Access Inc
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Access mission is to address the needs of the most vulnerable and underserved populations in San Diego County by promoting self-sufficiency and economic independence through education and employment opportunities. Even during times of low unemployment, individuals with limited education, work skills, financial resources and resilience are unable to successfully navigate the community to achieve personal and professional goals for themselves and their families. Many individuals experience hopelessness and despair when they cannot find a way forward on their own. Access serves individuals who need help reinventing themselves and reenergizing their hopes and dreams. Through community outreach to build awareness and recruit participants, community collaboration to identify resources and reduce service duplication, program development to address service gaps, continual evaluation of results and service refinements, Access builds programs that are responsive and effective.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Youth Services
Youth aged 16–24 with multiple barriers to education and employment are served through programs that provide a sound foundation for successful transition to self-sufficiency. Out of school youth participate in an alternative high school to achieve their GED combined with career exploration and occupational skills training, individualized case management, mentoring, leadership development, internships, supportive services, job placement and retention services, which comply with Workforce Innovations and Opportunities Act requirements, that funds much of this work. Access also provides comprehensive workforce readiness programs at San Pasqual Academy, a unique residential campus for foster care youth. Key elements of this program include multimedia technology training, video production, culinary arts, and agriculture and entrepreneurship courses of study; a comprehensive financial literacy program; and anon-campus social enterprise coffee bar that provides work experience for students.
Immigrant Services
San Diego has a rich diversity of immigrants from across the globe who can benefit from intensive services to help them thrive socially, economically and legally in the community. For Spanish speakers, Access provides English as a Second Language, computer instruction, and small business support. For individuals experiencing family violence, the Access legal team helps individuals file for petitions under the Violence against Women Act, which can lead to permanent residency. Through the Fellowship for Immigrant and Refugee Empowerment (FIRE) and Karilagan Youth Leadership programs, Access outreaches to the Filipino, Vietnamese and African communities. Programs educate women and families about domestic violence, expand support networks, build leadership and resilience. Interactive workshops and mixed media art programs showcase diverse writers, playwrights, and other artists with cultural and experiential events that resonate with diverse communities and address pressing concerns.
Entrepreneurial and Business Services
A good idea and an entrepreneurial vision need sound support to be successful. Access has a comprehensive training program for low-income individuals, many of whom are new to the United States, who want to start or expand a small business. Support includes developing a business plan, applying for licenses and loans, financial literacy and customer service trainings, marketing and mentoring. The University of San Diego Masters of Business Administration Program provides technical and mentoring support to program participants. For youth interested in business development, Access offers a Young Entrepreneur’s Academy. Access also hosts community market days where entrepreneurs sell their products, and periodic job fairs that facilitate the match between hiring businesses and job seekers. Access also provides training, work experience and produce dissemination at the organization’s 20 acre certified organic community garden.
Where we work
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Access aims to make positive life-changing impacts on the individuals enrolled in the organization’s programs and cultivate public – private partnerships to enhance the effectiveness of service delivery. Within the organization’s mission driven priorities of education and workforce development for low income clients, the opportunities to address clients needs aim to be responsive, agile and flexible. In all programs, the organization aims to assist clients articulate their needs and desires, assess capabilities, set goals, develop a plan of action and connect to responsive services and supports. Most importantly, Access aims to deliver outstanding customer service and achieve high levels of customer service satisfaction. The organization also aims to maintain relevance and awareness of emerging needs and societal trends that present opportunities to create new programs, improve existing programs, or eliminate programs that are no longer relevant.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The Access strategy for achieving high levels of customer service, satisfaction and positive results has been developing for more than a half-century. The Access leadership knows that a one-size-fits-all approach to human services is neither responsive nor effective. Programs are developed using the most recent evidence-based practices in service delivery, curricula, and client centered methods, which are tested and verified before implementation. Access delivers these vetted programs while simultaneously providing individualized intensive services and supports to clients to ensure responsiveness to each persons’ unique circumstances. Staff develop long-term professional client relationships built upon foundations of respect, positive regard, an understanding that change takes time, and there can be many definitions of and pathways to success. A strong network of community partners address client needs that are outside the scope of Access capabilities. Alumni, mentors, human resource professionals, and other professional and lay leaders are also enlisted to share their expertise and enhance the client experience.
Within this strategic framework, Youth Services, Immigrant Support, and Entrepreneurial and Business Services have specialized strategies to meet client needs. Within Youth Services, Access serves Opportunity Youth – individuals 16-24 who are not in school, training, or employed; foster youth; and youth who are unsure of which occupational opportunities fit their skills, abilities and interests. The combination of non-traditional education, workplace exposure, job coaching and supportive services create a network of supports that help youth develop an education and career plan that can evolve as they do. The Immigrant Support program responds to local community needs with respect to self-determination, cultural acclimation, and workforce readiness. Entrepreneurial and Business Services helps low-income clients of all ages and backgrounds identify ways they can create opportunities for themselves and their families through their own initiative. Taken together, these programs provide no wrong door to the mission driven opportunities provided by Access.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Access is governed by a dedicated Board of Directors with diverse backgrounds and skills. More than 30 staff serve the mission of the organization with specialized expertise in case management, training, job development, business partnerships, legal services, and administration. Lead by a CEO who has served the organization in various capacities for more than two decades, her commitment to client services and continuous improvement is evident in the staff training and support services that are hallmarks of Access. The organization is supported by Federal, State, County, and Local contracts, as well as foundation, corporate and individual grants. Access provides classroom training at its headquarters in San Diego as well as at satellite offices and San Pasqual Academy. Client support services are provided in offices and in the local community. Partnership and grant support from the San Diego Workforce Partnership has been instrumental in ensuring Access programs and services are responsive to the local and regional workforce needs and long-term outlook.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Access was founded in 1967 to deliver vital community programs as part of President Johnson’s War on Poverty. During its early years, Access served the Mexican American immigrant community and San Diego County Indian Reservations by providing Headstart, youth development, training, job placement and community development programs. After the end of the Vietnam War, Access helped relocate and resettle refugees from the Vietnamese, Cambodian, Tai, Lao and Hmong communities who moved to San Diego by providing English language and job training classes. Beginning in the 1980’s Access developed expertise in workforce development programs for low-income adults and youth. The organization has developed a portfolio of services for out of school youth aged 16-24 that includes: individualized high school diploma or GED preparation; work readiness training; computer literacy, leadership training; career exploration; career academy training in preparation for specific career tracts; career technical education classes; paid internships in career related jobs; career mentoring; assistance in community college and postsecondary training assistance; and job placement assistance. All of these services provide intensive case management, coaching, and mentoring.
Since its inception the organization’s core values has been and will continue to be based on a spirit of compassion, respect, integrity, diversity and dedication to each person served.
Looking to the future, Access plans to further expand education, training, and workforce development programs to respond to the changing demands of the 21st century workforce. The organization will further develop replicable programs to assist individuals with multiple barriers to employment develop in-demand, employer valued skills, that provide benefits, career advancement, agility and resilience. As the nation continues to refine its immigration policies, Access will continue to hone its approaches to serving newcomers to the community.
Finally, Access is committed to collaborative partnership development that will expand resources, promote best practices, develop innovative services and generate significant opportunities to benefit clients and communities as they respond to demographic, social, and economic changes.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Access Inc
Board of directorsas of 04/11/2022
Mrs Janet Kaye
Retired from San Diego Hospice
Veronica Jarque
Veronica Jarque
Tom Cunningham
Darling Paul-Richiez
Christina Hepburn
Janet Kaye