Kingdom Fighters, library team on jobs program

Kingdom Fighters, library team on jobs program
Resources offered to those who have spent time in jail
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer

LONG BRANCH — A partnership between Kingdom Fighters, a local nonprofit, and the Long Branch Free Public Library has already resulted in jobs for two people and more may be on the way.

Kingdom Fighters and the library have been hosting a weekly employment and development support group for Monmouth County residents with arrest records over the past several months at the library each Wednesday.

Kingdom Fighters founder Steven Worsley Sr. explained the goal of the program.

“My nonprofit Kingdom Fighters partnered up with the Long Branch Library, and our goal is to help individuals become employable,” he said. “We help them with résumés, computer training and whatever skills they need to get them jobs after they come out of incarceration.

“This helps them reestablish into the work force after they come home, because it is really difficult once you have a record to get employed,” he added. “Our goal is to get people hired through our program.”

Worsley said that most of the jobs that are being targeted are in the construction field or labor-intensive work.

“Our goal is to just give them the opportunity to get a better start,” he said.

Worsley said that initially, interest in the program was high.

“At our jump-off we had about 27, 28 people, but now we have fewer,” he said. “It is a little discouraging, but we keep the process; we are hoping to have more participants.”

Worsley began Kingdom Fighters two years ago, and this is the first year he has partnered with the library.

He said that Kingdom Fighters has worked with local nonprofits including Family & Children’s Services, Prevention First, and the Long Branch Concordance.

Worsley said one problem is that a lot of the participants want immediate employment, which is hard to find.

“A lot of people now are looking for immediate employment, and we are trying to let them know it is a process,” he said. “It is not going to be right away; you have to get your paperwork together and make sure you have all your proper IDs.”

The persistence has paid off for at least two people involved in the program who found employment with the Long Branch Housing Authority.

Worsley said the program is open to all Monmouth County residents, but Long Branch residents have dominated those participating.

He explained some of the content of the classes.

“We have guest speakers that talk about all the different aspects of employment,” he said. “It’s hard because they might end up going back to doing what they did to get incarcerated, because of the lack of employment.

“What we do is make them employable by helping them with résumés and computer training.”

Worsley also said that topics include appearance, making eye contact with interviewers, and the importance of bank accounts.

He said he tries to get a read on each individual who comes to the program.

“We make them fill out a form when they first come in, what their interests are, what kind of work do they want to do, what kind of work have they done,” he said. Worsley described some of the common problems encountered thus far.

“A lot of them can’t read properly, a lot of them can’t fill out an application properly,” he said. “If you don’t have your birth certificate or Social Security card, you can’t get a job.

“Our goal is to help them get all the proper documents so they can approach a job in the proper manner,” he added.

Worsley said Kingdom Fighters would pay employers for the first three months when they hire someone through the program.

“The first three months of employment are paid by the nonprofit for the individuals; that way, their record doesn’t become an issue,” he said. “After doing that, they absorb the person based on their work skills and not on their background.”

Worsley said the library received a grant to fund the classes until September, but they are hoping to receive more grant money.

Worsley is making plans for a block party at the end of August.

“We are trying to put together a community block party, but it’s going to be a learning experience at the same time,” he said. “We are going to have people come out and set up booths and talk about banking and programs offered to help people in different situations.

“We are going to have food, fun, music and offer an educational party.”

Worsley said that local nonprofits are hoping to prevent children from living their lives on the street.

“The kids nowadays don’t have a choice,” he said. “If we don’t give them the options and opportunity to occupy their time, they are going to keep going back to the street.”





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