STEP Navigators are here to help people on SNAP get training, education and employment

We all need a little help sometimes. Trying to figure out where to go, who to talk to, how to get there.

Enter the STEP Navigators – the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) staff who help people with SNAP benefits who want to get training, access to education and employment related services.

Now for the acronyms: STEP stands for SNAP Training Employment Program. STEP is a program for people 16 and older who have Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP food benefits. SNAP recipients who want help getting connected with training and employment assistance can get one-on-one support from a STEP Navigator. The STEP program providers offer education, training and employment services. They may also help with the cost of training, textbooks, gas for your vehicle, bus passes, utility costs and clothes for work.

Mary Simpson is a STEP Navigator who works in Multnomah County, one of the busiest counties for STEP Navigators. Simpson has been a navigator since 2018 when the program started as a pilot in Oregon. Her team of four receives an average of 180 referrals for STEP program help each month. There are currently 19 STEP program providers in Multnomah County. There is at least one STEP Navigator that covers each Oregon’s 36 counties. The statewide Navigator teams often collaborate and troubleshoot issues to better assist people needing their services.

“It’s a 100 percent voluntary program. The only requirement to participate is that you are on SNAP. We mostly get referrals from our Eligibility staff. They ask people when they’re talking about eligibility for SNAP if they’re interested in programs for education, training or employment opportunities,” Simpson said.

When a referral is received, she makes several attempts to reach them with phone calls and voicemail. Then she follows up with an email or text.

“Every Navigator has their own style of doing things. I offer to talk with them on the phone or to meet in person,” she said.

Some people want to get their GED (General Educational Development, or high school equivalency credential). Simpson facilitates a direct referral or they may choose to go check out a STEP provider on their own. There are credentialing programs called career pathways at the community college such as in physical fitness, early childhood education, natural resources, non-clinical medical fields, radio, pre-apprenticeships in construction, welding, automotive work and even something called mechatronics, which is engineering of autonomous mobile robots.

“There’s no pressure. It’s all about ‘how can I help support you? What are your goals?,’ ” she said.

Others come to her asking for employment help. For this, Navigators often refer them to WorkSource Oregon in the Oregon Employment Department, a partner for career services open to all Oregonians. This is a popular ask today and can sometimes come with a waitlist because services are in high demand.

STEP Navigators also work with different cultural groups. There are STEP providers such as IRCO for employment needs. IRCO stand for Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization.

“A case that stands out for me was when I was working with a single father. He was supporting his four children. He was trying to make ends meet by driving for UBER and Lyft. He had a high degree from another country but wasn’t credentialed for it in the United States. I connected him with IRCO, as well as another STEP provider that offered a professional credentialing program. That helped him get a job in his profession, which offered him a career. He is now better able to support himself and his children,” Simpson.

There are STEP programs available to people who have been justice- involved. Some people have been in incarcerated for 10 years or more and need help adjusting and acclimating back into the workforce.

Navigators also work with youth who are homeless, youth who are leaving foster care and youth who are looking to complete high school.

“STEP is very career oriented. We are not the givers of jobs. But we are the link between ODHS SNAP recipients and our STEP providers offering career and community services,” Simpson said.

“We all know the work we are doing is important. People gain self-esteem when they have a job. It feels lovely to just be able to offer an ear to people to let them know they have been heard and there are options for them. I heard that someone called us the ‘Purveyors of Hope.’ I guess that’s what we do. We offer hope,” Simpson said.

STEP is a nationally recognized program with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Learn more about what the STEP program offers for SNAP recipients: https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/food/Pages/snap-employment.aspx.

If you are seeking STEP Navigator services: Contact your ODHS local office and ask for a referral to the STEP program.

If you want to apply for SNAP: Visit https://benefits.oregon.gov

SNAP helps you stretch your food budget but may not meet all your food needs. Visit our food resources page if you need more help.

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