Community Connections Workshop goes virtual

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - While 211 is a useful resource, the United Way of Southwest Louisiana and the City of Lake Charles are bringing one more resource for the community to access during this pandemic.

President and CEO of the United Way in Southwest Louisiana Denise Durel says, “We are all about education and making sure that people are aware of the services that are out there. There are some wonderful things going on in our community but if you’re not aware that they’re even they are even available to you, then you won’t be able to even participate.”

That’s why the United Way has teamed up with the City of Lake Charles to relaunch the Community Connections Workshop series.

This year, the series will be going virtual according to Mayor Nic Hunter, “We will be posting a Community Connection recorded conversation. These will laser focus in this year, on job availabilities and quick turn-around job training skills.”

Its something Durel says is taking a completely different direction from last year.

“The topics that we talked about last year and this year, wow what a difference a year makes because we were talking about the expansion and the growth in our area and now our city, we have had to readjust that and I think it’s so on-point and timely.”

And by making it virtual and accessible through Facebook, Mayor Hunter hopes it reaches an even larger audience.

“There are so many people that need this information right now. There are more people that need this information this year than there were at this time last year. My hope is that someone is inspired by this and is either is able to get a job they desperately need right now or get some turn-around skills and get a job but also maybe put themselves on the trajectory to an industry or a company where they could move up on the ladder.”

The first Community Connections Workshop is already available on the Lake Charles City Hall Facebook page, featuring an update on the American Job Center.

Workshops will air virtually every Sunday at noon until August 30, 2020.

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