GLENDALE—As of July 11, the Employment Development Department of California requires recipients to look for work in order to maintain their unemployment benefits.
Alongside the provision of comprehensive social services, the Armenian Relief Society of Western USA, Social Services is pleased to provide job search services – among many other career development services – to eligible low-income youth and adults to assist with this process. “While a dramatic rise in unemployment was caused as a result of the pandemic with disproportionate effects on those at low-income levels, ARS Social Services has been committed to providing individuals displaced from work with the resources they need to re-enter the workforce and achieve economic security,” stated Talar Aintablian, Director of Operations.
Through its Agreement with the County of Los Angeles, ARS Social Services provides Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) and CSBG CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) services in the Fifth Supervisorial District for the core service category of employment services with a subservice of job search, inclusive of workshops, coaching, job referrals, and job placement. The CSBG Program is designed to provide a range of services to assist low-income individuals and families attain the skills, knowledge and motivation necessary to achieve self-sufficiency.
As such, program activities include, but are not limited to, workshops and individual guidance on resume and cover letter writing, job interview skills, soft employment skills, career planning, job applications, referrals, and placement. Participants must be 14 years or older, live in Glendale, Burbank, La Crescenta, La Canada-Flintridge, Alhambra, Montrose, or certain other areas in the
County of Los Angeles Community Action Agency service area, and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. These services are not limited to unemployed individuals; those who are currently employed but looking to change jobs may also participate as long as they meet the aforementioned eligibility requirements.
Those who lost their work because of the pandemic or were otherwise impacted by COVID-19 may contact Armine Kalbakian at arminekalbakian@arswestusa.org or (818) 241-7533 ext. 112.
COVID-19 impacts include, but are not limited to:
- Job loss or inability to enter workforce because of limited employment opportunities
- Employment loss due to business closure
- Decline in income
- Reduction in employment due to caring for an individual subject to a quarantine order or positive coronavirus test results
- Disrupted work schedules to care for a child whose school or place of care is closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic
Other non-COVID impacted individuals, who are interested in job search services, may contact Victoria Stambulian at victoriastambulian@arswestusa.org or (818)241-7533 ext. 135.
ARS Social Services is committed to providing comprehensive social services to low-moderate individuals and families through offices located in Glendale, Pasadena, and Hollywood. Services include case management, completion of forms, assistance with housing and transportation issues, senior services, Covid-19 outreach and system navigation services, employment services, English as a Second Language/Life Skills classes, homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing, refugee youth mentoring, referrals to vial community resources, adult education, and more. The ARS Social Services main office can be reached at (818) 241 – 7533 or socialservices@arswestusa.org.
