A new program that would help eastern Kentucky’s unemployed community find work officially launched Tuesday.
EKY Runway is meant to help address an employment gap in the region. It’s meant to help work with and train those in need, and create a personal roadmap for finding job opportunities.
That includes getting matched with a local mentor to discuss a person’s unique skills and interests.
It was created by the Shaping Our Appalachian Region nonprofit, also known as SOAR.
The program is meant to last four years, with it being funded by a $51 million grant.
Colby Hall is SOAR’s executive director. He says it’s meant to create a framework to support the region for much longer.
“While the work is going to happen again on a day to day, month to month basis, we're really building, you know, five years for the next 50, as we talk about with my team, we're taking a very long term lens with this work,” Hall said.
He says much of the work has a personal approach.
“It is the training, it is the educational piece. But we're also combining that with tons of behavioral and mental and kind of speaking into the hearts and minds of individuals to remind them of, ‘Hey, like you have unique gifts and talents,” Hall said.
The program is available in 12 counties. That includes Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knox, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Perry and Pike counties.
More information about the program is available here.
** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation.
