The Indianapolis Urban League (IUL) staff reaches out to people of all ages
and financial levels, helping them better their current situation and build for
the future. While personal goals can often seem out of reach – whether it’s
getting a good job, buying a house, starting a business or being financially
secure – IUL counselors can lay out the steps to help make them a reality.
Focusing in the main areas of jobs and job training, home ownership and
affordable housing, financial literacy, technology training and entrepreneurial
growth and opportunity, IUL provides programs such as:
Housing and Family Services
Fair Housing and Housing Counseling Services for financial literacy and
homeownership.
Recently, the Indianapolis Urban League became a U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) Certified Housing Counseling Agency. In this capacity,
the IUL provides services for rent and mortgage assistance, reverse mortgage
counseling, housing counseling, education, foreclosure mediation,
money-management and support services, home ownership counseling, training and
community advocacy for low-income, at-risk and disadvantaged households through
membership and participation in the Indiana Housing Task Force and other public
policy bodies.
The IUL’s Positive Directions Rental/Mortgage Assistance Program serves persons
with HIV/AIDS living in Marion County. Clients are counseled for any present
needs in housing and provided rental or mortgage assistance for two-thirds of
their monthly rent or mortgage obligation.
The Indianapolis Urban League also manages the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) funds allocated to the Indianapolis community for emergency rental
and utility assistance and the Indianapolis community’s Winter Assistance Fund.
Skilled Workforce Development – Employment Assistance
The Skilled Workforce Development (SWD) department of the Indianapolis Urban
League responds to the needs of minority, poor and disadvantaged residents to
secure and maintain self-supporting employment. The Employment Readiness
program, CARE program and IUL’s Career Fairs are the primary methods of
assisting the Indianapolis community in addressing this need.
The Employment Readiness program of SWD provides skills assessment, employment
readiness training and employment assistance for hard to employ and
under-employed residents of Indianapolis. The program has demonstrated an
exceptional ability in assisting a broad range of citizens with their employment
needs and related problems. Our core activities include case management, resume
preparation, job search, interviewing techniques, soft skills training to
reinforce good attendance and work habits, a basic introduction to computer
applications, job leads and job referrals.
The Community Access & Reentry Effort (CARE) program provides resources and
staff to address the special needs and cultural issues of African-Americans and
other disadvantaged young adults (ages 18-30) with nonviolent, nonsexual felony
offenses in seeking employment in the Indianapolis community. Additionally, a
continuum of services will be provided to support the young adults transitioning
back into the community. Utilizing the best practices of the Ready4Work national
demonstrations, participants will receive education, employment readiness, job
placement and intensive case management with the availability of wrap-around
services to address health care, substance abuse, healthy relationship skills
and other issues.
IUL/SWD hosts the Equal Opportunity Career Fair and a Fall Career Fair each year
to assist its clients and the general public in obtaining employment. Attended
on average by 300 individuals each time, the career fairs connect candidates
with employers and educational institutions to provide avenues for furthering
their careers.
CareerTrack Program
This is an employment readiness program and career-planning program aimed toward
individuals between the ages of 18 to 25 with or without a high school diploma
or GED. In addition to job readiness training and job referral services, this
program can provide tuition assistance for skills training programs and
incentive to completion.
Information Technology
This department makes available basic computer training programs for youth and
adults including instructions in basic keyboarding, Microsoft Word and
e-mailing. We are currently in the process of launching computer training for
seniors in partnership collaboration with Oasis Institute.
In an effort to encourage more of our young people to consider pursuing a
college degree in the field of technology, we operate the Soon to Make a
Difference Program – SMD.com. This is an advanced computer program for ages
12-16 offered in collaboration with the Indiana University School of
Informatics.