Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)   Helping mature workers obtain skills to compete in a global economy, and helping employers obtain skilled workers.

Program Information

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) provides training and employment services to eligible low-income jobseekers age 55 and older. Program participants gain competitive job skills through paid part-time on-the-job training in non-profit organizations and governmental entities such as school districts and city, county, state, and federal agencies. Participants "earn while they learn" new skills and provide valuable community services. SCSEP also assists program participants to find and secure unsubsidized employment with public and private entities.

A directory of SCSEP Contact Information is now available and searchable by counties.

SCSEP is authorized by the Older Americans Act (Title V) as amended by Public Law 109-365. The U.S. Department of Labor funds both states and national organizations to administer SCSEP.

Texas' Governor has designated the Texas Workforce Commission (Agency) as administrator of the state's portion of SCSEP, primarily in rural communities. The Agency contracts with a national organization, Experience Works, to manage the day-to-day program operations. The Agency manages planning, grant application, and interfacing with the U.S. Department of Labor. As the state contractor, Experience Works currently serves 93 rural Texas counties.

DOL also contracts with five national organizations to provide training and employment services to older Texans in the remaining Texas counties. The organizations include AARP, Experience Works, National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, SER-National, and Senior Services America.

The Agency and SCSEP contractors collaborate with the 28 local workforce development boards (Boards) to provide employment services to the general workforce, including older workers. The Agency and SCSEP contractors also collaborate with Area Agencies on Aging to serve older workers. The Boards oversee the delivery of employment services through about 270 Texas Workforce Centers strategically placed throughout the state. Texas Workforce Centers offer orientation to workforce services, job counseling, employment referrals, referrals to educational or vocational training, and other referral services.

Helpful Links

The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging
Information about public hearings on senior issues, press releases, and Websites with information of interest to seniors.

Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services

• Find Services
  Index and description of agency services.
• Area Agencies on Aging
  28 Area Agencies on Aging providing services to help individuals age 60+, their families, and/or other caregivers receive the information and assistance they need to find and access community services.
• Area Agency on Aging Directory (by city, county and ZIP code)

Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Elders and Families
  Federal, national, and local programs benefiting seniors.