by David Bass | Mar 11, 2019
We know that people do better in life when they experience the benefits of meaningful work and healthy relationships. But we also know that so many cultural forces are stacked against success in these two areas. One of the biggest is the American welfare system, which keeps people trapped in cycles of dependence while reducing incentives to climb the economic ladder or form stable relationships.
That’s why the Georgia Center for Opportunity has been on the vanguard of work-focused welfare reform that gives a hand-up to struggling people while preserving the social safety net for those who truly need it. The great news is that we’re seeing growing momentum—both at the state and national level—to make these reforms a reality.
Georgia lawmakers are poised to consider legislation in the General Assembly to take significant steps on welfare reform—what we call the “right to strive”—while nationally we are seeking waivers to expedite the reform package at the state level. In recent months, we’ve presented our welfare research to Georgia’s Rural Economic Development Committee, created by former Gov. Nathan Deal and the legislature to help rural Georgia communities become more competitive economically. The committee was already well aware of the damage caused by welfare cliffs in the lives of individuals and businesses, so they were very welcoming of our input. We’ve also met with policymakers in Washington, D.C., on our welfare reform proposals.
The changes can’t come soon enough. Although the Georgia economy is booming with a historic 3.6% unemployment rate, these trendlines obscure a hidden workforce crisis: Millions of Americans aren’t counted in the official unemployment rate because they’ve simply given up looking for work. A crucial step in the right direction for these non-working individuals is to create a welfare system that helps—rather than hinders—their connection to meaningful work.
The most important changes in our proposal are to reduce welfare “cliffs,” a scenario where benefit drop-offs unfairly punish workers for earning more and moving up the economic ladder. Secondly, our proposals eliminate the marriage penalty that encourages single parenthood.
A big step to accomplish this is by consolidating the major 15 welfare programs hosted by federal, state, and local agencies into five coordinated programs, headed by a sole lead agency. In the end, our reforms stabilize the safety net for those who truly need it, adopt a “work first” approach for those who are able, and create incentives to form marriages and households.
We’re optimistic that we will soon see work- and family-focused “right-to-strive” reforms in Georgia. Interested in learning more? Don’t miss our three-part series of reports on welfare reform: Part 1, part 2, and part 3.
by David Bass | Jan 29, 2019
It may surprise you to learn that data from the U.S. Census data show that just 2.4 percent of those who work full-time year-round live in poverty. In contrast, 14 percent of those who did work—but not full-time, and not year-round—were in poverty, and fully 32 percent of those who did not work at all lived in poverty.
Surprisingly, these numbers are nothing new. Economist Lawrence Mead noted in his book From Prophesy to Charity: How to Help the Poor that the poverty rate in 2009 for those who worked at least a 35-hour work week for 50 weeks of the year was just 3 percent. Mead summarizes: “The lion’s share of adult poverty is due, at least in the first instance, to low working levels.”
Clearly, the key to escaping poverty isn’t merely raising wages, as important as that might be. It’s full-time (or close to full-time) work. And one of the key ways to help our neighbors escape poverty is straightforward and simple: help them get job training, land a stable job, and advance into higher paying positions over time.
To this end, we are proud of the impressive results flowing out of our workforce initiative, Hiring Well, Doing Good (HWDG). By breaking down the key barriers to full-time employment—lack of education and job skills—HWDG connects local employers and community leaders with job seekers to provide valuable training that leads to stable, good paying jobs that lift people out of poverty and break the cycle of generational poverty and government dependency.
We believe that the best solutions to problems are at the local level. And we believe that the reason HWDG is the most effective job placement program in Georgia is because it moves beyond political grandstanding and offers a real solution to the core problem—the need for sustainable jobs.
In our booming economy, there’s little reason for those who want to work to remain mired in poverty. Job initiatives like HWDG give motivated individuals a second chance and much-needed on-the-job training to get a solid job that leads to a life of dignity and thriving.
by gaopp | Dec 12, 2018
On December 5th, some of the nation’s most innovative researchers, policy experts, and community-based practitioners lead a series of discussions at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on solutions that are unlocking human potential in Georgia and around the country, enabling individuals and families to flourish.
Georgia is at a crossroads. We are enjoying the rewards of a growing economy and vibrant communities that make Georgia one of the country’s most popular places to do business and raise a family. However, hundreds of thousands of seemingly invisible men, women, and children are facing barriers that prevent them from achieving their dreams and reaching their potential, including the stain of a criminal record, being trapped in a welfare system that discourages work and family formation, and being ill-prepared for work or college as a student. The challenges are multi-dimensional and pose threats not just to individual well-being, but also to continued economic growth, opportunity, and mobility.
GCO takes over the Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Breakthrough!
Dr. Robert Lerman, Institute Fellow in the Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population at the Urban Institute discusses innovative measures to educate today’s students and the positive results they garner.
Jamie Lord leads the conversation about Education to What Degree: The Promise of Education Innovation with special guest interview Jack Harris, President of Junior Achievement, and panelists Ben Scafidi, Director of the Education Economics Center; Tyler Thigpen, Co-Founder and Head of School at the Forest School; Anthony Flynn, Executive Director and COO of 100 Black Men of Atlanta; Dr. Robert Lerman, Institute Fellow in the Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population at the Urban Institute.
Randy Hicks and Bellhops CEO Luke Marklin talk about the importance of dedicated employees and creating an atmosphere of loyalty.
GCO’s Joyce Whitted leads the panel discussion on Healthy Families: Incubators of the Next Generation, with Brian Amero, Henry County Superior Court Judge; Julie Baumgardner, President and CEO of First Things First; Brad Wilcox, Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia; and Erin Norman, Senior Solutions Consultant at Heart+Mind Strategies
The Delta SkyClub at Mercedes-Benz Stadium never looked so good.
Anthony Flynn, Executive Director and COO of 100 Black Men of Atlanta chats about the importance of educational choice for students to have every opportunity to succeed.
It was wonderful to have such a great group of sponsors in attendance at Breakthrough. We really enjoyed the time with our friends and the opportunity to make new ones.
GCO’s Bill Rogers leads the panelist in the conversation about “Business! Mankind was my Business.”: How Some Georgia Companies are Bringing Solutions and Hope to Disadvantaged Communities with panelists Greg Beadles, COO, AMB Sports and Entertainment; Chris Clark, President and CEO of Georgia Chamber of Commerce; Rodney Bullard, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at Chick-Fil-A and Executive Director of the Chick-Fil-A Foundation.
Eric Cochling and panelists Dave Derocher, Managing Director of The Other Side Academy; Stacey Howell, Executive Director of Every Woman Works; Phillip Hunter, Executive Director of Georgia Works!; and Lloyd Martin, VP of Manufacturing and IT for CKS Packaging, Inc., discuss A Bolder Bottom Line: Work as the Most Effective Antipoverty Intervention and exactly what that looks like for their businesses.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Jul 25, 2018
There’s an old saying that a rising tide lifts all boats. This seems to be true in today’s booming economy—with low unemployment rates at the state and national levels translating into historical lows in communities that often lag behind. For example, economic fortunes for African Americans are showing sustained signs of improvement, with the most recent June 2018 unemployment rate coming in at 6.5 percent, up slightly from May’s all-time low of 5.9 percent.
And while improving employment prospects are certainly encouraging signs for a community that continues to experience unacceptably disparities on most socioeconomic measures compared to other groups, a new study from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) offers even more evidence that African American men are making steady gains toward achieving the American Dream.
In Black Men Making It in America: The Engines of Economic Success for Black Men in America, well-known marriage and family researchers Brad Wilcox and Wendy Wang team up with fatherhood expert Ronald Mincy to examine the institutional engines that form the foundation for black male success.
Some key takeaways from this AEI report:
- The economic standing of black men has improved dramatically, with 57% now in the middle class or higher as adults today—up from 38% in 1960. Even better, the share of black men who are poor has fallen from 41% in 1960 to 18% in 2016.
- While higher education and full-time work are powerful engines of success for black men in America, so, too, is participation in institutions such as marriage, church, and the military.
- Contact with the criminal justice system remains a significant obstacle to success for black men. By midlife, only 28% of black men who had contact with the criminal justice system when they were young have moved into the middle or upper class, compared to 52% of black men who had no contact with the criminal justice system at a younger age.
Here at Georgia Center for Opportunity, we believe in a simple concept called the “success sequence,” which says that a good education leads to a stable job—which in turn leads to a flourishing home life and personal success.
Clearly, this AEI report reinforces GCO programs like Hiring Well, Doing Good and our Prisoner Reentry Initiative, which aim to remove barriers to opportunity and put Georgians back on a rising tide—or sequence—of success that lifts individuals, then families, out of generational poverty into flourishing communities.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Jul 12, 2018
By now, you’ve probably seen the headlines and read the stories—America’s economy is booming. Just last month the national unemployment figures came in for May and the rate dipped to 3.8%—a level that ties a half-century low dating to 1969, and which economists consider to be “full employment.”
Equally encouraging is the fact that the current economic recovery is reaching communities that often lag behind. For example, the May unemployment rate for African-Americans hit an all-time low of 5.9%. For Hispanics, it was 4.9%—a tick up from its historic low of 4.8% in April. Here in Georgia the rate was also impressive by historical standards, with May unemployment dropping to 4.2%.
But with all of this good news comes some challenges. With our economy currently humming along at full employment, we’re facing tight labor markets and a demand for workers that outstrips supply. Even more concerning, we’re seeing a shrinking supply of the skilled labor needed to keep the economic engines firing on all cylinders.
So what’s the solution to producing a workforce with the needed skills to keep the economy on track? We believe the key is developing educational solutions that deliver a reliable pipeline of workers with appropriate skills to match the demands of a rapidly changing workforce moving into the second quarter of the 21st century.
For example, by the year 2025, 60% of jobs in Georgia will require post-secondary education, such as a graduate certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree. However, only about 47% of Georgia’s potential workforce currently meets these educational criteria, creating a need for 250,000 additional credentialed or degreed employment candidates by the year 2025.
Clearly, there’s a gap we must bridge between education and jobs. Even the federal government recognizes this critical need, with the Trump Administration recently announcing a proposal to combine the departments of Education and Labor.
Here in Georgia, the Georgia Center for Opportunity is taking the lead in creating opportunities for delivering quality education opportunities that meet fast-changing workforce needs. On July 27, we’re partnering with the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia to host “Staying the Course in College”—a half-day community conversation at Gwinnett Technical College on the importance of completing college.
Please join us as we discuss two of the biggest economic threats facing Georgia today—improving access to affordable college and meeting workforce needs. Admission is free, but registration is required to attend. Click here for details.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | May 8, 2018
President Trump recently signed an order aiming to streamline welfare in the U.S., which is leading lawmakers to take a deeper look at the many programs that make up the complex system.
It’s a positive first step, as the current structure reinforces dependency and doesn’t reward hard work, nor does it allow recipients to strive for self-sufficiency. For example, the average welfare recipient is a single mom with two children, but with the current design, she will lose benefits with marriage and/or a pay raise.
Georgia Center for Opportunity has worked over the last couple of years with leading welfare expert, Erik Randolph, Senior Fellow with both the Illinois Policy Institute and Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Foundation, to dissect Georgia’s failing assistance programs. The data is shocking and disappointing, proving a system that should be lending a helping hand to recipients is actually hurting them instead.
Randy Hicks, President and CEO of Georgia Center for Opportunity, recently wrote on the importance of taking a compassionate and commonsense approach to welfare reform.
“We believe there is a better approach and it entails stabilizing the safety net for those who truly need it, adopting a “work first” approach for those who are able and creating incentives to form marriages and households,” Hicks wrote on FoxNews.com.
Read Randy’s full op-ed here, click here.
