The Career Development Office (CDO) serves as the Community Action Program for the residents of Wichita and Sedgwick County

The Promise of Community Action
Community Action changes people's lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live.  We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.

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The Career Development Office Mission

To assist the area’s low income population improve their self-sufficiency through employment and access to support services.

The Career Development Office’s programs are primarily funded through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). The CSBG is a federal funding source designed to assist local agencies to provide a range of services and activities having a measurable and potentially major impact on causes of poverty in the community. The service population for CSBG-funded programs must be at 125% or below the area poverty level. The following chart provides the 2012 income guidelines for CSBG.

Size of Family Unit	12 Month Income
1	$13,962.00
2	$18,912.00
3	$23,862.00
4	$28,812.00
5	$33,762.00
6	$38,712.00
7	$43,662.00
8	$48,612.00

For each additional family member add $4,950.00

The Career Development Office monitors the following Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)-funded projects:

• Project Access – provides health care and durable medical goods to income-eligible, uninsured Sedgwick Co. residents

• Summer Youth Activity Camps – supports programs which engage youth in positive activities and has proven effective in reducing juvenile criminal behavior (Wichita)

• Neighborhood City Hall Operations – provides funds for support staff and operational costs at these community locations where residents can access City services, educational and recreational activities

• Neighborhood Clean-ups – provides funds to clear target neighborhoods of debris and other discards, in collaboration with City of Wichita staff from the Office of Central Inspection, Neighborhood Assistants, Neighborhood Improvement Services and neighborhood residents, to maintain safe and healthy living environments

For more information on the Community Services Block Grant program, visit the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation website.

The Career Development Office has a fee for service contract with the State of Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services (SRS). In this program, SRS clients participate in a series of workshops and counseling sessions designed to lead them to self-sufficiency.

• Referred customers are partnered with an Employment Specialist to complete a service plan to assist with their career goals.

• Referred customers attend the two-week Success Through Achievement and Responsibility (STAR) workshop and receive a certificate upon completion.

The CDO has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kansas School for Effective Learning (KANSEL) program to provide life-skills education and employment training for referred participants.

• Referred customers attend the two week STAR workshop

• Referred customers receive a professional resume packet to use during job search

• Graduates receive two completion certificates: STAR and Excellent Customer Service

Other Services

• Interest and Vocational Assessments
• One on One Career Counseling
• Job Search Evaluation
• Job Development
• Work Study
• GED Prep
• Vocational Training

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