The Pate House researches ways to remove barriers to opportunity, advocates those solutions to policymakers and the public, and helps innovative social enterprises deliver results on the ground. The primary pathways to opportunity – strong families, quality schools, and stable employment – which historically gave people a chance to succeed, regardless of social and economic background, have experienced a rapid decline in recent decades. We study and understand the obstacles along these pathways to success and work to break through the barriers that keep people from thriving.
For many people, finding and keeping a job is a major challenge. People can be burdened with numerous obstacles, both socio-economic and mental. The list of barriers can be long, i.e., a lack of transportation, a lack of career guidance, an ineffective resume, a prior conviction, family responsibilities, low self-esteem, drug addiction, untreated mental health issues, and being stuck in a repetitive cycle of self-destruction and hopelessness.
The Adult Learning/Resource Centers provide computer classes, career training, job readiness workshops, resume preparation, life skills workshops, GED classes, credit repair, clearing criminal background, and access to other resources to help residents improve their lives, gain employment, and even pursue higher education. We are able to help get people enrolled in these programs and encourage them to complete the programs. We currently do not have a transportation van, but we hope to have this option in the future.
Overall, The Pate House connects local employers with those who are homeless or in shelters with meaningful employment opportunities. We want them to find employment, learn new life skills, and attain job training. The Pate House’s goal is to help people learn to overcome personal, physical, financial, and emotional barriers to getting a job and or finding more permanent shelter and necessary transportation.