Scsep helps loretta boyd build skills and confidence

During her time as a caregiver, Loretta had to tap into her 401(k) to cover expenses. But now, still grieving the loss of her mother, she was forced to give up the home they had shared

because she couldn’t afford to keep it. Without a job, she says, “I didn’t have anything else to use, so I had to do a short sale on the house.” Her daughter had moved to Arizona and her son

couldn’t take her in, so Loretta’s only option was transitional housing: temporary lodging that gives displaced people a roof over their heads until they can move into permanent, affordable

housing. But one of the requirements for transitional housing is to find gainful employment — something Loretta was unable to do no matter how hard she tried. She was evicted from

transitional housing with nowhere else to go. She thought she might stay with friends for a little while, but they failed to come through. “That’s where you find out who your true friends

are,” she says. EXPANDING INTO NEW AREAS With all of her options exhausted in Colorado Springs, Loretta made the difficult decision to relocate to Denver, about 70 miles and a world away

from the hometown she knew and loved. She moved in with her brother and tried to navigate her new surroundings. It didn’t go well at first. “I was so overwhelmed,” she says. “I thought, ‘I

can’t do this. I just can’t do this.’” She managed to find a job at a day care center — but shortly after starting, she fell and hurt her back. “It was a long journey,” she explains. “I had

to see a pain management doctor and get injections in my back.” Just like that, she was unemployed again. Once she started to feel better, Loretta visited a workforce center to get help

finding a job. She saw a flyer for the AARP FOUNDATION SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, or SCSEP, a workplace training program for adults over 55 who have very low income.

Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, SCSEP organizes training assignments with local nonprofits and public agencies that help participants build job skills and earn a livable

income while giving back to their community. The vast majority of participants end up with permanent, unsubsidized employment. Loretta already had basic computer skills, but SCSEP helped

her expand her capabilities into new areas. “I got to assist with job fairs and teach a couple of courses,” she says. “I had no idea that I was able teach anybody anything!” Her computer

skills advanced substantially, and her varied responsibilities helped her gain customer service experience as well.