing accessible childcare options, offering flexible work arrangements, increasing access to quality education and job training, focusing on creating a supportive work environment that values their contributions and addresses potential barriers like transportation and safety concerns.
Work is being done locally and regionally to address all the strategies listed above with a new initiative, the Coalition for Advancing Postsecondary Education and Training (CAPET); developed by the Don Wood Foundation and Questa Education Foundation. Stakeholders like Fort Wayne Urban League have joined an advisory council to have very candid conversations about how to move this effort forward. It’s all about exploring ways to remove barriers to postsecondary education and other obstacles that are squeezing women and poor people out of the workforce and better paying jobs.
The three CAPET working groups are exploring opportunities to facilitate attainable changes that may include:
Launching a comprehensive informational campaign for prospective students and families aimed at redefining postsecondary education and elevating all education pathways for HDHW careers.
Creating a regional postsecondary education network of practitioners and centralized “first stop” source for financial aid information for students, families, adult learners, guidance counselors, and other supporters.
Leveraging and enhancing the existing financial aid resources to maximize student enrollment and completion.
Improving systems and transparency for the use of credits and certifications earned in high school.
Complementing career planning initiatives with transitional and wraparound support for high school graduates to pursue postsecondary education.
Addressing cultural and systemic barriers for BIPOC and other underserved students by partnering with trusted communicators.
Empowering adult learners through improved access to guidance, support, and flexible learning pathways.
Thank goodness the frozen yogurt was left at the food bank; standing on the corner waiting for the bus on that 90-degree summer day made it clear that it would have been a melted mess. Days like that were hard. There was this urge to do better but a feeling of being stuck. It had been really hard to find work that accommodated work hours while relying on a limited bus system. Even harder was accessing childcare for a two-year-old; there were limited affordable options. Forget about college, for years it just didn’t seem realistic. When college eventually became part of the picture, it was only possible after getting a car, attending part-time, and working a full- and part-time job. It took seven-and-a-half years to earn that bachelor’s degree. However, that degree became the determining factor for further success. Humbly, there’s never been another look at a can of sauerkraut, --the memories are too haunting.
What the Coalition knows for sure is that when you provide people with opportunities and tools, they can begin to take steps towards a brighter future. A future where there is food on the table and a livable paycheck.