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Job Seekers Band Together In Johnson County

Johnson County Job Club
Photo By Laura Ziegler
Johnson County Job Club

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-836703.mp3

Overland Park, Kansas – Nearly 50 percent more workers in Johnson County are without jobs today than they were this time last year. The increase in unemployment is still well below the national average of 8.9%,and lower than that of neighboring Wyandotte County. But the job base in Johnson County historically has been high wage and highly skilled, and most are accustomed to job security.

Such rapidly rising joblessness creates intense competition for existing jobs. But with the expansion of "job clubs," or gatherings of people looking for work, more and more are coming together to help each other out.

Laura Ziegler and Brian Ellison spent some time at job clubs,and prepared this report.

As Kansas City grows and diversifies, journalists need to listen to the people, to your challenges and successes..As engagement and solutions editor, I’ll make sure we’re framing stories based on what we hear from you, and we’ll partner with communities so our stories help us understand and connect to one another. Email me at lauraz@kcur.org.
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