WAVE is a program of

The York County Jobs Connection (YCJC) was initiated in June of 1997 as a result of the concerns of several Chambers of Commerce, representing approximately 3,000 businesses with a desperate need for workers to fill positions, and a variety of community resource agencies. A Steering Committee (see list at bottom of page) has identified barriers for workers seeking those positions: reliable transportation, available and affordable childcare, and training for employment skills.

Initially, the YCJC Steering Committee conducted surveys of area businesses and their employment needs, and of individuals receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Information on available childcare in the service area was also gathered. The information collected was critical for the development of the “WAVE" project, "Wheels to Access Vocation and Education", designed to connect people to jobs in York County. Funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s “Job Access and Reverse Commute” competitive grant, matched with state and local monies, was obtained to initiate the service.

The WAVE transportation system provides the needed access to jobs in the Sanford area and in Wells, part of the coastal area of Maine.  This area has been particularly hard hit with a serious shortage of workers.  The WAVE provides service to several pick-up points in the greater Sanford area, along with door-to-door pick-ups, and transport workers to concentrations of employment in Sanford and Wells, such as the industrial parks near the airport and the Wells exit of the Maine Turnpike. Beginning in the summer of 2000, it brought workers to locations along the seacoast, where they could transfer to a local trolley system.

The WAVE Operations Coordinator administers the service and provides an essential direct link between the transportation service, the Bureau of Family Independence (the State TANF provider), the CareerCenter (DOL), the childcare providers, and the business community. The Coordinator is responsible for matching all trip requests for work, childcare and training with available routes, utilizing YCCAC’s Transportation Program’s computerized database. Service has been provided seven days/week since inception of the WAVE, with pick-ups available for early morning and late night shifts.
The WAVE transportation service is the top priority of the YCJC to address the multiple employment barriers of TANF participants and other low-income residents in York County. The YCJC Steering Committee will continue to meet on a regular basis to implement the program and develop new and innovative strategies in response to feedback received from the community.

The York County Jobs Connection is designed as a collaborative process, seeking to ensure that the individuals moving from welfare to work, along with other low-income persons, are provided with all the necessary support services to make that transition successful. The commitment of all the key players to utilize their respective resources, and to maximize the positive solutions that this community based network draws upon, is a winning approach for our targeted workforce.

Participating Agencies and Contacts:
• Department of Health & Human Services, Bureau of Family Independence:  Wendy O’Blenis (490-5424) • Department of Labor, CareerCenter: Richard Fifield (286-2669) • Sanford/Springvale Chamber of Commerce:  Richard Stanley (324-4280) • Southern Maine Coast Tourism Association • Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission:  Tom Reinauer (324-2952) • Child Care Services of York County:  Bill Hager (324-6025) •Maine Department ofTransportation:  Barbara Donovan  (287-3318) • York County Community Action Corporation, Transportation Program:  Connie Garber (324-5762)