Dealing with Campers

I was talking to a friend of mine who does a lot of work in California and he was talking about people who go to one-stops and camp out, they use the computers, they drink the coffee but don't seem to be getting much activity done as far as job search is concerned. He said that many of the people are homeless and that instead of complaining about them they contact and invite organizations that work with homeless to join in at the one-stop. My experience is that a lot of campers are old timers (nothing to do with age) who have been out of work for a long time and like to spread doom to the new comers. How does your organization deal with people who camp out at your place and what have been your experiences with how they respond?

RESPONSES

We have a lot of factors as to why we do not have campers in this area.

1. The weather is such that it gets way too cold.

2. There is a law against it in this state.

3. We have a lot of beds in shelters to assist people with no place to live.

4. There are many motels that allow people to park in the back of their establishments

Bea M. ME

No Camping Allowed! GC CA

Michigan Works! allows everyone the use of their facilities whenever and for
any length of time every day. The facilitators provide assistance with
finding various web sites to use for specific employments. They also assist
with resumes and cover letters and provide use of the fax machine. MB MI

We're dealing with this same problem (opportunity) in Tarrant County, Texas. Some of these campers are more regular that paid staff!

We have "campers" in our career center, too. Since we have space most of the time, what is the harm in allowing the "hard core unemployed" with using the facilities? It is better for them to be in the environment then out on the street and they are learning indirectly, even if it is just to practice social skills.

Unless and until we run out of room, we will not run them off.

We are a public place, dedicated to serve the public....even the hard core campers!

Thanks RS

We definitely have a few campers. I reduced the coffee to one pot a day. Then, in January, I cut it out all together. Staff have their own coffee pots or they purchase coffee at the donut shop a few doors down. We have established guidelines for the center which include things like sleeping, eating, minding you children, computer and phone usage. While it has significantly reduced the time people camp out, it has not resolved the situation. We have a day labor company a few doors away which contributes to our problem. Our office seems to be a warm place for people to wait in the winter and cool in the summer. I am interested in other people's responses. Patric-California

Aloha
First, let me respond to Campers. We don't seem to have this problem and I believe it is because there is a monitor in the computer lab at the One-Stop. The space and the number of computers are also limited, so this is not a problem here.
Marlene HI

We have had some folks who felt they should stay in our One-Stop Center all day (9 hours). We imposed a 3 hour maximum based on the belief that the real jobs are in the real world and the Internet is just a useful tool. My take on the experience is that we need to be more like a gym than a library – you come in, do your exercises, and get out in the big world where all the risks and all the fun are. The other issue regarding “campers” is people who return day after day, apparently with the hope that the job market will change drastically and they will be back in 1999 with signing bonuses to come to work. Many of these folks need to be directed to the individualized services in WIA and are not best served in the Self-Directed/Core A/Up-front services. I’m interested to see how others are dealing with this issue.

Thanks

Tim McClain

Aloha Paul,

Yeah we have a few campers at our One Stop too. We try to be polite to them but sometimes you kind of got to remind them of the rules. Especially if you see them looking for dates with Asian women and stuff like that. And if they come in smelling like a horse, well I tell them they got to leave and come in smelling sweeter. I think you got the let them know this ain't a clubhouse were you smoke and joke.

Once you clamp down on them I think they'll get the message not to abuse the place. But its hard since they try to make like they're looking for a job and sometimes its not always true.

Donn HI

It's good that you mentioned the campers. So many different kinds out there. Sometimes you can figure out why they lost their job: their attitude! Some lost jobs from no control of their own, but their attitude on how they move on will be instrumental or detrimental. The campers may take the detrimental way and criticize the way the Employment Agency runs or its staff and not realizing that most of us genuienly want to help. This help usually wears thin when the campers wear out their welcome with more abusive use of the facility or towards staff and customers. What happens then is that they go to another agency/location and start up again.

What I try to do with some difficult campers is to engage in their needs. I have turned my back before and didn't want to deal with them. However, they don't just go away until they find a job. I accept these challenges and I realize now that these folks need some serious help.

Maybe they need a referral to an appropriate agency that will help them with barriers (addiction/physical/mental disabilities). The campers are to be notified that staff is there to help them and that they need to help themselves. Tell the Campers being rude/disrespectful to staff or other customers will not be tolerated and show them that it does not do any positives in a polite, yet stern way like Company policies must be adhered to to protect staff and customers.

Aloha, Ruel HI

As far as I know, our system at the One-Stop is set up to discourage campers. When you enter the facility, you must sign in with the receptionist. A file is kept of how often you visit, as well as the duration of each stay, and the nature of each visit. We have a small bank of computers in an open room that is visible to everyone, so it's fairly obvious should someone decide to squat awhile. We service an average of 50-100 people each day, depending upon whether an employer is doing mass hiring thru the One-Stop facility. For example, 746 people showed up within a 3-hr. period to apply for positions at one of our prisons that's re-opening. We also have a resource room that has literature from most of our eligible training providers. Again, tabs are kept on each person who goes in there. It could be that the location of our One-Stop is a deterrent to camperism, in that it's located in the suburban part of our county on a busy thoroughfare, with poor access to the public transit system & no sidewalks. The majority of the people who visit, come by car. And, many applicants choose to access the One-Stop from their home computers instead of visiting our building. Also, none of our buildings in the entire Agency has a vending machine, so coming to drink coffee & browse isn't a consideration for our applicants, and no food or drinks are allowed in either room. We do have regulars who come every week at the same time---Wed. AM, for example, but there's very little interaction between any of the job/training seekers, unless it's to pass on info about who's hiring, etc.. I hope this info helps!

Jo OH

Often, it is common to find campers at various one-stops and other community services. Two suggestions:

Give 1 hour time allotment for each computer. Have the Receptionist or a staff person monitor the time.
Since they are monitoring the usage of the time on the computer, offer some job search assistance.

I think if this is done in a firm, yet compassionate way, people will comply...... If they don't, perhaps you wouldn't

want to refer them to a job anyway. By the way, keep the coffee pouring. If coffee can help keep a person warm,

while for a job, keep it brewing.

Thanks,

No campers in VR offices. I would give them a job to do - collating,
stapling, sorting filing non-confidential materials, job skill
testing/development stuff including attitude about work in exchange for
computer access and put $ .25 cup on coffee pot for supplies. Turn it into
a work experience session. Just a few random thoughts. Aloha, Joy HI

Good topic Paul. We do have lots of campers as well and though I don't usually work in our Resource Centers, I know that the folks who do have to constantly think of ways to convince our customers that being able to use this center is for the purpose of job search and not for visiting with friends, being on the phone or conducting personal business. We have also had a problem with Internet use other than work search, if you know what I mean.

I may have some other interesting things to share after I speak with one or more of the employees who work particularly closely in these Resource Centers. Have a great week as well as a safe one.

Donna

unfortunately i am the only job club person at our agency....i believe in the job club approach....that means using any and all means to searching for work....with an emphasis on networking...yellow pages and phone presentations.....walk right in......our one stop is computer/registration oriented...statistics/numbers....unemployment office/wiai...not placements and not individual job search strategies....to answer your question directly..we tolerate the ones that don't stink and don't camp out to often......there is a comfort for our bureaucratic types who think they are helping individuals job search..when ,in fact, the individual is just hiding behind the computer...when they should be making calls...getting interviews.......what i would tell one of the campers is (who might be hiring someone with their skills) to dress up and get on over there....i don't spend a lot of time with them...i do try to give them some ideas and see how they react to the idea...many have significant mental problems...and that's another issue. LH