ABOUT
South Dallas Employment Project
The South Dallas Employment Project (SDEP) was established in February 2020 by Redemption Bridge, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit intermediary, in partnership with the State Fair of Texas. The overarching goal of the SDEP is the development of a holistic model that will support opportunity populations living in or returning to South Dallas in five identified contiguous ZIP Codes in obtaining the skills, competencies, knowledge and capabilities to lead sustainable lives.
The SDEP brings together businesses, government, educational institutions, workforce agencies, and nonprofit social enterprises to align and integrate resources focused on engaging employers from different industry sectors that have the largest unmet, non-duplicated job demand in Dallas, that also provide a living wage and career opportunities.
WHO IS SDEP?
We are a Coalition of over 165 organizational partners, working together to serve opportunity populations, establish systemic change in South and Southern Dallas, through place based services.
PURPOSE
Assist individuals to obtain the skills, competencies, knowledge and capabilities necessary to lead sustainable lives. Assist employers in meeting their unmet demand for a skilled, trained workforce.
THREE PRIMARY AREAS OF FOCUS:
1) Living Wage Employment: Individuals need career training and preparedness, leading to living wage employment.
2) Wrap-around Services: In order to secure & sustain employment, SDEP Partners provide individuals with wrap-around services such as housing, transportation, health, community reintegration, digital and financial literacy, and often assistance obtaining government IDs, and access to legal aid.
3) Public Policy: Our partners, including leading state justice think tanks and advocacy organizations, are working together to change public policies that impede progress, and promote policies that can improve or provide opportunities.
IRS METHODOLOGY: INCUBATE + REPLICATE + SCALE
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Incubate to create a successful model
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Replicate to demonstrate its replicability
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Scale up to serve all populations across Dallas
GOAL
Provide a pathway from generational poverty to generational prosperity.