We are less than six months away from opening our Conway Health and Resource Center and are looking forward to not only providing critical health care but building opportunities for our new neighbors to gain employment. We have just completed our first round of a Health Care Customer Service Training program for local Ward 8 residents who are interested in healthcare careers.
Our new neighborhood, Bellevue, was once a thriving commercial and residential area. However, the historic DC neighborhood, east of the Anacostia River in Ward 8, now faces many challenges – nearly one third of Ward 8 residents live below the poverty level and the unemployment rate is almost 25%.
As an employer with over 30 years of experience, we have found that entry-level workers need more than just technical skills to succeed. We had conversations with other community health centers and learned the same was true for them. So we custom-built the soft skills curriculum to cover essential topics such as clear and effective communication, time management, and stress and conflict management.
Our Healthcare Customer Service Training program is designed to build the skills necessary not just for gaining employment, but for successful careers. We saw some of that success on the last day of class. The ‘final exam’ required students to role play tough scenarios in the workplace. Acting as clients who were rambunctious children or non-English speaking elderly ladies, COH staff and volunteers surprised the students who then used their best customer service skills to keep clients safe, to calm their fears and to follow protocol. We were elated to see that our students were unflappable in their core skills like problem-solving. They remained calm and knowledgeable despite stressful circumstances.
After learning core skills through instruction, students are able to then build confidence and master these skills by practicing in small group sessions. Upon completing the 10 session course, participants receive a certificate of completion, certifying training in soft skills management. Through relationships with other health providers and our own hiring process, we look forward to helping our graduates find employment.
“I’m looking forward to the future,” said one student, Nicole. “I’m a homeowner, a first year homeowner, and I can’t afford to go to school right now, so this right here is a blessing.”
We are grateful to have the support of William and Joanne Conway, The Community Foundation for the National Capital Area, and DC Local Initiatives Support Coalition. Without their generosity, this would never have been possible.
