query: organizing around business hiring

[colist-admin at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  please feel welcomed to copy COMM-ORG with your 
responses to Deborah's query.]

From: "Deborah Delman" <dbridge at ma.ultranet.com>

HI Folks, I'm a new person to this list - and I have a query!:

I'm wondering if any of you have ever been involved with 
initiatives where a large business might have come into town 
and you have been able to work proactively so that low income 
community people were hired and in fact met their hiring 
needs.  Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas - all are welcome!! 
A colleague is interested in getting info from anyone who 
might have experience in undertaking economic development 
initiatives with communities and identifying, training, placing 
and supporting a fairly large number of individuals.  

Here's the background:  

Northampton State (Mental) Hospital (in MA) closed about six 
years ago and the use of that large piece of property will be for 
residential, commercial and industrial use.  Part of the 
mandate for the developer will be to have a certain percentage 
of housing that is affordable as well as set-aside housing for 
individuals specifically with mental illness/psychiatric 
disability.  

As the new village grows it is anticipated that there will be up 
to 900 jobs there - the requirement of the developer is to have 
at least 15% of those jobs filled by individuals with psychiatric 
disabilities.  My colleague works for a non-profit agency that is 
trying to be proactive in their approach to make this project 
successful.  

(By the by if you are not aware, people with psychiatric 
disabilities are portrayed in the media as dangerous and 
"crazy."  This is oppressive mythology. Folks with this and 
other disabilities may have less work experience than another 
person the same age.  Also, people with all disabilities tend to 
have lower incomes or incomes that are swallowed up by 
health and accomodation expenses.)  

In this instance, my colleague is interested in using creative, 
effective work on behalf of people with mental 
illness/psychiatric disabilities in positions that were gained out 
of community activism to take charge of state land that has 
been sold to a private developer.  She is looking for examples 
of economic development work that has been effective with 
any group of people - not just people with psychiatric 
disabilities.  

Any ideas?!!  And thanks!  I look forward to reading here.
Deborah Delman
(M-POWER)