Overall Goals:
WCNY in Syracuse serves a 19-county region of New York that, as of summer 2009, claims the highest unemployment rate in the state. In response, WCNY created the “Community Intervention” initiative to provide critical assistance to unemployed adults. It jumpstarted the initiative by inviting jobless New Yorkers to be the studio audience at a televised town hall meeting. The meeting connected the studio audience and viewers with resources and expert advice. The station actively searched the “hire me” section in the local newspaper and did a call-out on You Tube to find unemployed citizens for the town hall studio audience. The result: A month later, several participants are back to work.

Partners:
United Way

Activity Name: Surviving Unemployment: A Town Hall Meeting
Activity Type: Community/Educational Event
At the town hall, re-training experts, the Consumer Credit Counseling Service and a placement agency helped connect community members with new job opportunities and methods to move forward with an energized job search. After the show, the studio audience stayed and mingled with experts and possible employers.

Activity Name: Help Wanted
Activity Type: Develop A Broadcast
Televised broadcast planned for fall 2009. Online materials and resources will accompany it.

Activity Name: Survival Guide for the Unemployed
Activity Type: Other
Online and print resource guide created in partnership with the local United Way.