By Jeff Delp
I’m looking forward to what’s next! Over the last few months, FCS has been having conversations with neighbors about how to co-create new opportunities for economic vitality. Specifically, we’ve been talking about workforce development.
This isn’t a new conversation. In the last decade, workforce development has been an essential part of our efforts alongside neighbors to boost the local economy. We’ve most often focused on creating employment opportunities and collaborating with local businesses. Creating jobs right here in the community and employing neighbors has been a great way for folks to hone their skills, experience, and connections they can carry with them no matter where their career paths take them. And I’m proud to say that many of our employees have taken their experiences at Carver Market and Community Grounds and gone onto bigger opportunities at larger companies.
I’m thrilled for these employees! At the same time, we want to make sure talent can stay and thrive in Atlanta’s neighborhoods on the Southside, too. When people can grow their careers in their own neighborhoods, the entire community, even the next generation, reaps the benefits.
Research has come out to support this idea. A recently published study from Opportunity Insights showed that if a child grows up in a neighborhood with more employed adults, then that child has greater economic mobility and better economic outcomes in their own lifetime! It was a community-level phenomenon. Even if one child’s parents were unemployed, simply being around more kids whose parents had jobs was enough to make the difference. That tells us that creating job opportunities is pretty important if we want to see neighbors thrive!
Which leads me to the conversations we’re having right now. For the past decade, we’ve been proud to employ 20+ South Atlanta residents at Carver Market and Community Grounds. We want to do more. Of course, that means working alongside local small businesses to attract more investment, create more jobs, and work to make sure neighbors get connected with those jobs. It will mean being more intentional and organized about partnering with neighbors to map out their career goals and support them in taking steps to reach those goals. And of course, it means having honest conversations about the barriers that local workers face: access to childcare, stable housing, wealth-building opportunities, making sure that businesses pay a living wage, as well as quality, frequent, and affordable transportation.
As with everything we do, this strategic planning and action around workforce development is a complex, multi-faceted process. Luckily – we have the best thought partners: our neighbors and local small business owners. By working together, I am confident we can create more opportunities for economic vitality in our neighborhoods including:
- Expanding FCS’s workforce housing initiative
- FCS leading conversations around more childcare centers in South Atlanta
- More transportation connectivity as MARTA BRT and Atlanta Beltline opens in the next 18 months
- Creating a neighborhood restaurant owned and operated by locals
If you’re interested in being part of this effort, I encourage you to donate to the work of FCS. And if you’re a local Atlanta employer who wants to create more equitable job opportunities, contact me, Jeff Delp, and let’s explore how we can work together.
