Five Ways to Encourage and Give Hope to America’s Unemployed

If you’ve ever been unemployed for a lengthy period of time, you know how painful and traumatic it can be.

A study came out recently titled, “The Anguish of Unemployment.”

The report, released on Sept. 3, 2009, by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a sobering read. A Rutgers professor even expressed concern about a silent mental health epidemic.

According to a related BusinessWeek article titled, “Study Shows Psychological Impact of Unemployment,” Carl Van Horn, a professor of public policy at Rutgers, said, “As a researcher for 35 years, I'm struck by the breadth and depth of the psychological impacts."

I agree.

As a baby boomer, I have experienced numerous downturns in the economy, but this is the worst. I deeply feel for unemployed Americans right now.

I further believe that employed Americans care deeply about their unemployed family members, neighbors, friends and former co-workers. We all will be much better off, when all who want to work are once again gainfully employed.

Meanwhile, if you are in a position to encourage and give hope to unemployed family members, friends or acquaintances, there are ways. Here are five:

1. Encourage them to stay in touch with friends and former co-workers. While unemployed people may have limited funds for lunch or dinner outings, invite them over occasionally. Or simply ask them to meet you somewhere for coffee or tea, or for a walk, one morning or afternoon. For sure, an occasional e-mail or phone call will help, too.
2. Encourage them to join a weekly support group. Many churches and other organizations sponsor groups that aid in networking and job-hunting strategies. Some unemployment support groups bring in speakers and other professionals who can help job seekers learn how to quickly gain interviews or how to successfully interview, etc.
3. Encourage them to volunteer. Perhaps they might want to join you and participate in a volunteering event. Or suggest they drop by a neighborhood school and volunteer to help a teacher or read to a class. Junior Achievement, which helps prepare young school students for the real world, is always looking for volunteers. Volunteering does as much for the volunteer as it does for the recipients. As they say, nothing takes your mind off your own problems as when you’re helping others. Volunteering is also a great way to network and meet other people who might be able to point an unemployed person to a potential employer.
4. Encourage them to be resourceful and creative. Many unemployed end up going into business for themselves during recessionary periods. This is great! However, self-employment isn’t feasible for everyone, many times due to personal or financial circumstances. In the interim, though, most people can get resourceful and market themselves in other ways. For instance, someone who loves animals might advertise that they can “dog-, cat- or bird-sit” while the owner is traveling or on vacation. Or others might advertise that they are available to “house-sit.” People who travel a lot may need a reliable person to check on their homes regularly or to water plants, etc.
5. Encourage them to further their education or acquire new job skills. Enrollments in higher-education institutions and community colleges are dramatically increasing. Many unemployed people are taking advantage of these times to further their education and/or acquire new “recessionary-proof” job skills. Federal and state/local grants and stimulus package benefits may be available, as well.

This is one challenging time for Americans, especially for the unemployed. Let’s do what we can, so no one within our reach feels all alone, or worse—worthless and useless. America needs all able bodies and minds back to work, as quickly as possible! 

Want to learn more about entrepreneurship? 

How Entrepreneurs Turn Big Ideas into Small Business Opportunities 

Ten Characteristics of Entrepreneurs: How Successful Ones Lead People

Someone once said, "Hope is grief's best music."