[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]The jobs available to people with low levels of education rarely allow them to escape poverty. Obstacles to these individuals are not one-dimensional. For example, a rapid growth segment in our country is “kids living in single family households.” These mostly “single-mother” lead households introduce a host of challenges to both the parent and the children in their care.
While government support is available in a variety of ways, earning more (or less by not working) can impact this support. If a mom tries to get ahead by working a second job, they are penalized in two ways (less qualification for assistance and less time to parent). If they quit to go to school, they are no longer employed and could lose other benefits.
Single mothers commonly live in a cross section of risk factors, which combine to create barriers that would be difficult for any prospective student to overcome. As a whole, this student segment today experiences a far lower completion rate than other segments.
Addressing this combination of academic challenge and life circumstance obstacles is exactly what the E.A.R.N. project called “Teach a Mom to Fish” is all about. We cost effectively leverage technology, industry, and available community services options to ensure the “small/unexpected” changes do not occur to our single mother (and/or single parent) students striving to make a difference in their lives and the lives of their families.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]