Services covering more than 4,300 employees and 500 students from vulnerable communities including Dreamers, students of color and children from mixed immigration status families to be provided by WHEN Enterprises Corp. and Aliento
PHOENIX – July 26, 2023 – More than 4,300 educators and support staff in the Phoenix Union High School District (PXU), in addition to 500 students from vulnerable communities including Dreamers, students of color and children from mixed immigration status families in Phoenix will have access to well-being and mental health support services through May 2024 because of a grant provided by the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
A sum of $970,000 in ARPA funds, administered through the Phoenix IDA, will be available to offset costs of providing support services for both PXU employees and
K-12 students in Maricopa County through the end of second quarter of 2024.
Phoenix-based WHEN Enterprises Corp. (WHEN) will deliver services to PXU teachers and staff through personalized coaching and guidance called The Power of WHEN®, a Well-being Program for Being a Better Me.
Aliento will provide services to students. The Phoenix-based nonprofit organization will focus on stress management and enhancing resiliency among students while working to decrease their anxiety, depression and isolation.
Well-being Services for Teachers
The Power of WHEN program combines comprehensive online content and customized tools for teachers with well-being services delivered by professionally trained WHEN Advisors in four completely confidential one-on-one sessions.
Through this ARPA-funded project, WHEN will oversee reaching 4,375 teachers and staff during the contract period. Randy Miller, founder and Chief WHEN Officer of WHEN, estimates that the initiative will engage a large opt-in participation rate to receive coaching and well-being services.
“WHEN provides actionable, personal and professional development strategies that empower people with the motivation to achieve personal success, well-being and leadership goals,” said Miller. “This initiative will enable us to generate data to help improve employee retention and engagement within the school system.”
Shelly Ryan, Chief Career and Training Officer for WHEN added: “The Power of WHEN program will provide a solution to educators and PXU staff who need support. They’ll gain practical wellness knowledge, participate in well-being self-assessment activities, and explore personal goals to identify an optimal path for their own careers, mental fitness, and well-being.”
Teaching Students to Cope
“This mental health initiative supports the overall sense of wellness for vulnerable students and educators – positively improving educator enthusiasm and retention while simultaneously empowering students to overcome psychosocial barriers,” said Juan Salgado, CEO of the Phoenix IDA.
This initiative will enable students to learn healthy coping skills to reduce high levels of stress and to increase resilience among students throughout the Phoenix area, according to Reyna Montoya, founder and CEO of Aliento.
“We will make the Aliento arts and healing and social emotional learning programming available to students who are identified as needing these services,” Montoya said.
Identifying Target Locations
Phoenix IDA will provide oversight of consultant efforts including coordination between WHEN and Aliento, prioritization and sequencing of outreach efforts, budget and financial oversight, and reporting results to the state.
The collaborative will meet with PXU leaders to determine which of its 23 schools will be targeted to participate, based on need and district recommendations. The initiative may also include faculty and staff at other K-12 schools within Maricopa County and Maricopa County Community Colleges.
Selection criteria will include demographics of student population, support from school administration, perceived need for mental health support, attrition rates of teachers and administrators, unfilled positions, and overall capacity of the WHEN and Aliento collaborative to meet identified needs.
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About the Phoenix IDA
The Phoenix IDA, which was established in 1981, promotes community and economic development through innovative public financing, including bonds, investments and loans. Supported projects benefit the overall health and sustainability of underserved communities and are focused in the areas of housing, healthcare, education, and community and economic development. For more information, visit phoenixida.com.
About WHEN® Enterprises Corp.
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, WHEN® combines mindful methodology with advanced technology to deliver one-on-one, online professional advisory and guidance well-being programs to every client, delivered by a professionally trained WHEN Advisor®.
This personalized guidance helps participants discover their unique strengths and capabilities, while achieving greater happiness, inner peace and personal fulfillment. Sessions are conducted on a proprietary web-based or mobile platform, enabling WHEN members the ability to stay in direct contact with their WHEN Advisor®, anytime or anywhere. For more information, visit FindYourWHEN.com.
About Aliento
Aliento serves undocumented, DACA, and mixed immigration status families to transform trauma into hope and action. Aliento is youth-led, directly impacting people and allies who are co-creating and building a place where human potential is nurtured and not defined by immigration status. Aliento supports students and families impacted by the inequities of lacking an immigration status through education initiatives, arts and healing programming, leadership development training, policy and advocacy. Visit alientoaz.org for more information.
