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Senior Community Service Employment Program
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Overview
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) provides training and employment services to help low-income Texans 55 or older gain the skills needed to get jobs and become financially self-sufficient. SCSEP participants work roughly 20 hours a week for nonprofit organizations, school districts or government offices to receive work-based training and provide valuable services to their communities. Eligible participants earn minimum wage at their work-based training assignments, so they earn income while training.
The types of organizations that offer SCSEP participants work-based training include:
- Schools and libraries, recycling centers, senior centers, local housing authorities, historic sites, museums and Workforce Solutions offices
- Government agencies such as Texas Health and Human Services and U.S. Social Security Administration
- Nonprofit organizations such as food pantries, Boys and Girls Clubs, community action agencies and Goodwill
Eligibility
You are eligible for SCSEP if you are:
- At least 55 years of age
- Eligible to work in the U.S.
- Unemployed or earn a limited income for your family size as defined below
Income Eligibility
| Number of People in Household | Maximum Yearly Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $13,963 |
| 2 | $18,913 |
| 3 | $23,863 |
| 4 | $28,813 |
| More than 4 | $28,813 plus $4,950 for each added person |
If you have a documented disability, you are considered to be a family of one, even if you live with several people in your household.
Some income is not included in income eligibility calculations, such as disability benefits and unemployment benefits. You can use the SCSEP Contact Directory to ask the SCSEP representative for your county if you meet the program’s income eligibility requirements.
Priority Groups
The first priority for program enrollment is given to veterans and their eligible spouses, as long as their discharge was not dishonorable.
The second priority for program enrollment is given to individuals with at least one of these characteristics:
- Are 65 years of age or older
- Have a disability
- Have limited English skills
- Have low reading, writing and math skills
- Live in a rural area
- Need extra support and training in order to secure employment
- Did not get a job after receiving Workforce Investment Act services
- Are homeless or at risk of homelessness
Services
SCSEP offers these services and benefits:
- Assessment of your skills, experience, education, interests and any added help you need to complete your training and find the type of job you want
- Development of a training plan for the job you choose
- A half-time, work-based training assignment for you to develop the skills for your job goal
- A free annual health check-up
- Training on how to look for jobs, how to talk to a prospective employer and how to be successful in your job
- Instruction in English, reading, writing, arithmetic or General Education Development (GED) preparation
- Training for other job skills like keyboarding, computer or home health aide
- Help with your job search
- Connection to support services you need to successfully complete your training, find a job and keep your job
Your work-based training assignment depends on your job goal, the skills required for the job and the skills you need to learn or improve. Here are some examples of work-based training assignments:
- Customer service representative
- Maintenance worker
- Teacher assistant
- Child care worker
- Food preparation worker
- Retail salesperson
- Shipping and receiving clerk
Time Limits
SCSEP is a temporary job training program. The program helps you learn the skills you need and access other resources so you can find a job in one or two years. Some people need more time to complete their training. The longest time that you can stay in SCSEP is 48 months. Some SCSEP organizations let you stay in the program an extra year if you meet certain requirements.
