CalWorks/gain
Our Mission
Los Angeles Southwest College provides participants with educational opportunities that help enhance their self-esteem and sense of identity. In addition to the benefits of reducing tax expenditures for welfare and increasing tax income from employment of former welfare recipients, the program enables people to become independent and instills in them the confidence and skills they need in the job market. To this end, Los Angeles Southwest College is committed to CalWORKs/GAIN and affirms the principle that individuals have opportunities to develop their full potential, enhance their self-esteem and sense of identity while open access to all remains available.
CalWORKs & GAIN
CalWORKs (California's Work Opportunities and Responsibilities to Kids Initiative) is a welfare-to-work program designed to move TANF recipients into unsubsidized employment. Acquiring job market skills is a component of this TANF legislation. Students who are in need of Skills upgrade and/or are allowed to acquire a vocational skill must complete the training within an individual time frame that depends on factors and guidelines established for the program. Students enroll in Basic Skills, vocational and occupational courses for certificate or degrees, and short-term vocational training classes which include VESL for the English-as-a-Second Language students.
GAIN (Greater Avenues for Independence) was the initiative from the Family Support Act that supported the former AFDC. Los Angeles County uses the established GAIN process to implement CalWORKs. Students who are referred to us from the Department of Public Social Services usually refer to themselves as GAIN students (who are participating in the CalWORKs program).