Senior Service America Inc.
Headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, Senior Service America, Inc. (SSAI) is a non-profit organization that provides civic engagement and employment opportunities for adults over the age of 55 who wish to re-enter the workforce.
SSAI is one of 18 national sponsors of the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and one of six national sponsors of the Senior Environmental Employment (SEE) Program.
Senior Community Service Employment Program
The Senior Community Service Employment Program began as part of the War on Poverty 40 years ago and was so successful that it became a national program under the Older Americans Act in 1973. It is referred to by its acronym – SCSEP (pronounced SEE-sep) – and operates in nearly every county in the nation. To participate in SCSEP, a person must be:
- Age 55 or older;
- Legally eligible to work in the United States;
- Living in a household with income no more than 125 percent of the federal poverty level.
By law, SCSEP gives special attention to those who are any of the following:
- Are 65 years of age or older;
- Have a disability;
- Have limited English proficiency or low literacy skills;
- Reside in a rural area;
- Are a veteran;
- Have low employment prospects;
- Are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
SCSEP participants are paid minimum wage while they gain marketable job skills working part-time in non-profit and public organizations, including senior centers, schools, and libraries. The program provides a win-win for participants and their communities: Participants help community organizations extend their reach and capabilities, while developing their own job skills, self-confidence, and a restored sense of self-worth. In 2004, SCSEP participants across the nation contributed 46 million hours of service to their communities, and about 18,000 participants gained regular employment outside the program.
SSAI operates in the 16 states of AL, CA, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, MN, MS, NC, NY, OH, PA, TN, TX and WI. A listing of the local sponsors with which SSAI partners to provide services can be downloaded here - (Sponsors).
Questions/more information? Contact us .
Benefits to Participants:
SCSEP benefits participants by:
- Building confidence
- Learning new skills
- Providing paid training
- Providing in-demand work experience
- Providing added income
Benefits to Community Service Agencies:
SCSEP benefits community service and government agencies by:
- Providing older workers who, while training, expand agency’s capacity to provide services
- Providing agency opportunity to evaluate loyal workers in training for possible hire
- Reducing “loss of productivity” due to reduced absenteeism from dependable older workers
Benefits to Employers:
SCSEP benefits employers by:
- Providing a pool of experienced, dependable and qualified candidates for a variety of jobs
- Saving training dollars by providing loyal workers
- Accessing local agencies that know your area and business needs
Other Contact Information
A listing of State Title V/SCSEP contacts in each state is available here - (State). To find the SCSEP provider(s) in your area, contact the State Title V contact who can help you.
A listing of contact information for the 18 National Title V/SCSEP providers is available here - (National)
For more information about SCSEP, contact the US Department of Labor at: http://www.doleta.gov/seniors.
National Survey Results
An independant national survey says:
In January, the Charter Oak Group reported that in PY2005, the total SCSEP grantee community (national and state) achieved a high level of performance. In the year that ended June 30, 2006, SCSEP:
- Served 93,350 participants, or a 167% service level;
- Served 59,556 participants defined as “most-in-need,” or 64% of all served;
- Placed 18,433 into unsubsidized employment, or a 33% SCSEP placement rate;
- Achieved a 73% retention rate.
Also, SCSEP received a higher American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) from both participants and employers compared to WIA:
| SCSEP Participants: | 81.1 | (n=15,806 responses) |
| SCSEP Employers: | 86.8 | (n=717 responses) |
| SCSEP Host Agencies: | 79.8 | (n=10,314 responses) |
For comparison:
| WIA Participants: | 76.8 |
| WIA Employers: | 72.8 |
| Amazon.com customers: | 87 |
| Starbucks customers: | 77 |
Other important findings from the Charter Oak Group ACSI reports:
- 89% of SCSEP participants surveyed reported that their health was same or better while they were in the program;
- 69% of SCSEP participants surveyed reported that their outlook on life was a little more positive or a lot more positive;
- 69% of SCSEP host agencies surveyed reported that SCSEP positively affected their ability to provide community services.
See here for a full report - (National Survey Results)
New guide offers help
for serving immigrant seniors
As the nation's population is getting older, it is also becoming more diverse. This new guide, co-written by Senior Service America and the Center for Applied Linguistics, offers practical advice to help social service providers serve older immigrants.
A Guide for Providers: Engaging Immigrant Seniors in Community Service and Employment Programs
Giving Back
Ohio, like many states, is getting older and poorer. Industries are leaving, downsizing, outsourcing. Nearly one in nine older adults live below the poverty level. Giving Back, illustrated with striking black-and-white photography, tells how older Ohioans in three different regions, have overcome age—and poverty—to serve their communities.
More publications of Senior Service America
Portraits of Our Past
SCSEP participants in Ville Platte and Lafayette are preserving their rich southern Louisiana culture in an innovative collaboration with local partners.
Changes for Life
How an unprecedented collaboration delivers rebirth to SCSEP participants, agencies, and communities.
