Narrative: e. 2. A.

The OESC and its outreach workers will increase the publicizing of its employment, training and supportive services available at centers by promoting these centers as a viable resource for MSFWs through increased outreach activities. OESC outreach workers will contact those MSFWs not coming into local office where they work or live and will target community based businesses and events in MSFW communities (i.e., shopping center, stores, restaurants, etc.…) to reach MSFWs with informational materials about center services and opportunities.

The strategic placement of qualified outreach workers throughout the state is crucial for contacting farmworkers who cannot be reached through normal intake activities at the local centers.

Several proposed outreach activities continue to be in the planning stage or in their infancy at this time. A brief summary of each follows: • Limited English Proficiency (LEP) group - The policy of OESC is to provide quality and timely language assistance services to customers with LEP to ensure meaningful access to programs, services and activities. The LEP program is identifying significant documents, informational materials and other items used on a daily basis in our workforce centers to translate to Spanish or any other native language. Our OKJobMatch database systems allows for a variety of language options. • Placement of bilingual Oklahoma Works Centers – OESC has 7 Spanish speaking staff in local offices and various state office positions. Bilingual staff are being placed in high volume offices or units (i.e., call center for unemployment) to assist Spanish speaking customers. • Identification of pertinent groups, organizations and associations involved with the agricultural community. OESC continues to maintain relationships with agencies who may assist or who work specifically with the MSFWs; including, but not limited to: the Oklahoma Works, Oklahoma Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Oklahoma Department of Labor, ORO Development Corporation (Section 167 Farmworker Program grant recipient), and the local WIOA Workforce Development Boards. The OESC will continue to work in establishing new alliances with those entities which will be of assistance to us and the provision of services to MSFWs. Additional connections are being sought with OSHA, US Department of Justice, EPA, CDC, and Health & Human Services, as they relate to MSFWs and other agricultural workers. • Establish networking and some structured communication with these groups, organizations and associations to help to identify ongoing needs and services. An agricultural outreach group was established in February 2016 with the intent of facilitating an exchange of information regarding services, communication of events, and identifying the needs for each member with regard to working with Oklahoma agricultural employers and workers. Meetings to realize a joint effort with others to locate and assist MSFWs will be attended within the limits of available resources. The OESC plans to be a unifying force for this activity and networking in the future. Identify and provide increased literature and media outreach to the agricultural community. • Develop MSFW informational packet for workers and for employers summarizing available resources. Early stage planning for an MSFW Handbook and an Agricultural Employment Handbook has begun. A goal of summer, 2017 is planned for the MSFW handbook as a media outreach activity. • Establish a more visible MSFW State Monitor Advocate internet presence. An Oklahoma State Monitor Advocate webpage was placed on the OESC agency website in January, 2015. In addition to the basic role, items such as agricultural related materials for the worker and employer, links and location of centers and agency/community resources, complaint process, safety and other informational items are now displayed. • Provide more extensive training to OESC and partner staffs in Oklahoma Works Centers to better identify MSFWs, their needs and service requirements, and provide informational material to those MSFWs, employers and organizations in their counties served. A desk aid for staff to assist in the proper identification of MSFWs has been discussed, created and distributed. This is a first step in acclimating center staff & partners to more aggressive identification of and assistance to MSFWs. • Market Oklahoma Works Centers as viable assistance centers for the MSFWs. Both flyers and web-based information will be used for this purpose. The OESC webpage currently displays all offices, with information on each. Links to this site will be available in more locations. Handouts will be developed for outreach activities, job fairs or other events. • Partnering with the ORO Development Corporation, a current grantee provider of the WIOA Title I Section 167 program and non-profit corporation of the State of Oklahoma will continue to be developed and utilized by our Oklahoma Works Centers. ORO provides employment, training and supportive services to Oklahoma’s MSFWs, often through referral from our LOs. ORO is located in 5 Oklahoma Works Centers and works alongside OESC staff and other partners to provide increased services in the parts of the state with higher concentration of MSFW population.