Graphic Futures Project

Overview

The Graphic Futures Program was created in 2001 as a pilot project utilizing NCLR’s Subsector Approach to Community Economic Development methodology and was designed to recruit, train, and place low-income residents from the Humboldt Park community of Chicago in stable, high-wage jobs in the printing industry. Through funding obtained from the Illinois Attorney General, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) provided resources and technical assistance to Affiliates Humboldt Park Economic Development Corporation (HPEDC) and Association House of Chicago (AHC) to complete a regional economic analysis based on the NCLR Subsector Approach. Once the printing industry was identified as the target industry, a sectoral training program was created which offered wages and career opportunities to Latinos, enabling them to move up the economic ladder. With supplementary funding provided by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs and in partnership with the Printing Industry of Illinois and Indiana (PII) and Triton College, the Graphic Futures Program provided community residents with services ranging from transportation, case management and tuition and scholarship assistance to occupation-specific training and placement assistance. The Graphic Futures replication manual is currently being finalized.

Impact:

• The project graduated the first group of students in May of 2002. Fifteen participants graduated, for an 83% graduation rate.
• In May 2003, Graphic Futures graduated its third class. Of the 11 students (seven male and four female), two have gone on to pursue advanced degrees in printing or graphic arts and four have been placed in printing firms.
• Twenty-four of 34 total graduates (graduation rate of approximately 80 %) have been placed in jobs or are continuing their education in the printing field.