Overview
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) helps older job seekers, age 55 and above, who have a low income. This program offers training and help to find jobs in the public and private sectors. Participants earn a small wage for working part-time at nonprofit groups or government agencies. This helps participants learn new skills or improve the ones they already have.
In Texas, the governor chose the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to run the SCSEP program. TWC receives funds every year from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to make this program possible. TWC works with the AARP Foundation to operate the program in 82 Texas counties. In the other counties, the four different providers listed below provide SCSEP services:
- The Center for Workforce Inclusion
- National Asian Pacific Center on Aging
- Service, Employment, and Redevelopment (SER) Jobs for Progress National, Inc.
- Institute for Indian Development
SCSEP helps participants get training at the following places:
- Schools
- Libraries
- Recycling centers
- Senior centers
- Local housing authorities
- Historic sites
- Museums
- Workforce Solutions offices
- Government agencies, such as the Texas Health and Human Services and the U.S. Social Security Administration
- Nonprofit organizations, such as food pantries, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, community action agencies, and Goodwill
What We Do
Information
Education & Training
Employment Services
Services
Find your local Workforce Solutions office.
Reports
TWC developed the SCSEP State Plan by working with the five national SCSEP providers operating in Texas, the Local Workforce Development Boards, and HHSC. Also, stakeholders were invited to provide comments on the plan.
WIOA Combined State Plan PY 2020–2023 (Section VII includes the SCSEP State Plan for PY 2020–2023)
Requirements
SCSEP helps people who are 55 or older and are unemployed. To qualify, they must be able to work in the United States and earn 125 percent or less of the federal poverty level each year.
The Department of Health and Human Services has guidelines for how much money a family can make in a year. Below is the maximum yearly income allowed for different family sizes:
| Number of People in Household | Maximum Yearly Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $13,590 |
| 2 | $18,310 |
| 3 | $23,030 |
| 4 | $27,750 |
| 5 | $32,470 |
| 6 | $37,190 |
| 7 | $41,910 |
| 8 | $46,630 |
| More than 8 | For families/households with more than 8 people, add $4,720 for each additional person |
Some income is not counted when checking eligibility for the SCSEP program. The SCSEP providers in your local area will decide if you are eligible.
Priority Groups
People who are 65 or older get special priority to join the SCSEP program, as well as people who:
- Have a disability
- Have a hard time speaking English
- Live in rural areas
- Are veterans
- Have trouble finding jobs
- Are unable to find work after getting help from a Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program
- Are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
- Have been in jail or prison within the last five years
The SCSEP program is there to help older people who are looking for jobs. The program offers many support services, including:
- Overcoming challenges—Help with things that make it hard for someone to get a job, like transportation, housing and getting proper work clothes
- Health checkups—Making sure job seekers are healthy enough to work
- Teaching job skills—Teaching people how to find jobs, do well in interviews, and succeed in their jobs once they get hired
- Learning support—Classes to improve basic skills like reading, writing, math and high school–level courses
- Special training—Extra training for specific jobs, like computer training, typing and health care skills
The SCSEP program also works with the 28 Local Workforce Development Boards (Boards) in Texas. These Boards help by offering more training and job assistance. You can find these resources at Workforce Solutions offices in the state.
Workforce Solutions offices offer services like orientation to workforce services, career counseling, job opportunity searches, and referrals to educational and vocational training. They also have workshops on making résumés and interviewing, computer classes, and other resources.
The SCSEP program also teams up with Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and other community organizations to help older workers. There are 28 AAAs that work with local communities to support people who are 60 or older, along with their families and caregivers. Find more information about AAAs on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) website.
For more information about SCSEP, contact the SCSEP provider for your county.