What is The Cara Program?

The Cara Program is an innovative program dedicated to helping homeless and at-risk individuals address personal challenges and transform their lives. The Cara Program’s goal is to be a key supporter to motivated individuals in their quest to achieve lasting success by providing comprehensive training, permanent job placement and critical support services. Our goal is to be a tough minded-friend and help these individuals move to a rewarding life of self-sufficiency.

What to Expect from The Cara Program:

Life Skills Classes, including conflict management, communication skills, self esteem & confidence, leadership and team-work, time management, ethics and workplace etiquette.

Job Readiness Training, including career assessment, resume preparation, interview techniques and mock interviews, computer skills, customer service and professionalism.

Permanent Job Placement, with leading companies such as Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Pitney Bowes, ABM Lakeside and Marriott Hotels.

One Year of Post Employment Support, including coaching, on the job advancement, financial assistance and connections to other services.

Added Benefits, including but not limited to: transportation assistance from the first day of class until the first paycheck; a professional business suit; resumé development; access to computer labs and the internet; and a matched savings program with the opportunity to earn up to $1,000 after one year of employment.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for The Cara Program, individuals must meet the following criteria:

• Be motivated, willing and determined to work full-time and comply with rules and regulations.
• Be drug free.
• Be able to attend every day of the first five weeks of the program. Absences are not excused during this time.
• Be mentally stable (if clinically diagnosed with a mental disorder, individuals should be taking prescribed medication and/or be engaged in counseling services).
The Cara Program accepts referrals for individuals who are ex-offenders.

Eligibility criteria for Ex-Offenders:
• No convictions for severely violent crimes including but not limited to attempted murder, murder, attempted manslaughter, manslaughter.
• No convictions for sex-based crimes.
• The frequency and recent nature of convictions will also be taken into consideration and may impact the scheduling of ex-offenders for classes.
• Please note that individuals eligible for Cleanslate will begin by attending the first five weeks of The Cara Program. They will not earn a stipend until at least the fifth week of their involvement with The Cara Program/ Cleanslate.
Individuals must also have:
• Identification - driver’s license or Ilinois state ID, social security card, birth certificate
• Reliable childcare - (7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.) and/or after school care (3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.) and a back-up childcare provider
• Stable housing - this could be an apartment, house, shelter, recovery home, halfway house, or with friends/family members. Individuals must be able to reside in a stable place while they are in the program.

Cleanslate

Cleanslate is The Cara Program’s social enterprise, and provides quality transitional jobs to Cara students.
Cleanslate helps those with more extensive barriers to employment by giving them a chance to develop work history, learn workplace skills and build confidence.

Clients must be accepted into The Cara Program through the traditional admissions process before they can be considered for Cleanslate.

Those accepted to Cleanslate do receive a stipend, but these internships are considered transitional employment, and are designed to move clients onto permanent unsusidized jobs in the private sector. Cleanslate interns remain fully engaged with The Cara Program and its career development staff in their search for permanent employment and receive the same level of support as traditional Cara students.

How to Contact Us:
Admissions Department
phone: 312-798-3309
fax: 312-386-9677

East Loop Campus
228 S. Wabash
Chicago, Illinois 60604
www.thecaraprogram.org/admissions