Since West Side United was founded in 2017, Civic Consulting Alliance has helped this innovative health equity collaborative incubate, launch, and execute initiatives to address the social determinants of health for the West Side’s 550,000 residents.

One key initiative in West Side United’s Economic Vitality focus area is the development of ‘career pathway programs’ that connect low-wage workers to in-demand, well-paying healthcare roles. Pathway participants receive training to earn nationally-recognized credentials, as well as professional development supports and other wraparound services—all at no cost. Civic Consulting Alliance developed a process that West Side United follows to incubate new pathway programs, and we are supporting the incubation and implementation of four pathway programs in partnership with six hospitals:

In 2019, West Side United was awarded a three-year, $3 million grant from JPMorgan Chase’s AdvancingCities Challenge to scale its Economic Vitality initiatives, including the pathway programs. With these critical philanthropic resources in place, the programs were just building momentum when the COVID-19 crisis struck.

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the pathway programs: courses required for certifications and degrees paused or moved to a virtual format; pathway participants grappled with the personal, health, and financial challenges brought by the pandemic; and our region’s healthcare needs shifted to treat COVID-19 patients and to adapt to new safety precautions.

Over the past year, with problem solving and program management support from Civic Consulting Alliance, West Side United pivoted to adapt its pathway programs to COVID-19 and to support pathway participants through this challenging time. West Side United also sought to incorporate new strategies to magnify the impact of the pathway programs, to increase the number of pathway participants, and to better target West Side residents. Below are key examples of these strategies and the challenges they sought to address:

“During this tumultuous year, Civic Consulting Alliance provided the capacity and thought partnership we needed to adapt and stay focused on our pathway program goals – even as our healthcare and education systems underwent rapid change.” –  Ayesha Jaco, Executive Director, West Side United

In just two and a half years, West Side United’s pathway programs have already impacted the lives of individual Chicagoans and our city’s healthcare system more broadly. A cohort of Medical Assistant pathway participants graduated from Malcolm X College in June of 2021, and multiple cohorts of Nursing Assistant pathway participants have already earned their credentials. Additional cohorts of Medical Assistant, Nursing Assistant, and Health IT pathway participants are currently enrolled in training. Over the course of the AdvancingCities grant, around 300 Chicagoans are expected to participate in these career pathways programs. Moreover, the six participating hospitals are setting an example for how other hospital systems and healthcare institutions can provide opportunities for economic advancement to current employees and to residents of the communities they serve—even in times of crisis.

As West Side United hospitals and stakeholders prepare for future pathway program cohorts, they will continue to incorporate the important lessons learned during COVID-19 in order to increase the programs’ impact, and ultimately, improve the economic wellbeing of West Side residents.