Cory Jeffries knows how to network. He is the current president of the Tampa Bay Business Guild, Tampa Bay’s Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, a founding member of the GaYbor District Coalition, and former board member of Tampa Winter Pride. Jeffries has benefited from his networking involvements both socially and professionally, as a licensed massage therapist and business owner.
But in the current economy he’s seen a downturn in business, and with the recent loss of his part time teaching job, he’s ready to take the next step.
“I’m good at networking, but I certainly don’t know everything,” he said. “I’m looking for a way to sit down and see how to put [my skills] together for the next level.”
Jeffries believes he’ll find that at an employment program launching Feb. 2 in St. Petersburg. First Unity of St. Petersburg will offer The Job Seeker Jump Start Program, an eight-week intensive program designed to help the unemployed or partially employed find a new job or potentially create a new business.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics’ most recent unemployment rates, Tampa Bay has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. As of November 2009, the Tampa/St. Petersburg metro area reports unemployment at 12.3%, higher than the state average of 11.5%. These numbers put Florida and Tampa Bay in the top 15% of the reporting areas in the nation.
Fred Baldwin, one of three coaches presenting the Job Seeker Jump Start Program refers to himself as the only openly gay Episcopalian minister in the state of Florida. He has a true concern for the unemployed within the LGBT community, and he is reaching out throughout Tampa Bay to do what he can to help.
So Baldwin and his colleagues Larry LaBelle and Pegotty Cooper are offering the Job Seeker Jump Start Program to redefine the process of finding a job. And he says that begins not with a resume, but with the person.
“The number one thing someone out of work has to face is how they feel about themselves, what they think about their skills,” Baldwin said. “You need real clarity about who you are; all the other stuff is unimportant without it.”
The eight-week program begins with what Baldwin believes is a unique coaching component much needed in today’s market. He says many job seekers waste time searching through jobs.com web sites.
“Everything’s happening so quickly,” he said, “they’ve become inefficient with so many people looking for jobs.”
Instead, the Job Seeker Jump Start Program deals directly with what Baldwin says is the first layer of a job search, learning to manage the stress of a job loss, developing clarity about the job seeker’s direction, and building confidence in the value the seeker brings to the table.
While Baldwin believes the style and message of the program is important, the venue is just as important. He says many people in the LGBT community have told him they are not comfortable going to employment programs where they do not feel as if they can be open about their sexuality.
“If being LGBT is an important part of who I am, and I’m already anxious, how can I be affirmed in my job search?” Baldwin said.
Baldwin believes his group has found a welcoming fit by partnering with First Unity of St. Petersburg, which promotes itself as an open spiritual campus where everyone is welcomed. Reverend Russell Heiland, First Unity’s Associate Minister, says the program is directly aligned with the church’s teachings.
“We’re about personal empowerment, not victimization,” Heiland said. “A lot of people are looking at the economy and feeling like victims. When people know they are empowered from within, they can go out and achieve their dreams.”
Jeffries agrees. He says he’s excited about the chance to better define his skills, and to network within the group.
“Between First Unity and Fred’s group, they are providing our community with a phenomenal opportunity.”
The program is free, but a love offering is suggested. To register call First Unity at 727-527-2222 or register online at FirstUnity.org.
